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1 


THE  CHILDREN'S 
BOOK 

A  COLLECTION  OF  THE  BEST  AND  MOST  FAMOUS 
STORIES  AND  POEMS  IN  THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE 


CHOSEN  BY 

HORACE  E.  SCUDDER 

^itlj  inanp  3  ilu^trations 


f3»tf©^ 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 

HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 

C&e  ftitocrgiDe  J&re£$  Cambridge 


Ml 

w 


COPYRIGHT,    iSSl    AND    IQ07,    BY   HOUGHTON,    MIFFLIN    &    COMPANY 
COPYRIGHT,    I909,    BY    GRACE    OWEN   SCUDDER 

ALL   RIGHTS    RESERVED 


SOS.  8 


Libiary,  Un,v    q| 

N™h  Carolina 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


THE  BOOK  OF  FABLES.  Paoe 

The  Wolf  and  the  Lamb 1 

The  Fox  and  the  Grapes I 

The  Tortoise  and  the  Hare 1 

The  Cat  and  the  Mice 2 

The  Farmer  and  his  Sons 2 

The  Woman  and  her  Maids 2 

The  Two  Packs 2 

The  Frogs  ask  for  a  King 3 

The  Fox  in  the  Well 3 


P10B 

The  Kite  and  the  Pigeons 13 

The  Ass  in  the  Lion's  Skin 14 

The  Dog  and  his  Shadow 14 


The  Wolf  and  the  Crane        .... 

The  Cat,  the  Weasel,  and  the  Young  Rabbit 

The  Lion  and  the  Mouse  .... 

The  Goose  that  laid  Golden  Eggs 

The  Boys  and  the  Frogs . 

The  Lion,  the  Ass,  and  the  Fox 

The  Astrologer  .... 

The  Shepherd-Boy  and  the  Wolf 

The  Farmer's  Sons     .... 

The  Stag  and  the  Lion 

Hercules  and  the  Wagoner    . 

The  Sun  and  the  Wind 

Belling  the  Cat         .... 

The  Farmer  and  the  Stork 

The  Crab  and  his  Mother 

The  Cat,  the  Monkey,  and  the  Chestnuts 

The  Crow  and  the  Pitcher     . 

The  Lion  and  the  Fox  ..... 

A  Country  Fellow  and  a  River    . 

The  Belly  and  the  Members 

The  Fox  that  lost  his  Tail 

The  Archer  and  the  Eagle 

The  Ant  and  the  Grasshopper 

The  Crow  and  the  Fox 

The  Jackdaw  and  the  Doves 

The  Fox  and  the  Lion 

The  Tortoise  and  the  Eagle 

The  Boy-  and  the  Nettle    . 

The  Dog  and  the  Wolf 

The  Boy  that  stole  Apples 

The  Fox  and  the  Stork 

The  Wolf  and  the  Goat     . 

The  Lion  in  Love 


.  9 
9 
.  9 
9 
10 
10 
10 
10 
11 
11 
11 
12 
12 
12 
12 
13 
13 
13 


The  Lark  and  her  Young  Ones  . 
The  Traveler  and  the  Viper 

The  Frog  and  the  Ox 

The  Dog  in  the  Manger    .... 

The  Flies  and  the  Pot  of  Honey 

The  Wolf  in  Sheep's  Clothing 

The  Country  Maid  and  her  Milk-Pail 

The  Country-  Mouse  and  the  Town  Mouse  . 

The  Lioness  and  the  Fox      .... 

The  Miller,  his  Son,  and  their  Ass 

The  Wolves  and  the  Sheep 

The  Spendthrift  and  the  Swallow 

The  Arab  and  his  Camel       .... 

The  Old  Man  and  Death  .        .         .        . 


The  Choice  of  Hercules 

THE  BOOK  OF  WONDERS. 

The  Story-  of  Chicken  Licken         .         .         .         . 

The  Three  Bears     . 

The  Elves  and  the  Shoemaker        .         .         .         . 

The  Frog-Prince       .        ■ 

The  Jew  in  the  Bush 

The  King  of  the  Golden  Mountain    . 

The  Fisherman  and  his  Wife  .... 

JORINDA    AND   JoRINDEL       ...... 

The  Six  Swans 

Rumpei.-StiltsKin 

The  Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks 

Little  One  Ey-e,  Little   Two   Eyes,  and   Little 

Three  Ey-es 

The  Traveling  Musicians     ..... 

The  White  Cat 

Prince  Cherry 

The  Golden  Bird        ....... 

Riquet  with  the  Tuft 

The  Nose        ......... 

Hop-o'-my-Thumb        ....... 

A  FEW  SONGS. 

Little  Birdie       ........ 


14 
15 
15 

15 
15 
15 
16 
16 
16 
1? 
17 
17 
IS 
18 

18 

21 
22 
23 
24 


30 
32 
34 
37 
38 

43 

47 
49 
56 
60 
64 
66 
69 

75 


Co 


1Y 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

75 

.     75 

75 

.     76 

76 

.     76 

77 

.     77 

78 

The  Lamb  ....... 

The  Child's  Desire 

The  Little  Doves 

rKETTY    COW  ... 

Twinkle,  Twinkle  ..... 

Willie   Winkie 

The  Same,  with  the  Scotticisms  changed 
Good-Night  and  Good-Mokning 
Gentle  Jesus,  Meek  and  Mild     . 

I.ULLABY 

Cradle  Song      ........ 

THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALKS. 
Cinderella;  or,  the  Glass  Slipper 

Hans  in  Luck 

The  Sleeping  Beauty  in  the  Wood 

Jack  the  Giant-Killer 

Tom  Thumb    ...        

Puss  in  Boots 

Little  Bed  Riding-Hood 

Beauty  and  the  Beast    ...... 

The  History  of  Sir  Richard   Whittington  and 

his  Cat 

3lue  Beard        ...         

The  History  of  Fortunatus 

Jack  and  the  Bean-Stalk 

The  History-  of  Valentine  and  Orson 
Clever  Alice    .  

THE  BOOK  OF  STORIES  IN  VERSE. 

The  Children  in  the  Wood     .....  134 

Mary's  Lamb      .  136 

The  Spider  and  his  Wife         .....  136 

The  Notorious  Glutton 137 

Dirty  Jack 138 

The  Chatterbox 138 

Meddlesome  Matty 138 

The  Pin 139 

Never  play  with  Fire 139 

The  Pond •       140 

The  Cow  and  the  Ass 140 

Nose  and  Eyes  .......       141 

The  Wind  in  a  Frolic        • 142 

The  Diverting  History  of  John  Gilpin    .        .      142 

The  Spider  and  the  Fly 146 

A  Visit  from  St.  Nicholas  .....       147 
The  Mountain  and  the  Squirrel  ....  148 

Holy'  Thursday- 148 

An  Elegy  on  the  Death  of  a  Mad  Dog        .         .  149 
The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin  ....       149 

STORIES  FROM  HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 

The  Constant  Tin  Soldier 154 

The  Emperor's  New  Clothes        ....      157 


79 
83 
85 
89 
96 
99 
103 
104 

109 
114 
117 
122 
127 
132 


paih 

The  Daisy 159 

The  Ugly  Duckling 162 

The  Fir-Tree 167 

The  Flax    .  172 

The  Swineherd    ........  175 

The  Lovers .      178 

Little  Claus  and  Big  Claus 179 

The  Darning-Needle       ......       186 

The  Red   Shoes 188 

The  Nightingale 191 

The  Princess  on  the  Pea 197 

Holger  Danske 198 

The  Shepherdess  and  the  Chimney'-Sweep  .  •  201 
"  What  the  Good-Man  does  is  sure  to  be  Right  "  203 

The  Little  Match  Girl 206 

The  Bell 208 

TALES   FROM    THE   ARABIAN  NIGHTS'    EN- 
TERTAINMENTS. 

I.  Introduction .211 

II.  The  History  of  the  Fisherman         .        .        .  219 

III.  The  Story  of  the  Enchanted  Horse  .      222 

IV.  The  Story  of  Aladdin  ;  or,  the  Wonderful 
Lamp 230 

V.  The  Adventures  of   the  Caliph   Haroun  Al- 
Raschid 255 

VI.  The  History  of  Ali  Baba,  and  of  the  Forty 
Robbers  killed  by  one  Slave      ....  284 

VII.  The  Story  of  Sindbad  the  Sailor     .  296 

VIII.  The  Story  of  the  Little  Hunchback         .  304 

IX.  The  Story  of  the  Barmecide  Feast   .        .      307 
THE  BOOK  OF  BALLADS. 

John  Barleycorn 310 

Robin  Hood  and  Allin  a  Dale  ....  310 
Robin  Hood  and  the  Bishop  of  Hereford  .  .  312 
The  Hunting  of  the  Cheviot  ....  313 
King  John  and  the  Abbot  of  Canterbury   .         .  318 

Sweet  William's  Ghost 32C 

Sir  Patrick  Spens 320 

The  Heir  of  Linne 322 

The  Dragon  of  Want  ley 326 

THE  BOOK  OF  FAMILIAR  STORIES. 

The  Renowned  History  of  Goody  Two-Shoes  .      328 
The  Renowned  History-  of   Mrs.  Margery  Two- 
Shoes  335 

Eyes,  and  no  Eyes  ;  or,  the  Art  of  Seeing     .      339 

The  Boy  without  a  Genius 342 

A  Tale  of  Potted  Sprats 344 

Waste  not,  Want  not;  or,  Two  Strings  to  your 

Bow .         .346 

The  Discontented  Pendulum        ....      360 

A  VOYAGE  TO  LILLIPUT 362 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

-TRAVELS  uF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN       .        .      393 
THE  BOOK  OF  POETRY. 

The  Pet  Lamb 403 

Poor  Susan 404 

Epitaph  on  a  Hare  404 

Llewellyn  and  his  Dog 405 

Padl  Revere's  Kide 406 

Lochinvar 409 

Goody  Blake  and  Harry  Gill        ....  410 
how  they  brought  the  good  news  from  ghent 

TO  Aix 412 

Lucy  Gray 413 


PAGE 

Old  Ironsides 414 

horatius 415 

The  Skeleton  in  Armor 420 

The  Burial  of  Sir  John  Moore      ....  423 
Lord  Ullin's  Daughter  .....       424 

The  Wreck  of  the  Hesperus 425 

The  Beggar  Maid 427 

THE  BOOK  OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 

The  Horse  of  Wood 428 

The  Cyclops 431 

The  Story  of  King  C'rozsus      .....  436 
The  Expedition  of  the  Argonauts    .        .        .      441 


THE  BOOK   OF   FABLES. 


THE   WOLF   AND   THE   LAMB. 

As  a  Wolf  was  lapping  at  the  head  of  a  running 
brook,  he  spied  a  stray  Lamb  paddling  at  some  dis- 
tance down  the  stream.  Having  made  up  his  mind 
to  seize  her,  he  bethought  himself  how  he  might 
justify  his  violence.  "  Villain,"  said  he,  running 
up  to  her,  "  how  dare  you  muddle  the  water  that 
I  am  drinking  ?  "  "  Indeed,"  said  the  Lamb, 
humbly,  "  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  disturb  the 
water,  since  it  runs  from  you  to  me,  not  from  me 


to  you."  "  Be  that  as  it  may,"  replied  the  Wolf, 
"  it  was  but  a  year  ago  that  you  called  me  many 
ill  names."  "  O  Sir,"  said  the  Lamb,  trembling, 
"  a  year  ago  I  was  not  born."  "  Well,"  replied 
the  Wolf,  "  if  it  was  not  you  it  was  your  father, 
and  that  is  all  the  same  ;  but  it 's  no  use  trying 
to  argue  me  out  of  my  supper  ;  "  and  without  an- 
other word  he  fell  upon  the  poor,  helpless  Lamb 
and  tore  her  to  pieces. 

THE    FOX   AND   THE   GRAPES. 

A    Fox    who    was    hungry    discovered    some 
bunches  of  grapes  hanging  from  a  vine  high  up  a 

l 


tree,  and,  as  he  gazed,  longed  to  get  at  them,  and 
could  not ;  so  he  left  them  hanging  there  and  went 
off  muttering,  "  They  're  sour  grapes." 


THE  TORTOISE  AND  THE  HARE. 

"  What  a  dull,  heavy  creature,"  says  the  Hare, 
"is  this  Tortoise."  "And  yet,"  says  the  Tortoise, 
"I  '11  run  with  you  for  a  wager."     "  Done,"  says 


the  Hare,  and  then  they  ask  the  Fox  to  be  the 
judge.     They  started   together,  and  the  Tortoise 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


kept  jogging  on  still,  till  he  came  to  the  end  of 
the  course.  The  Hare  laid  himself  down  midway 
and  took  a  nap  ;  "  for,"  says  he,  "  I  can  catch  up 
with  the  Tortoise  when  I  please."  But  it  seems 
he  overslept  himself,  for  when  he  came  to  wake, 
though  he  scudded  away  as  fast  as  possible,  the 
Tortoise  had  got  to  the  post  before  him  and  won 
the  wager. 

Slow  and  steady  wins  the  race. 

THE    CAT    AND   THE   MICE. 

In  a  certain  house  there  were  many  Mice.    Now 
a  Cat,  hearing  of  this,  went  there  and   began  to 


catch  them  and  eat  them  up  one  by  one.  When 
the  Mice  were  having  this  sorry  time,  they  said 
among  themselves  :  "  Let  us  take  time  by  the 
forelock  and  make  our  way  to  the  eaves,  that  we 
may  not  be  every  one  of  us  destroyed,  for  since 
the  Cat  cannot  get  there  we  shall  be  saved."  Now 
when  the  Cat  could  not  get  at  the  Mice,  be  thought 
something  must  be  done,  and  began  to  plan  to  get 
them  out  by  some  trick.  Climbing  up  to  a  peg, 
and  throwing  himself  off,  he  hung  from  it  and 
pretended  to  be  dead.  One  of  the  Mice  peeping 
out  saw  him  there  and  said  :  "  Ah,  you  fellow,  if 
you  were  a  bag  of  meal  itself  we  would  n't  come 
out  to  you." 

The  fable  teaches  that  prudent  men,  when  they 
have  found  out  rascals,  are  not  to  be  caught  by 
their  make-believe. 


THE    FARMER   AND    HIS    SONS. 

A  farmer  who  had  come  to  the  end  of  his  life 
wished  his  sons  to  make  a  trial  of  farming,  and 
calling  them  to  him,  said:  "  Children,  I  am  now 
finishing  my  life,  but  ycu  will  find  all  that  be- 
longs to  me  in  the  vineyard."  So  the}',  thinking 
it  must  contain  a  treasure-pot,  took  spades  and 
plows,  after  the  death  of  their  father,  and  eagerly 
dug  up  all  the  soil.  The  treasure-pot,  to  be  sure, 
they  did  not  find,  but  the  vineyard,  being  well 
dug  over  and  improved,  yielded  an  abundant  store 
of  grapes  and  made  them  rich. 

The  story  teaches  that  hard  work  is  man's 
treasure-pot. 

THE  WOMAN  AND  HER  MAIDS. 

A  Widow,  who  was  a  notable  housekeeper, 
was  wont  to  wake  her  Maids  and  set  them  at 
work  by  cock-crow.  And  they,  taking  this  very 
hard,  thought  it  was  only  necessary  to  strangle 
the  house  cock,  for  they  thought  he  was  the  cause 
of  their  ills,  because  he  waked  the  mistress  before 
dawn.     When  they  had  clone  this   the  lady  of  the 


house  waked  them  earlier  still,  in  the  very  middle 
of  the  night,  for  she  could  not  tell  when  it  was 
cock-crow. 

So  it  is  that  their  own  devices  become  the  very 
breeders  of  evil  to  many  men. 

THE    TWO   PACKS. 
Every  man  carries  two  packs,  one  in  front,  the 


THE    WOLF  AND    THE    CRANE. 


other  behind,  and  each  is  full  of  faults.  But  the 
one  in  front  holds  other  people's  faults,  the  one 
behind  holds  his  own.  And  so  it  is  that  men  do 
not  see  their  own  faults  at  all,  but  see  very  clearly 
indeed  the  faults  of  others. 

THE    FROGS   ASK   FOR   A   KING. 

The  Frogs  being  concerned  at  the  free  and 
easy  way  in  which  they  were  living,  sent  their 
elders  to  Jove  to  beg  him  to  send  them  a  king. 
Now  he  saw  what  simpletons  they  were  and  tossed 
a  Log  into  the  middle  of  the  lake.  The  Frogs, 
frightened  out  of  their  senses,  plunged  at  once 
into  the  very  deepest  holes.  But  after  some  time 
had  passed,  when  they  saw  that  the  Log  was  stock 


down   to   see  what  the   matter  was.     "  Ah,"  says 
Reynard,  "  pray  lend  me  your  hand,  friend,  and 


still,  they  forgot  their  fright,  and  felt  such  con- 
tempt for  it  that  they  jumped  up  and  sat  on  it. 
Thinking  such  a  king  not  worth  having,  they  -went 
a  second  time  to  Jove,  and  asked  him  to  change 
him.  Then  he  gave  them  an  Eel,  but  when  they 
saw  how  stupid  he  was,  they  refused  to  receive 
him.  So  they  went  a  third  time  to  Jove,  and 
wanted  him  to  change  this  one  too.  And  Jove, 
who  was  now  angry,  at  once  sent  a  Stork  to  them, 
who  caught  the  Frogs  and  ate  them  up  one  by 
one. 

The  fable  shows  that  it   is  well  to  trust  God, 
and  so  to  avoid  wicked  and  troublesome  rulers. 

THE   FOX   IX   THE   WELL. 

An  unlucky  Fox  dropped  into  a  well,  and  cried 
out  for  help.     A  Wolf  overheard  him,  and  looked 


get  me  out  of  this."  "  Poor  creature,"  says  the 
Wolf,  "  how  did  this  come  about  ?  how  long  hast 
thou  been  here?  thou  must  be  mighty  cold." 
"  Come,  come,"  says  the  Fox,  "  this  is  no  time  for 
pitying  and  asking  questions  ;  get  me  out  of  the 
well  first,  and  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it  after- 
ward." 

THE   WOLF    AXD    THE    CRANE. 

A  Wolf  once  had  a  bone  stuck  in  his  throat, 
and  offered  the  Crane  a  large,  reward  if  she  would 
thrust  her  head   down   and   draw   the    bone   out. 


^t^^ 


She  did  so,  and  claimed  the  reward.  At  that,  the 
Wolf  set  up  a  laugh,  and  showed  his  teeth  :  "  Isn't 
it   enough   for  you,"  he  said,  "  to   have   this,  and 


4                                                                 THE  BOOK  OF  FABLES. 

nothing  else,  that  you  have  drawn  your  head  safely  THE   CAT,   THE  WEASEL,   AND   THE   YOUNG 

out  of  the  jaws  of  the  Wolf  ?  "  RABBIT. 

The  story  points  at  crafty  men,  who,  when  they  A    YOUNG    Rabbit    was    living   contentedly  at 

are  rid  of  danger,  offer  this  to  their  benefactors  home,  respected  by  his  neighbors,  and  not  disposed 

for  thanks,  that  they  did  them  no  injury.  to  get  into  difficulty  with  any  one,  for  he  was 


THE   GOOSE   THAT  LAW    GOLDEN  EGGS. 


peaceful  and  temperate  in  his  habits.  He  went 
out  one  morning  to  the  parsley  market,  to  get  his 
dinner,  when  a  Weasel,  that  was  going  slyly  by, 
slipped  into  the  Rabbit's  house,  and  made  herself 
at  home.  It  was  very  comfortable,  and  quite  to 
her  mind,  so  she  decided  to  remain,  and  settle 
down  there  at  housekeeping,  and  enjoy  the  society 
of  the  neighborhood.  By  and  by  the  Rabbit  re- 
turned, and  saw  the  Weasel  sitting  at  the  window, 
poking  her  snout  out.  "  Do  you  not  know  that 
this  is  my  house  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Tut,  tut,"  said 
the  Weasel.  "  What  makes  it  yours  ?  you  only 
scratched  the  ground  a  little  and  came  in  here 
where  the  earth  was  gone.  Do  you  pretend  to 
own  the  earth  ?  "  "  The  law  gives  it  to  me," 
said  the  Rabbit,  "  because  I  made  it  fit  to  live  in. 
If  you  do  not  leave,  I  shall  send  for  the  consta- 
ble." "  The  law,  indeed  !  "  said  the  Weasel. 
"  And  pray  what  right  has  the  law  to  give  away 
land?  But  we  will  have  no  more  words.  We 
will  lay  the  matter  before  Grimalkin,  and  leave 
it  to  him."  The  Rabbit  consented,  and  they  went 
together  to  Grimalkin,  an  ancient  Cat,  who  was 
old,  wise,  and  learned.  "  Come  nearer,  my  chil- 
dren," said  Grimalkin  to  them,  as  they  both  began 
talking  together ;  "  I  am  very  deaf,  and  borne 
down  by  the  weight  of  years.  Nearer  still,  that 
I  may  hear  every  word."  Both  approached  fear- 
lessly, each  loudly  protesting  that  the  other  was 
unjust.  As  soon,  however,  as  the  learned  Gri- 
malkin had  them  within  reach,  he  darted  his 
claws  out  on  either  side  at  the  same  moment,  and 
had  them  both  in  his  clutches,  when  he  settled 
their  dispute  by  devouring  them  at  his  leisure. 
The  house  then  belonged  to  him. 

THE    LION   AND   THE   MOUSE. 

A  Mouse  happened  to  run  into  the  mouth  of  a 
sleeping  Lion,  who  roused  himself,  caught  him, 
and  was  just  about  eating  him,  when  the  little 
fellow  begged  him  to  let  him  go,  saying,  "  If  I  am 
saved,  I  shall  be  everlastingly  grateful."  So,  with 
a  smile,  he  let  him  off.  It  befell  him,  not  long 
after,  to  be  saved  hj  the  Mouse's  gratitude,  for 
when  he  was  caught  by  some  hunters  and  bound 


by  ropes  to  a  tree,  the  Mouse,  hearing  his  roaring 
groans,  came  and  gnawed  the  ropes,  and  set  him 
free,  saying,  "  You  laughed  at  me  once,  as  if  you 


could  receive  no  return  from  me,  but  now,  you  see, 
it  is  you  who  have  to  be  grateful  to  me." 

The  story  shows  that  there  come  sudden  changes 
of  affairs,  when  the  most  powerful  owe  everything 
to  the  weakest. 

THE  GOOSE  THAT  LAID  GOLDEN  EGGS. 

There  was  a  Man  who  once  had  a  very  hand- 
some Goose,  that  always  laid  golden  eggs.  Now, 
he  thought  there  must  be  gold  inside  of  her,  so  he 


wrung  her  neck  straightway,  and  found  she  was 
exactly  like  all  other  geese.  He  thought  to  find 
riches,  and  lost  the  little  he  had. 

The  fable  teaches   that  one  who  has  anything 


6 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


should  be  content  with  it,  and  avoid  covetousness, 
lest  he  lose  what  he  has. 

THE   BOYS   AND    THE   FROGS. 

A  COMPANY  of  waggish  Boys  were  watching 
some  Frogs  at  the  side  of  a  pond,  and  as  fast  as 
any  of  them  put  up  their  heads  they  'd  pelt  them 
down  again  with  stones.  "  Boys,"  says  one  of  the 
Frogs,  "  you  never  consider  that  though  this  may 
be  fun  for  you  't  is  death  to  us." 

THE   LION,    THE    ASS,    AND   THE    FOX. 

The  Lion,  the  Ass,  and  the  Fox,  made  a  bar- 
gain to  go  hunting  together.  Now  when  they  had 
caught  a  good  supply  of  game,  they  came  to  eat 
it ;  and  the  Lion  charged  the  Ass  to  divide  the 
spoil.     So  he  divided  it  into  three  equal  parts,  and 


called  on  them  to  choose  their  portion,  at  which 
the  Lion  fell  into  a  rage,  and  made  his  supper  off 
the  Ass.  Afterward,  he  bade  the  Fox  make  the 
division  ;  but  the  Fox  put  all  the.  game  into  one 
great  heap,  saving  only  a  little  bit  for  himself. 
Then  the  Lion  said,  "  My  good  fellow,  who  taught 
you  to  divide  so  well  ?  "  and  the  Fox  said,  "  That 
dead  Ass  there." 

The  fable  teaches  that  wise  men  learn  their 
wisdom  from  the  misfortunes  of  their  neighbors. 

THE    ASTROLOGER. 

An  Astrologer  was  wont  to  go  out  every  even- 
ing and  gaze  at  the  stars.  Now  it  happened  once 
that  his  walk  took  him  outside   of  the  town,  and 


as  he  was  looking  up  with  all  his  eyes  to  the  sky, 
he  did  not  notice  where  he  was  going,  and  fell 
into  a  ditch.  He  was  in  a  sorry  plight  and  set  up 
a  cry,  whereupon  some  one  passing  by  heard  his 
groans,  and  came  up  to  him  ;  when  the  stranger 
heard  what  had  happened,  he  said  to  him  :  "  Sir, 
you  who  are  trying  to  make  out  things  in  the  sky, 
don't  you  see  what  is  on  the  earth  ?  " 

One  might  apply  this  word  to  those  who  pre- 
tend to  teach  men  extraordinary  things,  but  are 
quite  unable  to  attend  to  the  most  common  af- 
fairs. 

THE    SHEPHERD-BOY    AND   THE   WOLF. 

A  Shepherd-boy  who  kept  his  flock  a  little 
way  from  a  village,  for  some  time  amused  himself 
with  this  sport :  he  would  call  loudly  on  the  vil- 
lagers to  come  to  his  help,  crying,  "  Wolf  !  wolf ! 
the  wolves  are  among  my  lambs  !  "     Twice,  three 


times,  the  villagers  were  startled,  and  hurried  out, 
and  went  back  laughed  at,  when  finally  the  wolves 
really  did  come.  And  as  the  wolves  made  way 
with  the  flock,  and  he  ran  crying  for  help,  they 
supposed  him  only  at  his  old  joke,  and  paid  no 
attention.     And  so  he  lost  all  his  flock. 

It  only  shows  that  people  who  tell  lies  get  this 
for  their  pains,  that  nobody  believes  them  when 
they  speak  the  truth. 

THE  FARMER'S   SONS. 
A  Farmer's  sons  were  very  quarrelsome,  and 
the  father,  when  he  took  counsel  with  them,  could 


HERCULES  AND   THE    WAGONER. 


do  nothing  by  his  words.  Then  he  thought  he 
would  persuade  them  by  an  example.  So  while 
they  were  sitting  there,  he  bade  them  bring  him 
some    fagots,    and   when   these  were    fetched,  he 


took  them  and  bound  them  into  one  bundle,  and 
ordered  his  sons  in  turn  to  take  the  bundle  and 
break  it.  They  tried,  but  could  not.  But  after- 
ward, when  he  had  loosed  the  fagots,  he  gave 
them  to  be  broken  singly.  This  they  did  very 
quickly.  Then  their  father  saith  to  them.:  "  So 
is  it  with  you,  my  children  ;  if  you  are  all  of  the 
same  mind  you  will  be  unconquerable,  and  un- 
manageable by  your  enemies  ;  but  if  you  continue 
to  rebel  and  be  quarrelsome,  you  will  quickly  be 
mastered  by  them." 

THE    STAG   AXD   THE    LION. 

A  thirsty  Stag  came  to  a  spring  to  drink  ;  as 
he  drank  he  saw  his  reflection  in  the  water,  and 
was  very  proud  of  his  antlers  when  he  saw  how 
big  and  branching  they  were  ;  but  he  looked  griev- 
ously at  his  feet,  and  took  it  hard  that  they 
should  be  so  thin  and  weak.  Now,  while  he  was 
pondering,  a  Lion  suddenly  appeared,  and  began 
to  chase  him,  and  he,  turning  to  run,  had  the  ad- 
vantage, for  the  Stag's  virtue  is  in  his  feet,  the 
Lion's  in  his  loins.  As  long  as  the  chase  was  on 
the  plain  the  Stag  was  not  to  be  caught,  but  out- 
stripped the  Lion ;  but  when  they  came  to  a 
wooded  tract  the  Stag's  horns  became  tangled  in 
the  branches  of  trees,  and  not  being  able  to  run, 


he  was  caught  by  the  Lion.  When  he  was  about 
to  be  doomed,  he  exclaimed :  "  What  a  wretch  am 
I,  who  was  saved  and  made  happy  by  the  very 
things  which  I  despised,  but  have  come  to  my  end 
by  what  I  especially  gloried  in." 


The  fable  teaches  this,  that  in  like  manner,  men 
often  think  they  have  something  fine,  and  get 
caught  by  it  unawares ;  or  this,  often  when  in 
danger  those  of  our  friends  whom  we  suspect  are 
really  our  saviors,  while  those  we  trust,  turn  out 
to  be  traitors. 

HERCULES   AXD   THE   WAGOXER. 
As    a   countryman   was    carelessly  driving   his 


wagon  along  a  miry  lane,  his  wheels  stuck  so  deep 
in  the  clay  that  the  horses  came  to  a  standstill. 
Upon   this,  the  man,  without  making    the  least 


8 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


effort  of  his  own,  began  to  call  upon  Hercules  to 
come  and  help  him  out  of  his  trouble.  But  Her- 
cules bade  him  lay  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel,  as- 
suring him  that  Heaven  only  helped  those  who 
helped  themselves. 

THE   SUN   AND   THE   WIND. 
Theke   happened    a   controversy    betwixt    the 
Sun  and  the  Wind,  which  was  the  stronger  of  the 
two,   and    they  put   the    point    upon  this    issue : 


There  was  a  traveler  upon  the  way,  and  which 
of  the  two  could  make  him  throw  off  his  cloak 
should  gain  his  case.  The  Wind  fell  presently  a 
storming,  and  threw  hail  shot  over  and  above  in 
the  very  teeth  of  him.  The  man  wrapped  himself 
closer,  and  kept  advancing  still  in  spite  of  the 
weather  ;  but  this  gust  in  a  short  time  blew  over, 
and  then  the  sun  broke  out,  and  fell  to  work  upon 
him  with  his  beams,  but  still  he  pushed  forward, 
till  in  the  end  he  was  forced  to  quit  his  cloak,  and 
lay  himself  down  upon  the  ground  in  a  cool  shade 
for  his  relief,  so  that  the  Sun,  in  the  conclusion, 
carried  the  point. 

BELLING   THE   CAT. 

There  was  a  sly  Cat,  it  seems,  in  a  certain 
house,  and  the  Mice  were  so  plagued  with  her  at 
every  turn  that  they  called  a  court  to  advise  upon 
some  ways  to  prevent  being  surprised.  "  If  you  '11 
be  ruled  by  me,"  says  one  of  the  Mice,  "there's 
nothing  like  hanging  a  bell  about  the  Cat's  neck, 


to  give  warning  beforehand  when  Puss  is  com- 
ing."  They  all  looked  upon  it  as  a  capital  con- 
trivance. "  Well,"  says  another,"  and  now  W9 
are  agreed  upon  the  bell,  say  who  shall  put  it 
about  the  Cat's  neck  ?  "  But  there  was  no  one 
ready  to  bell  the  Cat. 

THE  FARMER  AND  THE  STORK. 

A  Farmer  set  a  net  in  his  field  in  order  to 
catch  Cranes  and  Geese  that  were  eating  the 
young  growth  there.  Now  a  Stork  that  was 
caught  with  them,  and  had  bruised  his  foot,  too, 
begged  the  Farmer  to  let  him  go  free  ;  he  urged 
him  piteously,  thus :  "  Save  me,  good  man,  let  me 
go,  have  pity  upon  a  poor  weak  thing  that  has  got 
caught  here  ;  for  I  am  not  a  Crane  :  come,  quick, 
see,  I  'm  a  stork,  a  most  useful  creature,  who  take 
care  of  my  father  and  mother,  and  have  no  need 
at  all  of  any  of  these  things  in  the  field."     But 


\i,,v~  ■  £Mmk* 


the  Farmer  laughed  heartily,  and  said  :  "  Oh,  I 
know  you,  I  'm  not  ignorant ;  I  know  exactly 
what  you  are.  But  you  have  been  caught  with 
the  others  and  must  die  like  them." 

The  fable  teaches  that  it  is  wise  to  run  away 
and  not  consort  with  wicked  men,  lest  we  fall  into 
the  same  troubles  that  entrap  them. 

THE   CRAB   AND  HIS  MOTHER. 

Said  his  mother  to  a  Crab:  "  Why  do  you  walk 
so  crooked,  child  ?  walk  straight."  "  Mother,"  said 
he,  "  show  me  the  way  and  I  will  try  to  walk  like 


A    COUNTRY  FELLOW  AND  A    RIVER. 


9 


you."     Bnt  as  long  as  she  could  not  walk  straight 
her  son  laughed  at  her  advice. 

THE  CAT,  THE  MONKEY,  AND  THE  CHEST- 
NUTS. 

A  Cat  and  a  Monkey  were  sitting  one  day  in 
the  chimney  corner  watching  some  chestnuts  which 
their  master  had  laid  down  to  roast  in  the  ashes. 
The  chestnuts  had  begun  to  burst  with  the  heat 
and  the  Monkey  said  to  the  Cat,  "  It  is  plain  that 
your  paws  were  made  especially  for  pulling  out 
those  chestnuts.  Do  you  reach  forth  and  draw 
them  out.  Your  paws  are,  indeed,  exactly  like 
our  master's  hands."  The  Cat  was  greatly  flat- 
tered by  this  speech,  and  reached  forward  for  the 
tempting  chestnuts,  but  scarcely  had  he  touched 
the  hot  ashes  than  he  drew  back  with  a  cry,  for 
he  had  burnt  his  paw,  but  he  tried  again,  and 
managed  to  pull  one  chestnut  out  ;  then  he  pulled 
another,  and  a  third,  though  each  time  he  singed 
the  hair  on  his  paws.  When  he  could  pull  no 
more  out  he  turned  about  and  found  that  the 
Monkey  had  taken  the  time  to  crack  the  chest- 
nuts and  eat  them. 

THE   CROW  AND   THE   PITCHER. 

A  Crow  that  was  extremely  thirsty  found  a 
Pitcher  with  a  little  water  in  it,  but  it  lay  so  low 


thought  himself,  however,  of  a  device  at  last  that 
did  the  business  ;  which  was,  by  dropping  a  great 
many  little  pebbles  into  the  water  and  raising  it, 
that  way,  till  he  had  it  within  reach. 

THE   LION   AND   THE  FOX. 

A  Lion  that  had  grown  old,  and  no  longer  had 
strength  to  forage  for  food,  saw  that  he  must  get 
it  by  cunning.  Well,  he  went  into  his  den,  and, 
creeping  into  a  corner,  pretended  to  be  very  sick, 
and  so  all  the  animals  about  came  in  to  take  a 
look  at  him,  and  as  they  came  he  snapped  them 
up.     Now,  when  a  good  many  beasts   had    been 


he  could  not  come  at  it.  He  tried  first  to  break 
the  Pitcher  and  then  to  overturn  it,  but  it  was 
both   too  strong  and  too  heavy  for  him.     He  be- 


caught  in  this  way,  the.  Fox,  who  suspected  what 
his  trick  was,  came  along,  and  taking  his  stand 
outside  the  den,  and  a  little  way  off,  asked  the 
Lion  how  he  did.  The  Lion  answered  him,  and 
asked  him  why  he  would  n't  come  down  into  the 
den.  "  So  I  would,"  said  the  Fox,  "  but  I  notice 
that  all  the  foot-prints  point  into  the  den,  and 
there  are  none  pointing  out." 

So  prudent  men,  discovering  danger  by  signs, 
keep  out  of  the  way.  _ 

A  COUNTRY  FELLOW  AND  A  RIVER. 

A  BLOCKHEADED  boy  who  was  sent  to  market 
with  butter  and  cheese  by  the  good  old  woman, 
his  mother,  made  a  stop  at  a  swift  river  in  the 
way,  and  laid  himself  down  on  the  bank  there,  till 
it  should  run  out.  About  midnight  home  he  goes 
to  his  mother,  with   all    his  market  trade    back 


10 


THE  BOOK  OF  FABLES. 


again.  "  Why,  how  now,  my  son,"  says  she, 
"  what  have  we  here  !  "  "  Why,  mother,  yonder  's 
a  river  that  has  heen  running  all  this  day,  and  I 
stayed  till  just  now  for  the  running  of  it  out,  and 
there  't  is,  running  still."  "  My  son,"  says  the 
good  woman,  "  thy  head  and  mine  will  be  laid 
many  a  fair  day  before  this  river  has  all  run  by." 

THE  BELLY   AND   THE  MEMBERS. 

All  the  Members  of  the  body  conspired  against 
the  Belly,  as  against  the  swallowing  gulf  of  all 
their  labors  ;  for  whereas  the  eyes  beheld,  the  ears 
heard,  the  hands  labored,  the  feet  traveled,  the 
tongue  spake,  and  all  parts  performed  their  func- 
tions ;  only  the  Belly  lay  idle,  and  consumed  all. 
Hereupon,  they  jointly  agreed,  all  to  forbear  their 
labors,  and  to  leave  their  lazy  and  public  enemy 


to  take  care  of  himself.  One  day  passed  over,  the 
second  followed  very  slowly,  but  the  third  day  was 
so  grievous  to  them  all  that  they  called  a  common 
council.  The  eyes  waxed  dim,  the  feet  could  not 
support  the  body,  the  arms  waxed  lazy,  the  tongue 
faltered,  and  could  not  lay  open  the  matter  ;  there- 
fore they  all,  with  one  accord,  desired  the  advice 
of  the  Heart.  Then  the  Heart  told  them  :  "  It  is 
true  that  the  Belly  receives  all  the  meats,  but  it 
sends  them  out  again  for  the  nourishment  of  all 
parts  of  the  body,  and  all  must  work  together  for 
the  common  good.  The  Belly  cannot  do  without 
the  Members,  nor  the  Members  without  the 
Belly." 


THE  FOX  THAT  LOST  HIS  TAIL. 
A  Fox,  that  had  got  caught  in  a  trap  and  lost 
his  tail  when  getting  away,  was  so  ashamed,  that 
he  thought  life  not  worth  living.  So  he  had  a 
mind  to  get  the  rest  of  the  Foxes  into  the  same 
scrape,  and  thus  hide  his  own  maiming  in  the 
common  fortune.     Well,  he  got  them  all  together, 


and  urged  them  to  cut  off  their  tails,  telling  them 
that  the  tail  was  not  only  a  very  ugly  thing,  but 
so  much  dead  weight  hung  on  behind.  But  one 
of  them  caught  him  up,  saying,  "  My  good  fellow, 
this  is  all  very  well,  but  if  it  were  not  for  your 
benefit  you  never  would  be  advising  us  to  do  it." 

The  story  shows  the  way  to  answer  those  who 
give  advice  to  their  neighbors,  not  out  of  good 
will,  but  because  they  are  looking  out  for  them- 
selves. 

THE  ARCHER  AND  THE  EAGLE. 

An  Archer  took  aim  at  an  Eagle,  and,  letting 
fly  his  shaft,  brought  the  bird  clown.  The  Eagle 
gazed  at  the  arrow  and  seeing  that  it  was  winged 
with  feathers  from  his  own  breast,  said :  "  How 
often  the  wounds  we  get  come  from  weapons  which 
we  have  supplied  !  " 

THE  ANT  AND  THE   GRASSHOPPER. 

On  a  cold,  frosty  day,  an  Ant  was  dragging  out 
some  of  the  corn  which  he  had  laid  up  in  summer- 
time, to  dry  it.  A  Grasshopper,  half  perishing 
with  hunger,  besought  the  Ant  to  give  him  a  mor- 


THE  FOX  AND    THE  LION. 


11 


sel  of  it  to   preserve  his  life.     "  What  were   you 
doing,"    asked   the    Ant,    "this   last   summer?" 


"  Oh,"  said  the  Grasshopper,  "  I  was  not  idle.  I 
kept  singing  all  summer  long."  Said  the  Ant, 
laughing,  and  shutting  up  his  granary.  "  Since 
you  could  sing  all  summer,  you  may  dance  all 
winter." 

THE    CROW   AND   THE   FOX. 

A  Crow  had  stolen  a  cheese  and  carried  it  away 
to  a  high  tree  to   eat  it  there  in  peace.     A  Fox 


saw  it  and  meant  to  get  it  by  a  device.  '"Good 
Crow,"  said  he,  "  what  a  lovely  and  shapely  body 
you  have  !  your  color  is  more  beautiful  than  that 
of  many  of  the  birds,  and  had  you  but  a  charming 
Voice,  surely  you  would  hold  the  very  first  place." 
Thereupon  she  opened  her  mouth  to  sing,  to  show 


him  he  was  wrong,  when  down  fell  the  cheese. 
He  picked  it  up  and  ran  off  with  it  saying  :  "  To 
be  sure  you  have  a  voice,  Crow,  but  you  have  n't 
any  sense." 

If  you  believe  your  enemy  you  will  get  punished 
for  it. 

THE  JACKDAW  AND  THE  DOVES. 

A  Jackdaw  seeing  how  well  the  Doves  were 
cared  for  in  their  dove-cote,  whitened  himself,  so 
that  he  might  have  a  share  in  their  good  fortune. 
As  long  as  he  kept  quiet  they  let  him  be  amongst 
them,  thinking  he  was  a  Dove,  but  when  he  forgot 
himself  and  opened  his  mouth,  they  discovered 
what  he  really  was  and  flew  upon  him  and  drove 
him  out.  He,  poor  fellow,  losing  that  chance, 
went  back  to  the  Jackdaws,  but  they  did  not  know 
him  on  account  of  his  white  coat,  and  would  not 
let  him  join  them,  and  so  for  wanting  to  get  into 
two  companies  he  missed  both. 

The  fable  teaches  us  that  we  ought  to  be  con- 
tent with  our  own,  arguing  that  covetousness  is 
not  only  of  no  avail  but  often  rids  us  of  what  we 
already  have. 

THE    FOX   AND    THE   LION. 

A  Fox  who  had  never  seen  a  Lion  met  one  by 
chance,  and  upon  first  catching  sight  of  him  was 
frightened  almost  to  death  ;  the  next  time  he  hap- 


pened on   him   he  was  frightened,  to  be  sure,  but 
not  so  much  as  before  ;  when  he  saw  him  a  third 


12 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


time,  he  plucked  up  courage  enough  to  go  up  and 
speak  to  him. 

The  story  teaches  that  familiarity  makes  terri- 
ble things  much  less  frightful. 

THE  TORTOISE  AND  THE  EAGLE. 

A  Tortoise  seeing  an  Eagle  in  flight  wanted 
much  to  fly  like  him.  So  she  went  to  him  when 
he  was  by  and  asked  him  if  he  would  not  teach 
her  to  fly,  if  she  would  pay  him  well  for  the  lesson. 


look  as  if  you  led  an  easy  life  of  it."  "  That  1 
do,"  quoth  the  Dog :  "  I  have  all  I  can  eat  and 


He  told  her  it  was  impossible,  but  as  she  still 
persisted  and  begged  him,  he  seized  her,  bore  her 
aloft,  and  then  let  her  drop  upon  a  rock,  but  the 
blow  knocked  the  breath  out  of  her  body. 

The  fable  teaches  that  men  who  are  envious 
and  refuse  to  take  the  advice  of  those  who  know 
more  than  themselves  are  apt  to  get  into  trouble. 

THE  BOY  AND  THE  NETTLE. 
A  Boy  playing  in  the  fields  was  stung  by  a 
Nettle.  He  ran  home  to  his  mother,  telling  her 
he  had  but  touched  the  weed  and  it  had  stuns: 
him.  "  It  was  just  touching  it  that  stung  you," 
said  she  :  "  the  next  time  you  meddle  with  a  Net- 
tle grasp  it  boldly  and  it  will  not  hurt  you." 

THE   DOG   AND   THE   WOLF. 

A  lean,  hungry,  half-starved  "Wolf  happening 
to  meet  one  moonlight  night  with  a  plump,  well- 
fed  dog.  said  :  "  Goo/3  morrow  to  you  friend ;  you 


some  left  over."  "  That  have  not  I,"  said  the  Wolf, 
"you  can  count  my  ribs,  I  am  so  lean."  "  Well, 
come  with  me,"  said  the  Dog,  "  and  you  shall 
share  my  supper."  As  they  jogged  along  the  Wolf 
spied  a  crease  about  the  Dog's  neck.  "  Now  what 
may  that  be?"  he  asked,  curiously.  "That? 
that  is  where  my  master  puts  a  collar  on  me  when 
he  chains  me  to  my  kennel."  "  Chains  you  !  then 
you  can't  run  free  when  you  will !  good-by,  my 
friend,  I  'd  rather  have  my  liberty  with  hunger, 
than  good  living  with  a  chain,"  and  the  Wolf 
went  back  to  the  woods. 

THE   BOY   THAT    STOLE    APPLES. 

An  Old  Man  found  a  rude  Boy  upon  one  of  his 
trees,  stealing  apples,  and  told  him  to  come  down  ; 
but  the  young  rogue  told  him  plainly  he  would 
not.  "  Won't  you  !  "  said  the  Old  Man,  "  then  I 
will  fetch  you  down  ;  "  so  he  pulled  up  some  tufts 
of  grass  and  threw  at  him  ;  but  this  only  made 
the  youngster  laugh,  to  think  the  Old  Man  should 
think  to  beat  him  down  from  the  tree  with  grass 
only.  "Well,  well,"  said  the  Old  Man,  "if  nei- 
ther words  nor  grass  will  do,  I  will  try  what  vir- 
tue there  is  in  stones  ;  "  with  that  he  pelted  him 
heartily  with  stones,  which  soon  made  the  Boy 
clamber  down  from  the  tree  and  beg  the  Old 
Man's  pardon. 


THE  KITE  AND    THE  PIGEONS. 


13 


THE   FOX   AND   THE    STORK. 

The  Fox  invited  the  Stork  to   sup  with  him, 

and  placed   a  shallow  dish  on   the   table,  out  of 

which   it  was  impossible  for  the   Stork,  with  her 

long  bill,  to  get  anything,  while  the  Fox  could 


father,  in  a  great  fright,  finding  himself  in  danger, 
bethought  him  of  a  way,  and  said  to  the  Lion  :  "  I 
cannot  possibly  give  you  my  daughter,  Lion,  unless 
you  will  first  have  your  teeth  and  nails  drawn,  for 
these  would  frighten  her."    He  was  so  desperately 


lap  up  the  food  with  his  tongue,  and  so  the  Fox 
had  the  laugh  on  the  Stork.  The  Stork,  in  her 
turn,  invited  the  Fox  to  dine  with  her,  and  she 
placed  the  food  in  a  long-necked  jar,  from  which 
she  could  easily  feed  with  her  bill,  while  the  Fox 
could  get  nothing,  and  that  was  tit  for  tat. 

Rudeness  sometimes  gets  paid  with  a  just  retal- 
iation. 

THE   WOLF    AND   THE    GOAT. 

A  Wolf  seeing  a  Goat  feeding  upon  the  edge 
of  a  high  precipice,  where  he  could  not  get  at  her, 
begged  her  to  come  down  lower,  where  she  would 
be  in  no  danger  of  falling  over  the  precipice,  add- 
ing that  the  meadows  and  grass  were  much  richer 
where  he  was.  But  he  answered,  "  Thank  you, 
good  sir  ;  you  are  not  inviting  me  to  feed  myself, 
but  to  be  food  for  you." 

THE   LION   IN   LOVE. 

A  Lion  that  had  fallen  in  love  with  a  Wood- 
man's daughter,  wanted  to  marry  her,  so  he  went 
to  the  father  and  begged'  him  to  give  him  the 
maid,  but  the  Woodman  said  he  could  not  think  of 
such  a  thing  as  marrying  his  daughter  to  a  Lion. 
At  that  the  Lion  began  to  roar  furiously,  and  the 


in   love,  that  he  readily  consented,  and  when  it  • 
was   all   over,  asked   again  for  the    girl,  but  the 
Woodman   had  no   longer  any   fear  of  him,  and 
drove  him  off  with  jeers. 

THE   KITE    AND   THE   PIGEONS. 

The  Pigeons  had  long  lived  in  fear  of  the  Kite, 
but  by  being  always  on  the  alert,  and  keeping 
near  the  dove-cote,  they  contrived  to  escape  his 
attacks.  Then  the  Kite,  finding  he  could  not 
take  them  boldly,  tried  a  trick.     He  went  to  the 


dove-cote  and  said  :  "  Why  do  you  live  in  this  con- 
stant fear  and  anxiety  ?     I  am  strong,  and  could 


14 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


protect  you  against  your  enemies.  Make  me 
king."  At  that,  the  Pigeons  chose  him  for  their 
king,  and  when  he  was  once  securely  within  the 
dove-cote  he  devoured  his  subjects  at  his  leisure, 
one  each  day,  and  one  of  them,  when  his  turn 
came,  said  truly,  "  It  serves  us  right." 

THE    ASS   IN   THE    LION'S   SKIN. 

The  Ass  once  dressed  himself  in  the  Lion's  skin 
and  went  about  frightening  all  the  little  beasts. 
Now  he  happened  on  the  Fox,  and  tried  to 
frighten  him  too  ;  but  the  Fox  chanced  to  hear 
him  speak,  and  said  :  "  Well,  to  be  sure,  I  should 
have  been  frightened  too,  if  I  had  n't  heard  you 
bray,  and  seen  your  ears  sticking  out." 

So  there  are  some  men  who  make  themselves 
appear  very  fine  outwardly,  but  are  betrayed  as 
soon  as  they  begin  to  talk. 

THE   DOG   AND   HIS  SHADOW. 

As  a  Dog  was  crossing  a  river  with  a  morsel  of 
good  flesh  in  his  mouth,  he  saw,  as  he  thought,  a 


bigger  piece  in  the  water  ;  so  he  dropped  what 
he  had,  to  catch  at  what  was  a  shadow,  and  lost 
both. 

THE  LARK  AND  HER  YOUNG  ONES. 

Theee  was  a  brood  of  young  Larks  in  a  field 
of  corn,  which  was  just  ripe,  and  the  mother, 
looking  every  day  for  the  reapers,  left  word,  when- 
ever she  went   out    in   search   of   food,  that   her 


young  ones  should  report  to  her  all  the  news  they 
heard.  One  day,  while  she  was  absent,  the  mas- 
ter came  to  look  at  the  state  of  the  crops.  "  It 
is  full  time,"  said  he,  "  to  call  in  all  my  neighbors 
and  get  my  corn  reaped."  When  the  old  Lark 
came  home,  the  young  ones  told  their  mother  what 
they  had  heard,  and  begged  her  to  remove  them 
forthwith.  "  Time  enough,"  said  she  ;  "  if  he 
trusts  to  his  neighbors,  he  will  have  to  wait  a  while 
yet  for  his  harvest."  Next  day,  however,  the 
owner  came  again,  and  finding  the  sun  still  hottei 


and  the  corn  more  ripe,  and  nothing  done,  "  There 
is  not  a  moment  to  be  lost,"  said  he  :  "  we  cannot 
depend  upon  our  neighbors:  we  must  call  in  our 
relations,"  and  turning  to  his  son,  "  Go,  call  your 
uncles  and  cousins,  and  see  that  they  begin  to- 
morrow." In  still  greater  fear  the  young  ones 
repeated  to  their  mother  the  farmer's  words.  "  If 
that  be  all,"  sa}'S  she,  "  do  not  be  frightened,  for 
the  relations  have  got  harvest  work  of  their  own  ; 
but  take  particular  notice  what  you  hear  the  next 
time,  and  be  sure  you  let  me  know."  She  went 
abroad  the  next  day,  and  the  owner  coming  as  be- 
fore, and  finding  the  grain  falling  to  the  ground 
from  over-ripeness,  and  still  no  one  at  work,  called 
to  his  son.  "  We  must  wait  for  our  neighbors  and 
friends  no  longer ;  do  you  go  and  hire  some  reap- 
ers to-night,  and  we  will  set  to  work  ourselves  to- 
morrow." When  the  young  ones  told  their  mother 
this,  —  "  Then,"  said  she,  "it  is  time  to  be  off  in- 
deed ;  for  when  a  man  takes  up  his  business  him- 


THE    WOLF  IN  SHEEP'S   CLOTHING. 


15 


self,  instead  of  leaving  it   to  others,  you   may  be 
sure  that  he  means  to  set  to  work  in  earnest." 

THE   TRAVELER   AND   THE   VIPER. 

A  Traveler,  going  along  the  road  in  winter, 
saw  a  Viper  stiff  with  cold,  and  taking  pity  on  it, 
took  it  up  and  placed  it  in  his  bosom  to  warm  it 
back  into  life.  Now  the  Viper,  as  long  as  he  was 
still  cold,  lay  quiet,  but  as  soon  as  he  was  well 
warmed  he  drove  his  fangs  into  the  man's  breast. 
And  as  the  man  was  dying,  he  said  :  "  I  suffer 
justly,  for  why  should  I  have  taken  care  of  the 
dying  Viper,  when  I  ought  to  have  killed  him, 
though  he  had  been  in  the  best  of  health  ?  " 

So  there  are  some  men  who  show  favors  to  oth- 
ers, and  fail  to  see  that  they  will  only  get  stings 
in  return. 

THE  FROG   AND   THE  OX. 

An  Ox,  grazing  in  a  swampy  meadow,  chanced 
to  set  his  foot  among  a  parcel  of  young  Frogs,  and 
crushed  nearly  the  whole  brood  to  death.  One 
that  escaped  ran  off  to  liis  mother  with  the  dread- 
ful news:  "O  mother,"  said  he,  "  it  was  a  beast 
—  such    a   big    four-footed    beast,    that    did    it." 


"  Big  ?  "  quoth  the  old  Frog,  "  How  big  ?  was  it 
as  big  "  —  and  she  puffed  herself  out  —  "  as  big 
as  this  ?  "  "  Oh,  a  great  deal  digger  than  that." 
"  Well,  was  it  so  big  ?  "  and  she  swelled  herself 
out  yet  more.  "  Indeed,  mother,  but  it  was  ;  and 
if  you  were  to  burst  yourself,  you  would   never 


reach  half  its  size."  The  old  Frog  made  one  more 
trial,  determined  to  be  as  big  as  the  Ox,  and  burst 
herself,  indeed. 

THE   DOG   IN   THE    MANGER. 
A  DOG  made  his  bed  in  a  manger,  where  he 

1:       r--v^ 


neither  ate  the  grain  himself,  nor  let  the  Cow  eat 
it,  who  could. 

THE  FLIES  AND  THE  POT  OF  HONEY. 

A  Pot  of  Honey  having  been  overturned  in  the 
pantry,  the  Flies  clustered  about  to  eat  the  honey, 
but  owing  to  the  stickiness  of  the  sweet  stuff,  theyi 
could  not  get  away  ;  their  feet  were  so  entangled 
that  they  could  not  fly  up,  and,  choking  to  death, 
they  cried  out :  "  Wretches  that  we  are,  to  die 
just  for  a  moment  of  pleasure !  " 

So  it  is  that  greediness  is  for  many  people  the 
cause  of  their  ill-fortune. 

THE    WOLF   IN    SHEEP'S   CLOTHING. 

A  Wolf,  clothing  himself  in  the  skin  of  a 
sheep,  and  getting  in  among  the  flock,  had  a 
chance  to  make  way  with  a  good  many  of  them. 
At  last  the  Shepherd  discovered  him,  and,  tying  a 
rope  about  his  neck,  hung  him  to  a  tree  near  by, 
as  a  warning  to  the  other  wolves.  Some  shep- 
herds going  by,  thought,  at  a  distance,  that  it  was 
a  sheep  hung  thus,  and  wondered  why  the  Shep- 
herd should  do  this,  but  when  they  came  near, 
they  saw  that  it  was  a  Wolf,  and  the  Shepherd 


16 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


said :  "  I  hang  a  Wolf  when  I  catch  him,  even 
though  he  be  dressed  in  a  sheep's  skin." 


THE    COUNTRY   MAID   AND   HER   MILK-PAIL. 

A  Country  Maid  was  walking  slowly  along 
with  a  pail  of  milk  upon  her  head,  and  thinking 
thus :  "  The  money  for  which  I  shall  sell  this 
milk  will  enable  me  to  increase  my  stock  of  eggs 
to  three  hundred.  These  eggs,  allowing  for  what 
may  prove  addled,  and  what  may  be  destroyed  by 
vermin,  will  produce,  at  least,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  chickens.  The  chickens  will  be  fit  to  carry 
to  market  about  Christinas,  when  poultry  always 
brings  a  good  price,  so  that  by  May  Day  I  shall 
have  money  enough  to  buy  a  new  gown.  Let  me 
see  —  green  suits  my  complexion  best;  yes,  it  shall 
be  green.  In  this  dress  I  will  go  to  the  fair, 
where  all  the  young  fellows  will  want  me  for  a 
partner,  but  I  shall,  perhaps,  refuse  every  one  of 
them,"  —  and  by  this  time  she  was  so  full  of  her 
fancy  that  she  tossed  her  head  proudly,  when 
over  went  the  pail,  which  she  had  entirely  forgot- 
ten, and  all  the  milk  was  spilled  on  the  ground. 

Don't  count  your  chickens  before  they  are 
hatched. 

THE  COUNTRY  MOUSE  AND  THE  TOWN 
MOUSE. 

A  Country  Mouse  had  a  friend  who  lived  in  a 
house  in  town.  Now  the  Town  Mouse  was  invited 
by  the  Country  Mouse  to  take  dinner  with  him, 
and  out  he  went  and  sat  down  to  a  meal  of  barley 


and  wheat.  "  Do  you  know,  my  friend,"  said  he, 
"  that  you  live  a  mere  ant's  life  out  here  ?  Now 
I  have  abundance  at  home,  come,  and  enjo}'  all 
the  good  tilings."  So  off  the  two  set  for  town, 
and  there  the  Town  Mouse  showed  the  other  his 
beans  and  meal,  his  dates,  too,  his  cheese,  and 
fruit,  and  honey.  And  as  the  Country  Mouse  ate, 
drank,  and  was  merry,  he  praised  his  friend  and 
bewailed  his  own  poor  lot.  But  while  they  were 
urging  each  other  to  eat  heartily,  a  man  suddenly 
opened  the  door,  and  frightened  by  the  noise  they 
crept  into  the  cracks.  Then  when  they  wanted 
to  taste  again  of  some  dried  figs,  in  came  another 
person  to  get  something  that  was  in  the  room,  and 
when  they  caught  sight  of  him    they  ran  and  hid 


in  a  hole.  At  that,  the  Country  Mouse  forgot  his 
hunger,  and  fetching  a  sigh,  said  to  the  other : 
"  Please  yourself,  my  good  friend,  eating  all  you 
want,  and  having  your  fill  of  good  things  with  jol- 
lity—  and  danger  and  a  constant  panic;  as  for 
me,  poor  wretch,  who  have  only  barley  and  wheat, 
I  will  live  on,  without  fear  of  any  one  overlooking 
me." 

The  fable  teaches  that  it  is  better  worth  while 
to  live  plainly  and  undisturbed,  than  to  have  a 
surfeit  and  be  always  in  terror. 

THE   LIONESS    AND  THE   FOX. 

A  Lioness  was  twitted  by  a  Fox  for  only 
giving  birth  to  one  at  a  time.  "  One,"  said  she, 
"  yes,  one,  but  a  Lion." 


THE  SPENDTHRIFT  AND    THE  SWALLOW. 


17 


The  fable  teaches  that  good  resides  not  in  num- 
bers but  in  worth. 


THE    MILLER,    HIS    SON,    AND   THEIR   ASS. 

A  Miller  and  his  Son  were  driving  their  Ass 
to  a  neighboring  fair  to  sell  him.  They  had  not 
gone  far  when  they  met  with  a  troop  of  girls,  re- 
turning from  the  town,  talking  and  laughing. 
"  Look  there !  "  cried  one  of  them,  "  did  you  ever 
see  such  fools,  to  be  trudging  along;  on  foot  when 
they  might  be  riding  ?  "  The  old  man,  hearing 
this,  bade  his  Son  get  on  the  Ass,  and  walked 
along  merrily  by  the  side  of  him.  Presently  they 
came  to  a  group  of  old  men  in  earnest  debate. 
"  There  !  "  said  one  of  them,  "that  proves  what  I 
was  saying.  What  respect  is  shown  to  old  age  in 
these  days  ?  do  you  see  that  idle  young  rogue  rid- 
ing, while  his  old  father  has  to  walk  ?  get  down, 
you  scape-grace,  and  let  the  old  man  get  on !  " 
Upon  this,  the  Miller  made  his  Son  dismount,  and 
got  up  himself.  They  had  not  gone  far,  when 
they  met  a  company  of  women  and  children. 
"  Why,  you  lazy  old  fellow  !  "  cried  several  tongues 
at  once,  "  how  can  you  ride  upon  the  beast,  while 
that  poor  little  lad  there  can  hardly  keep  pace  by 
the  side  of  you  ?  "  The  good-natured  Miller  there- 
upon took  up  his  Son  behind  him.  They  had  now 
almost  reached  the  town.  "  Pray,  honest  friend," 
said  a  townsman,  "  is  that  Ass  your  own  ? 
"Yes,"  said  the  old  man.  "  Oh  !  one  would  not 
have  thought  so,"  said  the  other,  "  by  the  way 
you  load  him.     Why,  you  two  poor  fellows  are 


better  able  to  carry  the  poor  beast,  than  he  you !  " 
"  Anything  to  please  you,"  said  the  old  man. 
"  We  can  but  try."  So,  alighting  with  his  Son, 
they  tied  the  Ass's  legs  together,  and  by  the  help 
of  a  pole  endeavored  to  carry  him  on  their  shoul- 
ders over  a  bridge  that  led  to  the  town.  This 
was  so  entertaining  a  sight,  that  the  people  ran 
out  in  crowds  to  laugh  at  it ;  till  the  Ass,  not  lik- 
ing the  noise  or  his  situation,  kicked  the  cords 
away,  and  tumbled  off  the  pole  into  the  river. 
Upon  this,  the  old  man,  vexed  and  ashamed,  made 
the  best  of  his  way  home  again,  having  learned 
that  by  trying  to  please  everybody  he  had  pleased 
nobody,  and  lost  his  Ass  into  the  bargain. 

THE    WOLVES    AND    THE    SHEEP. 

Said  the  Wolves  to  the  Sheep :  "  Why  should 
there  always  be  war  between  us  ?  and  how  is  it 
no  truce  or  flags  go  from  us  to  you  ?  it  is  all  along 
of  these  wretched  dogs  who  bark  at  us  the  moment' 
we  come  near  you,  and  stir  us  up  when  we  had  no 


thought  of  harming  you.  Only  get  rid  of  them, 
and  we  can  have  peace."  The  Sheep  believed  the 
Wolves,  and  sent  the  dogs  off,  but  as  soon  as  they 
were  left  unprotected  the  Wolves  ate  them  up. 

If  you  listen  to  your  enemy  you  will  get  your- 
self into  danger. 

THE    SPENDTHRIFT    AND   THE    SWALLOW. 

A  dissolute  young  man  who  had  spent  all  his 
fortune,  and  had  only  his  cloak  left,  when  he  spied 


18 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


a  Swallow  coming  forth  out  of  season,  thought 
that  spring  was  at  hand,  and  so  went  and  sold  his 
cloak,  as  having  no  immediate  use  for  it.  But 
afterward,  when  a  storm  arose,  and  the  air  was 
very  keen,  he  saw  the  Swallow  lying  desolate  and 


dead,  and  said  to  her  :   "  Ah,  my  friend,  you  have 
ruined  me,  and  are  lost  yourself." 

The  fable  teaches  that  one  swallow  does  not 
make  a  summer. 

THE   ARAB    AND    HIS    CAMEL. 

One  cold  night,  as  an  Arab  sat  in  his  tent,  a 
Camel  gently  thrust  the  flap  of  the  tent  aside  and 
looked  in. 

"  I  pray  thee,  master,"  he  said,  "  suffer  me  but 
to  put  my  head  within  the  tent,  for  it  is  cold  with- 
out." 

"  By  all  means,  and  welcome,"  said  the  Arab, 
cheerfully,  and  the  Camel,  moving  forward, 
stretched  his  head  into  the  tent. 

"  If  I  might  but  warm  my  neck  also,"  he  said, 
beseechingly. 

"  Put  also  your  neck  inside,"  said  the  Arab. 
Presently  the  Camel,  who  had  been  turning  his 
head  from  side  to  side,  said  again. 

"  I  will  take  but  little  more  room  if  I  place  my 
fore-legs  within  the  tent.  It  is  difficult  standing 
without." 

"  You  may  also  plant  your  fore-legs  within," 
said  the  Arab,  moving  a  little  to  make  room,  for 
the  tent  was  very  small. 


"  May  I  not  stand  wholly  within  ?  "  asked  the 
Camel,  finally.  "  I  keep  the  tent  open  by  standing 
as  I  do." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  the  Arab,  "  I  will  have  com- 
passion on  you  as  well  as  on  myself.  Come 
wholly  inside."  So  the  Camel  came  forward,  and 
crowded  into  the  tent.  But  the  tent  was  too 
small  for  both. 

"  I  think,"  said  the  Camel,  "  that  there  is  not 
room  for  both  of  us  here.  It  will  be  best  for  you 
to  stand  outside,  as  you  are  the  smaller.  There 
will  then  be  room  enough  for  me,"  and  with  that 
he  pushed  the  Arab  a  little,  who  made  haste  to 
get  outside  of  the  tent. 

THE    OLD   MAN   AXD   DEATH. 

An  Old  Man,  after  cutting  his  wood  and  lifting 
it  upon  his  shoulders,  set  out  on  a  long  road. 
And  growing  very  weary,  he  laid  down  his  burden 
and  began  calling  on  Death.  But  when  Death 
appeared  and  asked  why  he  had  called  for  him, 
the  Old  Man  said  :  "  So  that  you  may  help  me  on 
with  my  load  again." 

The  fable  teaches  that  every  man  is  a  lover  of 
life,  even  though  it  go  hard  with  him  and  he  meet 
a  thousand  dangers. 

THE   CHOICE    OF    HERCULES. 

When  Hercules  was  growing  out  of  boyhood 
into  youth,  and  had  come  to  the  time  when  young 
men  become  their  own  masters,  and  show  plainly 
whether  they  will  take  the  path  which  leads  by 
virtue's  way  to  the  end  of  life,  or  will  take  that 
which  lies  through  sin,  he  sat  down  by  the  way- 
side and  considered  whether  of  the  two  he  would 
choose.  And  as  he  sat  there,  two  queenly  women 
appeared  and  drew  near  ;  the  one  was  fair  to  look 
upon  and  noble  in  form,  of  fine  presence,  with 
downcast  eyes  and  grave  bearing,  clad  in  white 
garments  ;  and  the  other  was  tender  and  soft,  and 
so  adorned  as  to  seem  fairer  and  ruddier  than  the 
former,  with  a  bearing  that  seemed  more  stately, 
with  eyes  that  were  opened  full  and  fair,  and  in 
garments  that  shone  as  the  day  ;  and  oft  she  ad- 
mired herself,  and  looked  to  see  if  any  other  were 


THE   CHOICE   OF  HERCULES. 


19 


gazing  upon  her,  and  cast  her  eyes  ever  upon  her 
own  shadow. 

As  they  came  near  to  Hercules,  the  one  first 
spoken  of  was  keeping  on  her  way,  but  the  other 
made  haste  to  get  before  her,  and  running  to  Her- 
cules, said  :  — 

"  O  Hercules,  I  perceive  that  thou  art  consid- 
ering by  which  of  the  two  paths  thou  wilt  travel 
to  thy  life's  end.  If,  now,  thou  wilt  make  me  thy 
friend  I  will  lead  thee  by  the  pleasantest  and 
easiest  path,  and  thou  shalt  not  fail  to  taste  of  all 
pleasures,  and  shalt  go  thy  way  unvexed  by  any 
hardships.  For,  first  of  all,  thou  shalt  have  no 
care  for  wars  or  the  life  of  busy  men,  but  shalt 
only  cast  about,  to  see  what  pleasant  thing  thou 
mayst  have  to  eat  or  drink,  or  what  delight  there 
may  be  for  thine  eye  or  thine  ear,  or  what  pleas- 
antness to  smell  or  touch,  and  how  thou  mayst 
take  thy  joyance  in  the  sports  of  the  young,  and 
how  thou  mayst  sleep  softly,  and  enjoy  all  these 
things  with  the  least  trouble.  And  should  there 
come  any  doubt  into  thy  mind  lest  there  should 
be  a  lack  of  these  things,  have  no  fear  that  I  will 
call  thee  to  toil,  and  weariness,  and  hardness  of 
life,  that  thou  mayst  obtain  them,  but  know  that 
whatever  others  labor  for  that  shalt  thou  have 
without  labor,  wanting  nothing  which  it  may  be 
possible  ever  to  gain  ;  for  always  do  I  give  power 
to  those  that  follow  me  to  have  their  heart's  de- 
sire." 

When  Hercules  heard  these  words,  he  said : 
"  AVhat  is  thy  name,  lady  ?  "  and  she  answered  : 
"  My  friends  call  me  Pleasure,  but  those  who  hate 
me  call  me  names,  and  say  I  am  Vice." 

Thereupon  the  other,  coming  near,  said,  "  As 
for  me,  I  have  come  to  thee,  Hercules,  because  I 
know  those  who  gave  thee  birth,  and  taught  thee 
in  thy  childhood,  and  from  this  have  hope  that  if 
thou  wilt  take  the  path  which  I  take  thou  wilt 
become  a  good  laborer  in  all  that  is  pure  and  holy, 
and  I  shall  be  held  in  even  higher  honor  and  be 
yet  more  comely  in  the  sight  of  good  men.  I  will 
not  make  thee  deceitful  promises  of  pleasure,  but 
I  will  show  thee  truthfully  what  the  gods  have  ap- 
pointed.    For  the  gods  give  no  good  or  fair  thing 


to  men  without  labor  and  care ;  wouldst  thou  have 
the  gods  merciful  to  thee,  thou  must  serve  them; 
dost  thou  wish  to  be  beloved  by  thy  friends,  thou 
must  do  thy  friends  good  deeds ;  art  thou  eager  to 
be  honored  by  any  city,  thou  must  be  of  use  to 
that  city  ;  dost  thou  long  to  be  admired  for  thy 
nobleness  by  all  Greece,  thou  must  make  it  thy 
endeavor  to  do  well  to  Greece  ;  desirest  thou  the 
land  to  yield  thee  ripe  fruit,  thou  must  till  the 
land  ;  thinkest  thou  to  be  rich  in  herds,  thou  must 
give  thy  care- to  the  cattle;  art  thou  impatient  to 
grow  mighty  by  war,  and  wouldst  thou  have 
power  to  set  thy  friends  free  and  worst  thine  ene- 
mies, thou  must  study  well  the  art  of  war  with 
those  who  understand  it,  and  learn  to  practice  it; 
and  then  if  thou  wishest  to  have  a  strong  body, 
thou  must  make  it  obedient  to  thy  mind,  and  thou 
must  exercise  it  with  labor  and  the  sweat  of 
toil." 

Here  Vice  interrupted  her,  and  said :  "  Dost 
thou  know,  Hercules,  hy  what  a  hard  and  long 
path  this  woman  would  lead  thee  to  pleasure  ? 
But  I  will  take  thee  by  an  easier  and  shorter 
way  to  happiness."     Then  Goodness  said  :  — 

"  Thou  bold  woman,  what  good  thing  hast  thou? 
or  what  real  pleasure  dost  thou  know,  who  art  not 
willing  to  do  aught  for  the  sake  of  these  delights  ? 
for  thou  canst  not  even  wait  for  the  desire  of  these 
pleasures,  but  before  the  desire  comes  thou  hast 
emptied  them  all,  eating  before  thou  art  hungry, 
drinking  before  thou  thirstest,  and  that  thou  mayst 
eat  delicately7,  choosing  skillful  cooks  ;  that  thou 
mayst  drink  agreeably7,  getting  costly  wines,  and 
cooling  them  in  summer  with  snow  water  ,  that 
thou  may7st  sleep  softly,  thou  gettest  not  only 
downy  beds,  but  couches,  and  carpets  beneath  the 
couches,  for  thou  longest  for  sleep,  not  because 
thou  hast  toiled,  but  because  thou  hast  nothing  to 
do.  Thou  art  immortal,  but  thou  hast  been  cast 
out  by  the  gods,  and  art  dishonored  by  good  men  ; 
to  the  sweetest  of  all  sounds,  praise  of  thyself, 
thou  art  deaf,  and  to  the  fairest  of  all  sights  thou 
art  blind,  for  thou  never  hast  seen  one  good  work 
of  thine.  And  who  would  trust  thee,  when  thou 
saidst  aught  ?  and  who  would  satisfy  thee,  asking 


20 


THE  BOOK   OF  FABLES. 


aught  1  or  who  in  his  right  mind  would  dare  to 
be  of  thy  company  ?  thy  young  men  are  weak,  thy 
old  men  are  senseless ;  when  they  pass  their  youth 
without  toil  they  drag  through  age  with  toil  and 
burden,  ashamed  of  what  they  have  done,  weighed 
down  with  what  they  now  do,  having  run  through 
all  pleasures  in  their  youth,  and  waiting  nothing 
but  hardness  in  their  age.  But  I  am  companion 
of  the  gods,  and  of  all  good  men  ;  no  beautiful 
deed  of  gods  or  men  is  done  without  me.  Gods 
and  ai&a  pay  me  honor,  each  in  his  own  kind  ;  I 
am  a  Jeloved  fellow  to  the  craftsman,  a  faithful 
guard  to  the  master  of  the  house,  a  gracious  aid 
to  the  townsman,  a  good  partner  in  the  labors  of 
peace,  a  strong  fellow  soldier  in  war,  and  the  best 
comrade  in  the  woi-ld.  My  friends  have  a  sweet 
enjoyment   at  their  ease,  of  meat  and  drink,  for 


they  ask  for  nothing  till  they  want  it,  and  sleep  to 
them  is  more  refreshing  than  to  those  who  toil 
not ;  when  they  miss  it  the  loss  is  no  burden,  and 
when  they  have  it  they  lose  not  thereby  the  doing 
of  any  needful  thing.  The  young  rejoice  in  the 
praises  of  the  old,  and  the  old  men  are  glad  at 
honor  from  the  young ;  the  memory  of  their  for- 
mer deeds  is  pleasant,  and  they  are  blessed  in 
their  present  work,  for,  by  me,  they  have  the  gods 
for  their  friends,  men  to  love  them,  and  their  coun^ 
try  to  honor  them.  And  whensoever  the  end  of 
their  journey  comes,  they  lie  not  down  in  unhon- 
ored  forgetfulness,  but  with  joy  at  the  hymns  of 
praise,  which  are  sung  over  them  forever. 

"  Such  things  are  possible  to  thee,  O  Hercules, 
child  of  good  parents  ;  to  thee  it  is  given  by  toil 
to  win  the  most  blessed  happiness." 


THE   BOOK  OF   WONDEKS. 


THE    STORY   OF   CHICKEN-LICKEN. 


As  Chicken-licken  went  one  day  to  the  woods,  an 
acorn  fell  upon  her  poor  bald  pate,  and  she  thought 
the  sky  had  fallen.  Then  she  said  she  would  go 
and  tell  the  king  that  the  sky  had  fallen. 

So  Chicken-licken  turned  back,  and  met  Henny- 
penny.  "  Well,  Henny-pemvy,  where  are  you  go- 
ing? "  and  Henny-penny  said,  "I  'm  going  to  the 
wood  for  some  meat,"  and  Chicken-licken  said, 
V  Oh,  Henny-penny,  don't  go,  for  I  was  going,  and 
the  sky  fell  upon  my  poor  bald  pate,  and  I  'm  go- 
ing to  tell  the  king." 

So  Henny-penny  turned  back  with  Chicken- 
licken,  and  met  Cocky-locky.  "  Oh,  Cocky-locky, 
where  are  you  going?"  and  Cocky-locky  said, 
"I'm  going  to  the  wood  for  some  meat."  Then 
Henny-penny  said,  "  Oh,  Cocky-locky,  don't  go, 
for  I  was  going  and  met  Chicken-licken,  and 
Chicken-licken  had  been  at  the  wood,  and  the 
sky  had  fallen  on  her  poor  bald  pate,  and  we  are 
going  to  tell  the  king." 

So  Cocky-locky  turned  back,  and  met  Ducky- 
lucky.  "  Well,  Ducky-lucky,  where  are  you 
going?"  And  Ducky-lucky  said,  "I'm  going  to 
the  wood  for  some  meat."  Then  Cocky-locky 
said,  "  Oh,  Ducky-lucky,  don't  go,  for  I  was  going, 
and  met  Henny-penny,  and  Henny-penny  met 
Chicken-licken,  and  Chicken-licken  had  been  at 
the  wood,  and  the  sky  had  fallen  on  her  j>oor  bald 
pate,  and  we  are  going  to  tell  the  king." 

So  Ducky-lucky  turned  back,  and  met  Draky- 
laky.  "  Well,  Draky-laky,  where  are  you  go- 
ing ?  "  and  Draky-laky  said,  "  I  'm  going  to  the 
wood  for  some  meat."  Then  Ducky-lucky  said, 
"  Oh,  Draky-laky,  don't  go,  for  I  was  going,  and 
met  Cocky-locky,   and    Cocky-locky   met  Henny- 


penn}',  and  Henny-penny  met  Chicken-licken,  and 
Chicken-licken  had  been  at  the  wood,  and  the  sky 
had  fallen  on  her  poor  bald  pate,  and  we  are  go- 
ing to  tell  the  king." 

So  Draky-laky  turned  back,  and  met  Goosey- 
loosey.  "  Well,  Goosey-loosey,  where  are  you 
going  ?  "  and  Goosey-loosey  said,  "  I  'm  going  to 
the  wood  for  some  meat."  Then  Draky-laky  said, 
"  Oh,  Goosey-loosey,  don't  go,  for  I  was  going,  and 
met  Ducky-lucky,  and  Ducky-lucky  met  Cocky- 
locky,  and  Cocky-locky  met  Henny-penny,  and 
Henny-penny  met  Chicken-licken,  and  Chicken- 
licken  had  been  at  the  wood,  and  the  sky  had 
fallen  on  her  poor  bald  pate,  and  we  are  going  to 
tell  the  king." 

So  Goose y -loo sey  turned  back,  and  met  Gander- 
lander.  "  Well,  Gander-lander,  where  are  you 
going  ?  "  and  Gander-lander  said,  "  I  'm  going  to 
the  wood  for  some  meat."  Then  Goosey-loosey 
said,  "  Oh,  Gander-lander,  don't  go,  for  I  was 
going,  and  met  Draky-laky,  and  Draky-laky  met 
Ducky-lucky,  and  Ducky-lucky  met  Cocky-locky, 
and  Cocky-locky  met  Henny-penny,  and  Henny- 
penny  met  Chicken-licken,  and  Chicken-licken  had 
been  at  the  wood,  and  the  sky  had  fallen  on  her 
poor  bald  pate,  and  we  are  going  to  tell  the  king." 

So  Gander-lander  turned  back,  and  met  Turkey- 
lurkey.  "  Well,  Turkey-lurkey,  where  are  j'ou 
going?  "  and  Turkey-lurkey  said,  "  I  'm  going  to 
the  wood  for  some  meat."  Then  Gander-lander 
said,  "  Oh,  Turkey-lurkey,  don't  go,  for  I  was 
going,  and  I  met  Goosey-loosey,  and  Goosey-loosey 
met  Draky-laky,  and  Draky-laky  met  Ducky- 
lucky,  and  Ducky-lucky  met  Cocky-locky,  and 
Cocky-locky  met  Henny-penny,  and  Henny-penny 


22 


THE  BOOK  OF    WONDERS. 


met  Chicken-licken,  and  Chicken-licken  had  been 
at  the  wood,  and  the  sky  had  fallen  on  her  poor 
bald  pate,  and  we  are  going  to  tell  the  king." 

So  Turkey-lurkey  turned  back,  and  walked  with 
Gander-lander,  Goosey-loosey,  Draky-laky,  Ducky- 
lucky,  Cocky-locky,  Henny-penny,  and  Chicken, 
licken.  And  as  they  were  going  along  they 
met  Fox-lox.  And  Fox-lox  said,  "Where  are 
you  going,  my  pretty  maids  ? "  and  they  said, 
"  Chicken-licken  went  to  the  wood,  and  the  sky 


fell  upon  her  poor  bald  pate,  and  we  are  going  to 
tell  the  king." 

And  Fox-lox  said,  "  Come  along  with  me,  and 
I  will  show  you  the  way."  But  Fox-lox  took 
them  into  the  fox's  hole,  and  he  and  his  young 
ones  soon  ate  up  poor  Chicken-licken,  Henny- 
penny,  Cocky-locky,  Ducky-lucky,  Draky-laky, 
Goosey-loosey,  Gander-lander,  and  Turkej'-lurkey, 
and  they  never  saw  the  king  to  tell  him  that  the 
sky  had  fallen ! 


THE   THREE   BEARS. 


In  a  far-off  country  there  was  once  a  little  girl 
who  was  called  Silver-hair,  because  her  curly  hair 
shone  brightly.  She  was  a  sad  romp,  and  so  rest- 
less that  she  could  not  be  kept  quiet  at  home,  but 
must  needs  run  out  and  away,  without  leave. 

One  day  she  started  off  into  a  wood  to  gather 
wild  flowers,  and  into  the  fields  to  chase  butter- 
flies. She  ran  here  and  she  ran  there,  and  went 
so  far,  at  last,  that  she  found  herself  in  a  lonely 
place,  where  she  saw  a  snug  little  house,  in  which 
three  bears  lived  ;  but  they  were  not  then  at  home. 

The  door  was  ajar,  and  Silver-hair  pushed  it 
open  and  found  the  place  to  be  quite  empty,  so 
she  made  up  her  mind  to  go  in  boldly,  and  look 
all  about  the  place,  little  thinking  what  sort  of 
people  lived  there. 

Now  the  three  bears  had  gone  out  to  walk  a 
little  before  this.  They  were  the  Big  Bear,  and 
the  Middle-sized  Bear,  and  the  Little  Bear  ;  but 
they  had  left  their  porridge  on  the  table  to  cool. 
So  when  Silver-hair  came  into  the  kitchen,  she  saw 
the  three  bowls  of  porridge.  She  tasted  the  largest 
bowl,  which  belonged  to  the  Big  Bear,  and  found 
it  too  cold  ;  then  she  tasted  the  middle-sized  bowl, 
which  belonged  to  the  Middle-sized  Bear,  and 
found  it  too  hot ;  then  she  tasted  the  smallest 
bowl,  which  belonged  to  the  Little  Bear,  and  it 
was  just  right,  and  she  ate  it  all. 

She  went  into  the  parlor,  and  there  were  three 
chairs.  She  tried  the  biggest  chair,  which  be- 
longed  to  the  Big  Bear,  and  found  it  too  high, 


then  she  tried  the  middle-sized  chair,  which  be- 
longed to  the  Middle-sized  Bear,  and  she  found  it 
too  broad  ;  then  she  tried  the  little  chair,  which 
belonged  to  the  Little  Bear,  and  found  it  just 
right,  but  she  sat  in  it  so  hard  that  she  broke  it. 

Now  Silver-hair  was  by  this  time  very  tired, 
and  she  went  up-stairs  to  the  chamber,  and  there 
she  found  three  beds.  She  tried  the  largest  bed, 
which  belonged  to  the  Big  Bear,  and  found  it  too 
soft;  then  she  tried  the  middle-sized  bed,  which 
belonged  to  the  Middle-sized  Bear,  and  she  found 
it  too  hard ;  then  she  tried  the  smallest  bed,  which 
belonged  to  the  Little  Bear,  and  found  it  just 
right,  so  she  lay  down  upon  it,  and  fell  fast  asleep. 

While  Silver-hair  was  lying  fast  asleep,  the 
three  bears  came  home  from  their  walk.  They 
came  into  the  kitchen,  to  get  their  porridge,  but 
when  the  Big  Bear  went  to  his,  he  growled  out, — 

"  SOMEBODY  HAS  BEEN  TASTING  MY 
PORRIDGE!" 

and  the  Middle-sized  Bear  looked  into  his  bowl, 
and  said,  — 

"  Somebody    has    been    tasting    my    por- 
ridge ! " 
and  the  Little  Bear  piped,  — 

"  Somebody  has  tasted  my  porridge  and  ate  it 
all  up  J  " 

Then  they  went  into  the  parlor,  and  the  Big 
Bear  growled,  — 

"SOMEBODY  HAS  BEEN  SITTING  IN 
MY  CHAIR !  " 


THE  ELVES  AND    THE  SHOEMAKER. 


23 


and  the  Middle-sized  Bear  said,  — 

"  Somebody  has  been  sitting  in  my  chair  ! " 
and  the  Little  Bear  piped,  — 

"  Somebody  has  been  sitting  in  my  chair,  and 
has  broken  it  all  to  pieces  !  " 

So  they  went  up-stairs  into  the  chamber,  and 
the  Big  Bear  growled,  — 

«  SOMEBODY  HAS  BEEN  TUMBLING 
MY  BED  !  " 


and  the  Middle-sized  Bear  said,  — 

"  SOMEBODY:  HAS  BEEN  TUMBLING  MY  BED  !  " 

and  the  Little  Bear  piped,  — 

"  Somebody  has  been  tumbling  my  bed,  and  here 
she  is!" 

At  that,  Silver-hair  woke  in  a  fright,  and  jumped 
out  of  the  window  and  ran  away  as  fast  as  her  legs 
could  carry  her,  and  never  went  near  the  Three 
Bears'  snug  little  house  again. 


THE  ELVES  AND  THE  SHOEMAKER. 


There  was  once  a  shoemaker  who  worked  very 
hard  and  was  very  honest ;  but  still  he  could  not 
earn  enough  to  live  upon,  and  at  last  all  he  had 
in  the  world  was  gone,  except  just  leather  enough 
to  make  one  pair  of  shoes.  Then  he  cut  them  all 
ready  to  make  up  the  next  day,  meaning  to  get 
up  early  in  the  morning  to  work.  His  conscience 
was  clear  and  his  heart  light,  amidst  all  his  troub- 
les ;  so  he  went  peaceably  to  bed,  left  all  his  cares 
to  heaven,  and  fell  asleep.  In  the  morning,  after 
he  had  said  his  prayers,  he  sat  himself  down  at 
his  work,  when,  to  his  great  wonder,  there  stood 
the  shoes,  all  ready  made,  upon  the  table.  The 
good  man  knew  not  what  to  say  or  think  of  this 
strange  event.  He  looked  at  the  workmanship  ; 
there  was  not  one  false  stitch  in  the  whole  job ; 
and  all  was  so  neat  and  true  that  it  was  a  com- 
plete masterpiece. 

That  same  day  a  customer  came  in,  and  the 
shoes  pleased  him  so  well  that  he  willingly  paid 
a  price  higher  than  usual  for  them  ;  and  the  poor 
shoemaker  with  the  money  bought  leather  enough 
to  make  two  pairs  more.  In  the  evening  he  cut 
out  the  work,  and  went  to  bed  early,  that  he 
might  get  up  and  begin  betimes  next  day :  but  he 
was  saved  all  the  trouble,  for  when  he  got  up  in 
the  morning  the  work  was  finished  ready  to  his 
hand.  Presently  in  came  buyers,  who  paid  him 
handsomely  for  his  goods,  so  that  he  bought 
leather  enough  for  four  pairs  more.  He  cut  out 
the  work  again  over  night,  and  found  it  finished 
in  the  morning  as  before  ;  and  so  it  went  on  for 


some  time :  what  was  got  ready  in  the  evening 
was  always  done  by  daybreak,  and  the  good  man 
soon  became  thriving  and  prosperous  again. 

One  evening,  about  Christmas  time,  as  he  and 
his  wife  were  sitting  over  the  fire  chatting  to- 
gether,  he  said  to  her,  "  I  should  like  to  sit  up 
and  watch  to-night,  that   we  may  see  who   it  is 


that  comes  and  does  my  work  for  me."  The  wife 
liked  the  thought ;  so  they  left  a  light  burning, 
and  hid  themselves  in  the  corner  of  the  room  be- 
hind a  curtain  that  was  hung  up  there,  and 
watched  what  should  happen. 

As  soon  as  it  was  midnight  there  came  two 
little  naked  dwarfs  :  and  they  sat  themselves  upon 
the  shoemaker's  bench,  took  up  all  the  work  that 


24 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


was  cut  out,  and  began  to  ply  with  their  little 
fingers,  stitching  and  rapping  and  tapping  away 
at  such  a  rate  that  the  shoemaker  was  all  amaze- 
ment, and  could  not  take  his  eyes  off  them  for 
a  moment.  And  on  they  went  busily  till  the  job 
was  quite  finished,  and  the  shoes  stood,  ready  for 
use,  upon  the  table.  This  was  long  before  day- 
break ;  and  then  they  bustled  away  as  quick  as 
lightning. 

The  next  day,  the  wife  said  to  the  shoemaker, 
"  These  little  wights  have  made  us  rich,  and  we 
ought  to  be  thankful  to  them,  and  do  them  a  good 
office  in  return.  I  am  quite  vexed  to  see  them 
run  about  as  they  do  ;  they  have  nothing  upon 
their  backs  to  keep  off  the  cold.  I'll  tell  you 
what,  I  will  make  each  of  them  a  shirt,  and  a  coat 
and  waistcoat,  and  a  pair  of  pantaloons  into  the 


bargain ;  do  you  make  each  of  them  a  little  pair 
of  shoes." 

The  thought  pleased  the  good  shoemaker  very 
much  ;  and  one  evening,  when  all  the  things  were 
ready,  they  laid  them  on  the  table,  instead  of  the 
work  that  they  used  to  cut  out,  and  then  went 
and  hid  themselves,  to  watch  what  the  little  elves 
would  do.  .About  midnight  they  came  in,  and 
were  going  to  sit  down  to  their  work  as  usual ; 
but  when  they  saw  the  clothes  lying  for  them, 
they  laughed  and  were  greatly  delighted.  Then 
they  dressed  themselves  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  and  danced  and  capered  and  sprang  about  as 
merry  as  could  be,  till  at  last  they  danced  out  of 
the  door,  over  the  green  ;  and  the  shoemaker  saw 
them  no  more  :  but  everything  went  well  with 
him  from  that  time  forward,  as  long  as  he  lived. 


THE   FROG-PRINCE. 


One  fine  evening  a  young  princess  went  into  a 
wood,  and  sat  down  by  the  side  of  a  cool  spring  of 
water.  She  had  a  golden  ball  in  her  hand,  which 
was  her  favorite  plaything,  and  she  amused  her- 
self with  tossing  it  into  the  air  and  catching  it 
again  as  it  fell.  After  a  time  she  threw  it  up 
so  high  that  when  she  stretched  out  her  hand 
to  catch  it,  the  ball  bounded  away  and  rolled 
along  upon  the  ground,  till  at  last  it  fell  into 
the  spring. 

The  princess  looked  into  the  spring  after  the 
ball  ;  but  it  was  very  deep,  so  deep  that  she 
could  not  see  the  bottom  of  it.  Then  she  began 
to  lament  her  loss,  and  said,  "  Alas  !  if  I  could 
only  get  my  ball  again,  I  would  give  all  my  fine 
clothes  and  jewels,  and  everything  that  I  have  in 
the  world."  Whilst  she  was  speaking  a  frog  put 
its  head  out  of  the  water  and  said,  "  Princess,  why 
do  you  weep  so  bitterly?"  "Alas!"  said  she, 
"what  can  you  do  for  me,  you  nasty  frog?  My 
golden  ball  has  fallen  into  the  spring."  The  frog 
said,  "  I  want  not  your  pearls  and  jewels  and  fine 
clothes  ;  but  if  you  will  love  me  and  let  me  live 
with  you,  and  eat  from  your  little  golden  plate, 


and  sleep  upon  your  little  bed,  I  will  bring  you 
your  ball  again."  "  What  nonsense,"  thought 
the  princess,  "this  silly  frog  is  talking!  He  can 
never  get  out  of  the  well :  however,  he  may  be 
able  to  get  my  ball  for  me ;  and  therefore  I  will 
promise  him  what  he  asks."  So  she  said  to  the 
frog,  "  Well,  if  you  will  bring  me  my  ball,  I 
promise  to  do  all  you  require."  Then  the  frog 
put  his  head  down,  and  dived  deep  under  the 
water  ;  and  after  a  little  while  he  came  up 
again  with  the  ball  in  his  mouth,  and  threw  it 
on  the  ground.  As  soon  as  the  young  princess 
saw  her  ball,  she  ran  to  pick  it  up,  and  was  so 
overjoyed  to  have  it  in  her  hand  again  that 
she  never  thought  of  the  frog,  but  ran  home 
with  it  as  fast  as  she  could.  The  frog  called 
after  her,  "  Stay,  princess,  and  take  me  with  you 
as  you  promised;"  but  she  did  not  stop  to  hear 
a  word. 

The  next  day,  just  as  the  princess  sat  down 
to  dinner,  she  heard  a  strange  noise,  tap-tap,  as  if 
somebody  were  coming  up  the  marble  staircase; 
and  soon  afterwards  something  knocked  gently  at 
the  door,  and  said,  — 


THE  JEW  IN  THE  BUSH. 


25 


*'  Open  the  door,  my  princess  dear, 
Open  the  door  to  thy  true  love  here! 
And  mind  the  words  that  thou  and  I  said 
By  the  fountain  cool  in  the  greenwood  bhade." 

Then  the  princess  ran  to  the  door  and  opened  it, 
and  there  she  saw  the  frog,  whom  she  had  quite 
forgotten ;  she  was  terribly  frightened,  and  shut- 
ting the  door  as  fast  as  she  could,  came  back  to 
her  seat.  The  king,  her  father,  asked  her  what 
had  frightened  her.  "  There  is  a  nasty  frog," 
said  she,  "  at  the  door,  who  lifted  my  ball  out  of 
the  spring  this  morning:  I  promised  him  that  he 
should  live  with  me  here,  thinking  that  he  could 
never  get  out  of  the  spring ;  but  there  he  is  at  the 
door  and  wants  to  come  in  ! "  While  she  was 
speaking  the  frog  knocked  at  the  door,  and  said,  — 

"  Open  the  door,  my  princess  dear, 
Open  the  door  to  thy  true  love  here  ! 
And  mind  the  words  that  thou  and  I  said 
By  the  fountain  cool  in  the  greenwood  shade." 

The  king  said  to  the  young  princess,  "As  you 
have  made  a  promise,  you  must  keep  it ;  so  go  and 
let  him  in."  She  did  so,  and  the  frog  hopped  into 
the  room,  and  came  up  close  to  the  table.  "  Pray 
lift  me  upon  a  chair,"  said  he  to  the  princess, 
"  and  let  me  sit  next  to  you."  As  soon  as  she 
had  done  this,  the  frog  said,  "  Put  your  plate 
closer  to  me  that  I  may  eat  out  of  it.'"  This  she 
did,  and  when  he  had  eaten  as  much  as  he  could 
he  said,  "  Now  I  am  tired  ;  carry  me  up-stairs  and 
put  me  into  your  little  bed."  And  the  princess 
took  him  up  in  her  hand  and  put  him  upon  the 
pillow  of  her  own  little  bed,  where  he  slept  all 
night  long.     As  soon  as  it  was  light  he  jumped 


up,  hopped  down-stairs,  and  went  out  of  the  house. 
"  Now,"  thought  the  princess,  "  he  is  gone  and  I 
shall  be  troubled  with  him  no  more." 

But  she  was  mistaken ;  for  when  night  came 
again,  she  heard  the  same  tapping  at  the  door, 
and  when  she  opened  it,  the  frog  came  in  and 
slept  upon  her  pillow  as  before  till  the  morning 
broke  :  and  the  third  night  he  did  the  same ;  but 
when  the  princess  awoke  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, she  was  astonished  to  see,  instead  of  the  frog, 
a  handsome  prince  standing  at  the  head  of  her 
bed,  and  gazing  on  her  with  the  most  beautiful 
eyes  that  ever  were  seen. 

He  told  her  that  he  had  been  enchanted  by  a 
malicious  fairy,  who  had  changed  him  into  the 
form  of  a  frog,  in  which  he  was  fated  to  remain 
till  some  princess  should  take  him  out  of  the 
spring  and  let  him  sleep  upon  her  bed  for  three 
nights.  "  You,"  said  the  prince,  "  have  broken 
this  cruel  charm,  and  now  I  have  nothing  to  wish 
for  but  that  you  should  go  with  me  into  my 
father's  kingdom,  where  I  will  marry  you,  and 
love  you  as  long  as  you  live." 

The  young  princess,  you  may  be  sure,  was  not 
long  in  giving  her  consent ;  and  as  they  spoke  a 
splendid  carriage  drove  up  with  eight  beautiful 
horses  decked  with  plumes  of  feathers  and  golden 
harness,  and  behind  rode  the  prince's  servant, 
the  faithful  Henry,  who  had  bewailed  the  mis- 
fortune of  his  dear  master  so  long  and  bitterly 
that  his  heart  had  well  nigh  burst.  Then  all  set 
out  full  of  joy  for  the  prince's  kingdom  ;  where 
they  arrived  safely,  and  lived  happily  a  great 
many  years. 


THE   JEW   IN   THE   BUSH. 


A  FARMER  had  a  faithful  and  diligent  servant, 
who  had  worked  hard  for  him  three  years,  without 
having  been  paid  any  wages.  At  last  it  came  into 
the  man's  head  that  he  would  not  go  on  thus  with- 
out pay  any  longer  ;  so  he  went  to  his  master,  and 
said,  "  I  have  worked  hard  for  you  a  long  time,  I 
will  trust  to  you  to  give  me  what  I  deserve  to  have 
4 


for  my  trouble."  The  farmer  was  a  sad  miser 
and  knew  that  his  man  was  very  simple-hearted, 
so  he  took  out  threepence,  and  gave  him  for  every 
year's  service  a  penny.  The  poor  fellow  thought 
it  was  a  great  deal  of  money  to  have,  and  said  to 
himself,  "  Why  should  I  work  hard,  and  live  here 
on  bad  fare  any  longer  ?     I  can   now  travel   into 


26 


THE  BOOK   OF   WONDERS. 


the  wide  world,  and  make  myself  merry."  With 
that  he  put  his  money  into  his  purse,  and  set  out 
roaming  over  hill  and  valley. 

As  he  jogged  along  over  the  fields,  singing  and 
dancing,  a  little  dwarf  met  him,  and  asked  him 
what  made  him  so  merry.  "  Why,  what  should 
make  me  down-hearted  ?  "  said  he  ;  "  I  am  sound 
in  health  and  rich  in  purse,  what  should  I  care 
for?  I  have  saved  up  my  three  years'  earnings,  and 
have  it  all  safe  in  my  pocket."  "  How  much  may 
it  come  to  ? "  said  the  little  man.  "  Full  three- 
pence," replied  the  countryman.  "  I  wish  you 
would  give  them  to  me,"  said  the  other ;  "  I  am 
very  poor."  Then  the  man  pitied  him,  and  gave 
him  all  he  had  ;  and  the  little  dwarf  said  in  return, 
"  As  you  have  such  a  kind  honest  heart,  I  will 
grant  you  three  wishes  — one  for  each  penny;  so 
choose  whatever  you  like."  Then  the  countryman 
rejoiced  at  his  good  luck,  and  said,  "  I  like  many 
things  better  than  money  :  first  I  will  have  a  bow 
that  will  bring  down  everything  I  shoot  at ;  sec- 
ondly, a  fiddle  that  will  set  every  one  dancing 
that  hears  me  play  upon  it ;  and  thirdly,  I  should 
like  that  every  one  should  grant  what  I  ask." 
The  dwarf  said  he  should  have  his  three  wishes  ; 
so  he  gave  him  the  bow  and  fiddle,  and  went  his 
way. 

Our  honest  friend  journeyed  on  his  way  too  ; 
and  if  he  was  merrjr  before  he  was  now  ten  times 
more  so.  He  had  not  gone  far  before  he  met  an 
old  Jew  :  close  by  them  stood  a  tree,  and  on  the 
topmost  twig  sat  a  thrush  singing  away  most  ]oy- 
fully.  "  Oh,  what  a  pretty  bird  !  "  said  the  Jew  ; 
"  I  would  give  a  great  deal  of  money  to  have  such 
a  one."  "  If  that's  all,"  said  the  countryman,  "  I 
will  soon  bring  it  down."  Then  he  took  up  his 
bow,  and  down  fell  the  thrush  into  the  bushes  at 
the  foot  of  the  tree.  The  Jew  crept  into  the  bush 
to  find  it ;  but  directly  he  had  got  into  the  middle, 
his  companion  took  up  his  fiddle  and  played  away, 
and  the  Jew  began  to  dance  and  spring  about,  ca- 
pering higher  and  higher  in  the  air.  The  thorns 
soon  began  to  tear  his  clothes  till  they  all  hung  in 
rags  about  him,  and  he  himself  was  all  scratched 
and  wounded,  so  that  the  blood  ran  down.     "  Oh, 


for  heaven's  sake!  "  cried  the  Jew,  "  master !  mas- 
ter !  pray  let  the  fiddle  alone.  What  have  I  done 
to  deserve  this  ?  "  "  Thou  hast  shaved  many  a 
poor  soul  close  enough,"  said  the  other ;  "  thou  art 
only  meeting  thy  reward  :  "  so  he  played  another 
tune.  Then  the  Jew  began  to  beg  and  promise, 
and  offered  money  for  his  liberty ;  but  he  did  not 
come  up  to  the  musician's  price  for  some  time, 
and  he  danced  him  along  brisker  and  brisker,  and 
the  Jew  bid  higher  and  higher,  till  at  last  he 
offered  a  round  hundred  of  florins  that  he  had  in 
his  purse,  and  had  just  gained  by  cheating  some 
poor  fellow.  When  the  countryman  saw  so  much 
money,  he  said,  "  I  will  agree  to  your  proposal." 
So  he  took  the  purse,  put  up  his  fiddle,  and  trav- 
eled on  very  well  pleased  with  bis  bargain. 

Meanwhile  the  Jew  crept  out  of  the  bush  half 
naked  and  in  a  piteous  plight,  and  began  to  pon- 
der how  he  should  take  his  revenge,  and  serve  his 
late  companion  some  trick.  At  last  he  went  to 
the  judge,  and  complained  that  a  rascal  had 
robbed  him  of  his  money,  and  beaten  him  into  the 
bargain  ;  and  that  the  fellow  who  did  it  carried  a 
bow  at  his  back  and  a  fiddle  hung  round  his  neck. 
Then  the  judge  sent  out  his  officers  to  bring  up 
the  accused  wherever  they  should  find  him ;  and 
he  was  soon  caught  and  brought  up  to  be  tried. 

The  Jew  began  to  tell  his  tale,  and  said  he  had 
been  robbed  of  his  money.  "  No,  you  gave  it  to 
me  for  playing  a  tune  to  you,"  said  the  country- 
man ;  but  the  judge  told  him  that  was  not  likely, 
and  cut  the  matter  short  by  ordering  him  off  to 
the  gallows. 

So  away  he  was  taken  ;  but  as  he  stood  on  the 
steps  he  said,  "  My  Lord  Judge,  grant  me  one  last 
request."  "  Anything  but  thy  life."  "  No,"  said 
he,  "  I  do  not  ask  my  life ;  onhy  let  me  play  upon 
my  fiddle  for  the  last  time."  The  Jew  cried  out, 
"  Oh,  no  !  no !  for  heaven's  sake  don't  listen  to 
him !  don't  listen  to  him !  "  But  the  judge  said, 
"  It  is  only  for  this  once,  he  will  soon  have  done." 
The  fact  was,  he  could  not  refuse  the  request,  on 
account  of  the  dwarf's  third  gift. 

Then  the  Jew  said,  "  Bind  me  fast,  bind  me 
fast,  for  pity's  sake."     But  the  countryman  seized 


THE  KING    OF   THE   GOLDEN  MOUNTAIN 


27 


his  fiddle,  and  struck  up  a  tune,  and  at  the  first 


note,  judge,  clerks,  and  jailer,  were  in  motion  ;  all 
began  capering,  and  no  one  could  hold  the  Jew. 
At  the  second  note  the  hangman  let  his  prisoner 
go,  and  danced  also,  and  by  the  time  he  had 
played  the  first  bar  of  the  tune,  all  were  dancing 
together  —  judge,  court,  and  Jew,  and  all  the 
people  who  had  followed  to  look  on.  At  first  the 
thing  was  merry  and  pleasant  enough  ;  but  when 
it  had  gone  on  a  while,  and  there  seemed  to  be  no 
end  of  playing  or  dancing,  they  began  to  cry  out, 
and  beg  him  to  leave  off;  but  he  stopped  not  a 
whit  the  more  for  their  entreaties,  till  the  judge 
not  only  gave  him  his  life,  but  promised  to  return 
to  him  the  hundred  florins. 

Then  he  called  to  the  Jew  and  said,  "  Tell  us 
now,  you  vagabond,  where  you  got  that  gold,  or  I 
shall  play  on  for  your  amusement  only."  "  I  stole 
it,"  said  the  Jew  in  the  presence  of  all  the  people  : 
"  I  acknowledge  that  I  stole  it,  and  that  you  earned 
it  fairly."  Then  the  countryman  stopped  his  fid- 
dle, and  left  the  Jew  to  take  his  place  at  the  gal- 
lows. 


THE  KING  OF  THE  GOLDEN  MOUNTAIN. 


A  CERTAIN  merchant  had  two  children,  a  son 
and  daughter,  both  very  young,  and  scarcely  able 
to  run  alone.  He  had  two  richly  laden  ships  then 
making  a  voyage  upon  the  seas,  in  which  he  had 
embarked  all  his  property,  in  the  hope  of  making 
great  gains,  when  the  news  came  that  they  were 
lost.  Thus  from  being  a  rich  man  he  became  very 
poor,  so  that  nothing  was  left  him  but  one  small 
plot  of  land ;  and,  to  relieve  his  mind  a  little  of 
his  trouble,  he  often  went  out  to  walk  there. 

One  day,  as  he  was  roving  along,  a  little  rough- 
looking  dwarf  stood  before  him,  and  asked  him 
why  he  was  so  sorrowful,  and  what  it  was  that  he 
took  so  deeply  to  heart.  But  the  merchant  re- 
plied, "  If  you  could  do  me  any  good,  I  would  tell 
you."  "Who  knows  but  I  may  ?"  said  the  lit- 
tle man  ;  "tell  me  what  is  the  matter,  and  per- 
haps I  can  be  of  some  service."  Then  the  mer- 
chant told  him  how  all  his  wealth  was  gone  to  the 


bottom  of  the  sea,  and  how  he  had  nothing  left  ex- 
cept that  little  plot  of  land.  "  Oh  !  trouble  not 
yourself  about  that,"  said  the  dwarf  ;  "  only  prom- 
ise to  bring  me  here,  twelve  years  hence,  what- 
ever meets  you  first  on  your  return  home,  and  I 
will  give  you  as  much  gold  as  you  please."  The 
merchant  thought  this  was  no  great  request ;  that 
it  would  most  likely  be  his  dog,  or  something  of 
that  sort,  but  forgot  his  little  child  :  so  he  agreed 
to  the  bargain,  and  signed  and  sealed  the  engag- 
ment  to  do  what  was  required. 

But  as  he  drew  near  home,  his  little  boy  was  so 
pleased  to  see  him,  that  he  crept  behind  him  and 
laid  fast  hold  of  his  legs.  Then  the  father  started 
with  fear,  and  saw  what  it  was  that  he  had  bound 
himself  to  do  :  but  as  no  gold  was  come,  he  con- 
soled himself  by  thinking  that  it  was  only  a  joke 
that  the  dwarf  was  playing  him. 

About  a    month    afterwards  he  went   up-stairs 


28 


THE  BOOK   OF   WONDERS. 


into  an  old  lumber  room  to  look  for  some  old  iron, 
that  he  might  sell  it  and  raise  a  little  money ;  and 
there  he  saw  a  large  pile  of  gold  lying  on  the  floor. 
At  the  sight  of  this  he  was  greatly  delighted, 
went  into  trade  again,  and  became  a  greater  mer- 
chant than  before. 

Meantime  his  son  grew  up,  and  as  the  end  of 
the  twelve  years  drew  near,  the  merchant  became 
very  anxious  and  thoughtful ;  so  that  care  and 
sorrow  were  written  upon  his  face.  The  son  one 
day  asked  what  was  the  matter :  but  his  father 
refused  to  tell  for  some  time  ;  at  last  however  he 
said  that  he  had,  without  knowing  it,  sold  him  to 
a  little  ugly-looking  dwarf  for  a  great  quantity  of 
gold ;  and  that  the  twelve  years  were  coming 
round  when  he  must  perform  his  agreement.  Then 
the  son  said,  "  Father,  give  yourself  very  little 
trouble  about  that ;  depend  upon  it  I  shall  be  too 
much  for  the  little  man." 

When  the  time  came,  they  went  out  together 
to  the  appointed  place  ;  and  the  son  drew  a  circle 
on  the  ground,  and  set  himself  and  his  father  in 
the  middle.  The  little  dwarf  soon  came,  and 
said  to  the  merchant,  "  Have  you  brought  me 
what  you  promised  ?  "  The  old  man  was  silent, 
but  his  son  answered,  "  What  do  you  want  here  ?  " 
The  dwarf  said,  "I  come  to  talk  with  your  father, 
not  with  you."  "  You  have  deceived  and  betrayed 
my  father,"  said  the  son  ;  "  give  him  up  his  bond." 
"  No,"  replied  the  other,  "  I  will  not  yield  up  my 
rights."  Upon  this  a  long  dispute  arose;  and  at 
last  it  was  agreed  that  the  son  should  be  put  into 
an  open  boat,  that  lay  on  the  side  of  a  piece  of 
water  hard  by,  and  that  the  father  should  push 
him  off  with  his  own  hand  ;  so  that  he  should  be 
turned  adrift.  Then  he  took  leave  of  his  father, 
and  set  himself  in  the  boat ;  and  as  it  was  pushed 
off  it  heaved,  and  fell  on  one  side  into  the  water : 
so  the  merchant  thought  that  his  son  was  lost, 
and  went  home  very  sorrowful. 

But  the  boat  went  safely  on,  and  did  not  sink  ; 
and  the  young  man  sat  securely  within,  till  at 
length  it  ran  ashore  upon  an  unknown  land.  As 
he  jumped  upon  the  shore,  he  saw  before  him  a 
beautiful  castle,  but  emptj'  and  desolate  within, 


for  it  was  enchanted.     At  last,  however,  he  found 
a  white  snake  in  one  of  the  chambers. 

Now  the  white  snake  was  an  enchanted  prin- 
cess ;  and  she  rejoiced  greatly  to  see  him,  and 
said,  "  Art  thou  at  last  come  to  be  my  deliverer? 
Twelve  long  years  have  I  waited  for  thee,  for 
thou  alone  canst  save  me.  This  night  twelve  men 
will  come  r  their  faces  will  be  black,  and  they  will 
be  hung  round  with  chains.  They  will  ask  what 
thou  dost  here  ;  but  be  silent,  give  no  answer, 
and  let  them  do  what  they  will  —  beat  and  tor- 
ment thee.  Suffer  all,  only  speak  not  a  word  ; 
and  at  twelve  o'clock  they  must  depart.  The 
second  night  twelve  others  will  come ;  and  the 
third  night  twenty-four,  who  will  even  cut  off  thy 
head  ;  but  at  the  twelfth  hour  of  that  night  their 
power  is  gone,  and  I  shall  be  free,  and  will  come 
and  bring  thee  the  water  of  life,  and  will  wash 
thee  with  it,  and  restore  thee  to  life  and  health." 
And  all  came  to  pass  as  she  had  said  ;  the  mer- 
chant's son  spoke  not  a  word,  and  the  third  night 
the  princess  appeared,  and  fell  on  his  neck  and 
kissed  him  ;  joy  and  gladness  burst  forth  through- 
out the  castle  ;  the  wedding  was  celebrated,  and 
he  was  king  of  the  Golden  Mountain. 

They  lived  together  very  happily,  and  the  queen 
had  a  son.  Eight  years  had  passed  over  their 
heads  when  the  king  thought  of  his  father :  and 
his  heart  was  moved,  and  he  longed  to  see  him 
once  again.  But  the  queen  opposed  his  going, 
and  said,  "  I  know  well  that  misfortunes  will 
come."  However,  he  gave  her  no  rest  till  she 
consented.  At  his  departure  she  presented  him 
with  a  wishing-ring,  and  said,  "Take  this  ring, 
and  put  it  on  your  finger ;  whatever  you  wish  it 
will  bring  you  :  only  promise  that  you  will  not 
make  use  of  it  to  bring  me  hence  to  your  father's." 
Then  he  promised  what  she  asked,  and  put  the 
ring  on  his  finger,  and  wished  himself  near  the 
town  where  his  father  lived.  He  found  himself 
at  the  gates  in  a  moment ;  but  the  guards  would 
not  let  him  enter  because  he  was  so  strangely  clad. 
So  he  went  up  to  a  neighboring  mountain  where 
a  shepherd  dwelt,  and  borrowed  his  old  frock,  and 
thus  passed  unobserved  into  the  town.     When  he 


THE  KING    OF  THE   GOLDEN  MOUNTAIN. 


29 


came  to  his  father's  house,  he  said  he  was  his  son  ; 
but  the  merchant  would  not  believe  him,  and  said 
he  had  had  but  one  son,  who  he  knew  was  long 
since  dead  :  and  as  he  was  only  dressed  like  a  poor 
shepherd,  he  would  not  even  offer  him  anything 
to  eat.  The  king  however  persisted  that  he  was 
his  son,  and  said,  "  Is  there  no  mark  by  which 
you  would  know  if  I  am  really  your  son  ?  "  "  Yes," 
observed  his  mother,  "  our  son  has  a  mark  like  a 
raspberry  under  the  right  arm."  Then  he  showed 
them  the  mark,  and  they  were  satisfied  that  what 
he  had  said  was  true.  He  next  told  them  how 
he  was  king  of  the  Golden  Mountain,  and  was 
married  to  a  princess,  and  had  a  son  seven  years 
old.  But  the  merchant  said,  "  That  can  never  be 
true ;  he  must  be  a  fine  king  truly  who  travels 
about  in  a  shepherd's  frock."  At  this  the  son  was 
very  angry  ;  and,  forgetting  his  promise,  turned 
his  ring,  and  wished  for  his  queen  and  son.  In 
an  instant  they  stood  before  him  ;  but  the  queen 
wept,  and  said  he  had  broken  his  word,  and  mis- 
fortune would  follow.  He  did  all  he  could  to 
soothe  her,  and  she  at  last  appeared  to  be  ap- 
peased ;  but  she  was  not  so  in  reality,  and  only 
meditated  how  she  should  take  her  revenge. 

One  day  he  took  her  to  walk  with  him  out  of 
the  town,  and  showed  her  the  spot  where  the  boat 
was  turned  adrift  upon  the  wide  waters.  Then 
he  sat  himself  down,  and  said,  "  I  am  very  tired ; 
sit  by  me,  I  will  rest  my  head  in  your  lap,  and 
sleep  a  while."  As  soon  as  he  had  fallen  asleep, 
however,  she  drew  the  ring  from  his  finger,  and 
crept  softly  away,  and  wished  herself  and  her 
son  at  home  in  their  kingdom.  And  when  the 
king  awoke,  he  found  himself  alone,  and  saw  that 
the  ring  was  gone  from  his  finger.  "  I  can  never 
return  to  my  father's  house,"  said  he  ;  "  they 
would  say  I  am  a  sorcerer  :  I  will  journey  forth 
into  the  world  till  I  come  again  to  my  king- 
dom." 

So  saying,  he  set  out  and  traveled  till  he  came 
to  a  mountain,  where  three  giants  were  sharing 
their  inheritance  ;  and  as  they  saw  him  pass,  they 
cried  out  and  said,  "  Little  men  have  sharp  wits  ; 
he  shall  divide  the  inheritance  between  us."    Now 


it  consisted  of  a  sword  that  cut  off  an  enemy's 
head  whenever  the  wearer  gave  the  words,  "  Heads 
off  ! "  —  a  cloak  that  made  the  owner  invisible,  or 
gave  him  any  form  he  pleased  ;  and  a  pair  of  boots 
that  transported  the  person  who  put  them  on 
wherever  he  wished.  The  king  said  they  must 
first  let  him  try  these  wonderful  things,  that  he 
might  know  how  to  set  a  value  upon  them.  Then 
they  gave  him  the  cloak,  and  he  wished  himself  a 
fly,  and  in  a  moment  he  was  a  fly.  "  The  cloak 
is  very  well,"  said  he  ;  "  now  give  me  the  sword." 
"  No,"  said  they,  "  not  unless  you  promise  not  to 
say  '  Heads  off  ! '  for  if  you  do,  we  are  all  dead 
men."  So  they  gave  it  him  on  condition  that  he 
tried  its  virtue  only  on  a  tree.  He  next  asked  for 
the  boots  also  ;  and  the  moment  he  had  all  three 
in  his  possession  he  wished  himself  at  the  Golden 
Mountain  ;  and  there  he  was  in  an  instant.  So 
the  giants  were  left  behind  with  no  inheritance  to 
divide  or  quarrel  about. 

As  he  came  near  to  the  castle  he  heard  the 
sound  of  merry  music ;  and  the  people  around  told 
him  that  his  queen  was  about  to  celebrate  her 
marriage  with  another  prince.  Then  he  threw 
his  cloak  around  him,  and  passed  through  the  cas- 
tle, and  placed  himself  by  the  side  of  his  queen, 
where  no  one  saw  him.  But  when  anything  to 
eat  was  put  upon  her  plate,  he  took  it  away  and 
ate  it  himself;  and  when  a  glass  of  wine  was 
handed  to  her,  he  took  and  drank  it :  and  thus, 
though  they  kept  on  serving  her  with  meat  and 
drink,  her  plate  continued  always  empty. 

Upon  this,  fear  and  remorse  came  over  her,  and 
she  went  into  her  chamber  and  wept ,  and  he  fol 
lowed  her  there.  "  Alas  !  "  said  she  to  herself, 
"did  not  my  deliverer  come?  why  then  doth  en- 
chantment still  surround  me  ?  " 

"  Thou  traitress !  "  said  he,  "  thy  deliverer  in 
deed  came,  and  now  is  near  thee :  has  he  deserved 
this  of  thee?"  And  he  went  out  and  dismissed 
the  company,  and  said  the  wedding  was  at  an  end, 
for  that  he  was  returned  to  his  kingdom  ,  but  the 
princes  and  nobles  and  counselors  mocked  at  him. 
However,  he  would  enter  into  no  parley  with  them, 
but  only  demanded  whether  they  would  depart  in 


30 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


peace,  or   not.     Then  they  turned    and   tried  to      word,  the  traitors'  heads  fell  before  him ;  and  he 
seize  him ;  but   he  drew  his  sword,  and,   with  a      was  once  more  king  of  the  Golden  Mountain. 


THE   FISHERMAN   AND   HIS   WIFE. 


Theee  was  once  a  fisherman  who  lived  with  his 
wife  in  a  ditch,  close  by  the  sea-side.  The  fisher- 
man used  to  go  out  all  day  long  a-fishing ;  and  one 
day,  as  he  sat  on  the  shore  with  his  rod,  looking  at 
the  shining  water  and  watching  his  line,  all  on  a 
sudden  his  float  was  dragged  away  deep  under  the 
sea ;  and  in  drawing  it  up  he  pulled  a  great  fish 
out  of  the  water.  The  fish  said  to  him,  "Pray  let 
me  live ;  I  am  not  a  real  fish ;  I  am  an  enchanted 
prince,  put  me  in  the  water  again,  and  let  me  go." 
"  Oh ! "  said  the  man,  "  you  need  not  make  so 
many  words  about  the  matter ;  I  wish  to  have 
nothing  to  do  with  a  fish  that  can  talk ;  so  swim 
away  as  soon  as  you  please."  Then  he  put  him 
back  into  the  water,  and  the  fish  darted  straight 
down  to  the  bottom,  and  left  a  long  streak  of  blood 
behind  him. 

When  the  fisherman  went  home  to  his  wife  in 
the  ditch,  he  told  her  how  he  had  caught  a  great 
fish,  and  how  it  had  told  him  it  was  an  enchanted 
prince,  and  that  on  hearing  it  speak  he  had  let  it 
go  again.  "Did  you  not  ask  it  for  anything?" 
said  the  wife.  "  No,"  said  the  man,  "  what  should 
I  ask  for  ?  "  "  Ah  !  "  said  the  wife,  "  we  live  very 
wretchedly  here  in  this  nasty  stinking  ditch  ;  do 
go  back,  and  tell  the  fish  we  want  a  little  cot- 
tage." 

The  fisherman  did  not  much  like  the  business ; 
however,  he  went  to  the  sea,  and  when  he  came 
there  the  water  looked  all  yellow  and  green.  And 
he  stood  at  the  water's  edge,  and  said,  — 

"  0  man  of  the  sea ! 

Come  listen  to  me, 

For  Alice  my  wife, 

The  plague  of  my  life, 
Hath  sent  me  to  beg  a  boon  of  thee  ! " 

Then  the  fish  came  swimming  to  him,  and  said, 
"  Well,  what  does  she  want  ?  "  "  Ah !  "  answered 
the    fisherman,  "  my  wife  says  that  when  I  had 


caught  you,  I  ought  to  have  asked  you  for  some- 
thing before  I  let  you  go  again  ;  she  does  not  like 
living  any  longer  in  the  ditch,  and  wants  a  little 
cottage."  "Go  home,  then,"  said  the  fish,  "she 
is  in  the  cottage  already."  So  the  man  went 
home,  and  saw  his  wife  standing  at  the  door  of  a 
cottage.  "Come  in,  come  in,"  said  she;  "is  not 
this  much  better  than  the  ditch  ? "  And  then 
was  a  parlor,  and  a  bed-chamber,  and  a  kitchen  ■ 
and  behind  the  cottage  there  was  a  little  garden 
with  all  sorts  of  flowers  and  fruits,  and  a  courtyard 
full  of  ducks  and  chickens.  "  Ah  !  "  said  the  fish- 
erman, "  how  happily  we  shall  live  !  "  "  We  will 
try  to  do  so  at  least,"  said  his  wife. 

Everything  went  right  for  a  week  or  two,  and 
then  Dame  Alice  said,  "  Husband,  there  is  not 
room  enough  in  this  cottage,  the  courtyard  and 
garden  are  a  great  deal  too  small ;  I  should  like  to 
have  a  large  stone  castle  to  live  in  ;  so  go  to  the 
fish  again,  and  tell  him  to  give  us  a  castle." 
"Wife,"  said  the  fisherman,  "I  don't  like  to  go 
to  him  again,  for  perhaps  he  will  be  angry ,  we 
ought  to  be  content  with  the  cottage."  "  Non- 
sense ! "  said  the  wife ;  "  he  will  do  it  very  will- 
ingly ;  go  along  and  try." 

The  fisherman  went ;  but  his  heart  was  very 
heavy ,  and  when  he  came  to  the  sea  it  looked  blue 
and  gloomy,  though  it  was  quite  calm,  and  he  went 
close  to  it,  and  said,  — 

"  O  man  of  the  sea ! 

Come  listen  to  me, 

For  Alice  my  wife, 

The  plague  of  my  life, 
Hath  sent  me  to  beg  a  boon  of  thee  !  " 

"  Well,  what  does  she  want  now  ? "  said  the 
fish.  "  Ah  !  "  said  the  man  very  sorrowfully, 
"  my  wife  wants  to  live  in  a  stone  castle."  "Go 
home  then,"  said  the  fish,  "  she  is  standing  at  the 
door  of  it  already."     So  away  went  the  fisherman, 


THE  FISHERMAN  AND  HIS   WIFE. 


31 


and  found  his  wife  standing  before  a  great  castle. 
"  See,"  said  she,  "  is  not  this  grand  ?  "  With  that 
they  went  into  the  castle  together,  and  found  a 
great  many  servants  there,  and  the  rooms  all  richly 
furnished  and  full  of  golden  chairs  and  tables  ; 
and  behind  the  castle  was  a  garden,  and  a  wood 
half  a  mile  long,  full  of  sheep,  and  goats,  and 
hares, and  deer;  and  in  the  courtyard  were  stables 
and  cow-houses.  "Well!"  said  the  man,  "now 
will  we  live  contented  and  happy  in  this  beautiful 
castle  for  the  rest  of  oar  lives."  "  Perhaps  we 
may,"  said  the  wife  ;  "  but  let  us  consider  and 
sleep  upon  it  before  we  make  up  our  minds  :  "  so 
they  went  to  bed. 

The  next  morning,  when  Dame  Alice  awoke,  it 
was  broad  daylight,  and  she  jogged  the  fisherman 
with  her  elbow,  and  said,  "  Get  up,  husband,  be- 
stir yourself,  for  we  must  be  king  of  all  the  land." 
"  Wife,  wife,"  said  the  man,  "  why  should  we 
wish  to  be  king  ?  I  will  not  be  king."  "  Then 
I  will,"  said  Alice.  "  But,  wife,"  answered  the 
fisherman,  "how  can  you  be  king  ?  the  fish  cannot 
make  you  a  king."  "  Husband,"  said  she,  "  say 
no  more  about  it,  but  go  and  try;  I  will  be  king ! " 
So  the  man  went  away,  quite  sorrowful  to  think 
that  his  wife  should  want  to  be  king.  The  sea 
looked  a  dark-gray  color,  and  was  covered  with 
foam,  as  he  cried  out,  ■ — 

"  0  m;in  of  the  sea  !  • 
Come  listen  to  me, 
For  Alice  my  wife, 
The  plague  of  my  life, 
Hath  sent  me  to  beg  a  boon  of  thee ! " 

"  Well,  what  would  she  have  now  ?  "  said  the 
fish.  "  Alas  !  "  said  the  man,  "  my  wife  wants  to 
be  king."  "  Go  home,"  said  the  fish  ;  "  she  is 
king  already." 

Then  the  fisherman  went  home;  and  as  he  came 
close  to  the  palace,  he  saw  a  troop  of  soldiers,  and 
heard  the  sound  of  drums  and  trumpets ;  and 
when  he  entered,  he  saw  his  wife  sitting  on  a 
high  throne  of  gold  and  diamonds,  with  a  golden 
crown  upon  her  head  ;  and  on  each  side  of  her, 
stood  six  beautiful  maidens,  each  a  head  taller 
than  the  other.    "  Well,  wife,"  said  the  fisherman, 


"are  you  king  ?  "  "  Yes,"  said  she,  "I  am  king." 
And  when  he  had  looked  at  her  for  a  long  time, 
he  said,  "  Ah,  wife  !  what  a  fine  thing  it  is  to  be 
king !  now  we  shall  never  have  anything  more  to 
wish  for."  "  I  don't  know  how  that  may  be," 
said  she  ;  "  never  is  a  long  time.  I  am  king,  't  is 
true,  but  I  begin  to  be  tired  of  it,  and  I  think  I 
should  like  to  be  emperor."  "Alas,  wife!  why 
should  you  wish  to  be  emperor?  "  said  the  fisher- 
man. "  Husband,"  said  she,  "go  to  the  fish;  I 
say  I  will  be  emperor."  "  Ah,  wife  !  "  replied  the 
fisherman,  "  the  fish  cannot  make  an  emperor,  and 
I  should  not  like  to  ask  for  such  a  thing."  "  I  am 
king,"  said  Alice,  "  and  you  are  my  slave,  so  go 
directly  !  "  So  the  fisherman  was  obliged  to  go  ; 
and  he  muttered  as  he  went  along,  "  This  will 
come  to  no  good,  it  is  too  much  to  ask,  the  fish 
will  be  tired  at  last,  and  then  we  shall  repent  of 
what  we  have  done."  He  soon  arrived  at  the  sea, 
and  the  water  was  quite  black  and  muddy,  and  a 
mighty  whirlwind  blew  over  it ;  but  he  went  to 
the  shore,  and  said,  — 

"  0  man  of  the  sea ! 
Come  listen  to  me, 

For  Alice  my  wife,  . 

The  plague  of  my  life, 
Hath  sent  me  to  beg  a  boon  of  thee  ! " 

"  What  would  she  have  now  ? "  said  the  fish. 
"  Ah  !  "  said  he,  "  she  wants  to  be  emperor."  "  Go 
home,"  said  the  fish  ;  "  she  is  emperor  already." 

So  he  went  home  again  ;  and  as  he  came  near, 
he  saw  his  wife  sitting  on  a  very  lofty  throne, 
made  of  solid  gold,  with  a  great  crown  on  her 
head,  full  two  yards  high,  and  on  each  side  of  her 
stood  her  guards  and  attendants  in  a  row,  each 
one  smaller  than  the  other,  from  the  tallest  giant 
down  to  a  little  dwarf,  no  bigger  than  my  finger. 
And  before  her  stood  princes  and  dukes,  and  earls  : 
and  the  fisherman  went  up  to  her  and  said,  "  Wife, 
are  you  emperor  ?  "  "  Yes,"  said  she,  "  I  am  em- 
peror." "  Ah  !  "  said  the  man  as  he  gazed  upon 
her,  "  what  a  fine  thing  it  is  to  be  emperor  !  " 
"  Husband,"  said  she,  "  why  should  we  stay  at 
being  emperor  ?  I  will  be  pope  next."  "  O  wife, 
wife  !  "  said  he,  "  how  can  you  be  pope  ?  there  is 


32 


THE  BOOK  OF   WONDERS. 


but  one  pope  at  a  time  in  Christendom."  "  Hus- 
band," said  she,  "  I  will  be  pope  this  very  day." 
"  But,"  replied  the  husband,  "  the  fish  cannot 
make  you  pope."  "  What  nonsense  !  "  said  she, 
"  if  he  can  make  an  emperor,  he  can  make  a  pope, 
go  and  try  him."  So  the  fisherman  went.  But 
when  he  came  to  the  shore,  the  wind  was  raging, 
and  the  sea  was  tossed  up  and  down  like  boiling 
water,  and  the  ships  were  in  the  greatest  distress 
and  danced  upon  the  waves  most  fearfully ;  in  the 
middle  of  the  sky  there  was  a  little  blue,  but  to- 
ward the  south  it  was  all  red  as  if  a  dreadful  storm 
was  rising.  At  this,  the  fisherman  was  terribly 
frightened,  and  trembled,  so  that  his  knees  knocked 
together  :  but  he  went  to  the  shore  and  said,  — 

"  O  man  of  the  sea  ! 
Come  listen  to  me, 
For  Alice  my  wife, 
The  plague  of  my  life, 
Hath  sent  me  to  beg  a  boon  of  thee  !  " 

"  What  does  she  want  now  ?  "  said  the  fish. 
"  Ah !  "  said  the  fisherman,  "  ray  wife  wants  to 
be  pope."  "  Go  home,"  said  the  fish,  "  she  is 
pope  already." 

Then  the  fisherman  went  home,  and  found  his 
wife  sitting  on  a  throne  that  was  two  miles  high  ; 
and  she  had  three  great  crowns  on  her  head,  and 
around  stood  all  the  pomp  and  power  of  the 
Church  ;  and  on  each  side  were  two  rows  of  burn- 
ing lights,  of  all  sizes,  the  greatest  as  large  as  the 
highest  and  biggest  tower  in  the  world,  and  the 
least  no  larger  than  a  small  rushlight.  "  Wife," 
said  the  fisherman,  as  he  looked  at  all  this  grand- 
eur, "  are  you  pope?  "  "  Yes,"  said  she,  "  I  am 
pope."     "  Well,  wife,"  replied  he,  "  it  is  a  grand 


thing  to  be  pope ;  and  now  you  must  be  content, 
for  you  can  be  nothing  greater."  "  I  will  consider 
of  that,"  said  the  wife.  Then  they  went  to  bed  : 
but  Dame  Alice  could  not  sleep  all  night  for 
thinking  what  she  should  be  next.  At  last  morn- 
ing came,  and  the  sun  rose.  "  Ha  !  "  thought  she 
as  she  looked  at  it  through  the  window,  "  cannot 
I  prevent  the  sun  rising  ?  "  At  this,  she  was  very 
angry,  and  she  wakened  her  husband,  and  said, 
"  Husband,  go  to  the  fish  and  tell  him  I  want  to 
be  lord  of  the  sun  and  moon."  The  fisherman 
was  half  asleep,  but  the  thought  frightened  him 
so  much  that  he  started  and  fell  out  of  bed. 
"  Alas,  wife  !  "  said  he,  "  cannot  you  be  content 
to  be  pope?"  "  No,"  said  she,  "I  am  very  un- 
easy, and  cannot  bear  to  see  the  sun  and  moon 
rise  without  my  leave.     Go  to  the  fish  directly." 

Then  the  man  went  trembling  for  fear  ;  and  as 
he  was  going  down  to  the  shore,  a  dreadful  storm 
arose,  so  that  the  trees  and  the  rocks  shook ;  and 
the  heavens  became  black,  and  the  lightning 
played,  and  the  thunder  rolled  ;  and  you  might 
have  seen  in  the  sea  great  black  waves,  like  mount- 
ains, with  a  white  crown  of  foam  upon  them  ;  and 
the  fisherman  said,  — 

"  0  man  of  the  sea ! 
Come  listen  to  me, 
For  Alice  my  wife, 
The  plague  of  my  life, 
Hath  sent  me  to  beg  a  boon  of  thee !  " 

"  What  does  she  want  now  ? "  said  the  fish. 
"  Ah  !  "  said  he,  "  she  wants  to  be  lord  of  the  sun 
and  moon."  "  Go  home,"  said  the  fish,  "  to  your 
ditch  again  ! "  And  there  they  live  to  this  very 
day. 


JORINDA   AND   JORINDEL. 


There  was  once  an  old  castle  that  stood  in  the 
middle  of  a  large  thick  wood,  and  in  the  castle 
lived  an  old  fairy.  All  the  day  long  she  flew 
about  in  the  form  of  an  owl,  or  crept  about  the 
country  like  a  cat ;  but  at  night  she  always  became 
an    old    woman    again.     When    any  youth   came 


within  a  hundred  paces  of  her  castle,  he  became 
quite  fixed,  and  could  not  move  a  step  till  she 
came  and  set  him  free :  but  when  any  pretty 
maiden  came  within  that  distance,  she  was 
changed  into  a  bird ;  and  the  fairy  put  her  into  a 
cage  and  hung  her  up  in  a  chamber  in  the  castle. 


JORINDA   AND  JORINDEL. 


33 


There  were  seven  hundred  of  these  cages  bang- 
ing in  the  castle,  and  all  with  beautiful  birds  in 
them. 

Now  there  was  once  a  maiden  whose  name  was 
Jorinda:  she  was  prettier  than  all  the  pretty  girls 
that  ever  were  seen  ;  and  a  shepherd  whose  name 
was  Jorindel  was  very  fond  of  her,  and  they  were 
soon  to  be  married.  One  day  they  went  to  walk 
in  the  wood,  that  they  might  be  alone :  and  Jo- 
rindel said,  "  We  must  take  care  that  we  don't  go 
too  near  to  the  castle."  It  was  a  beautiful  even- 
ing ;  the  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun  shone  bright 
through  the  long  stems  of  the  trees  upon  the  green 
underwood  beneath,  and  the  turtle-doves  sang 
plaintively  from  the  tall  birches. 

Jorinda  sat  down  to  gaze  upon  the  sun  ;  Jorin- 
del sat  by  her  side  ;  and  both  felt  sad,  they  knew 
not  why  ;  but  it  seemed  as  if  they  were  to  be 
parted  from  one  another  forever.  They  had  wan- 
dered a  long  way ;  and  when  they  looked  to  see 
which  way  they  should  go  home,  they  found  them- 
selves at  a  loss  to  know  what  path  to  take. 

The  sun  was  setting  fast,  and  already  half  of  his 
circle  had  disappeared  behind  the  hill :  Jorindel 
on  a  sudden  looked  behind  him,  and  as  he  saw 
through  the  bushes  that  they  had,  without  know- 
ing it,  sat  down  close  under  the  old  walls  of  the 
castle,  he  shrank  for  fear,  turned  pale,  and  trem- 
bled.    Jorinda  was  singintj,  — 

"  The  rin<;-dove  san^  from  the  willow  spray, 
Well-a-day  !   well-a-day  I 
He  mourn'd  for  the  fate 
Of  his  lovely  mate, 
"Well-a-day  !  " 

The  song  ceased  suddenly.  Jorindel  turned  to 
see  the  reason,  and  beheld  his  Jorinda  changed 
into  a  nightingale  ;  so  that  her  song  ended  with  a 
mournful  jug,  jug.  An  owl  with  fiery  eyes  flew 
three  times  round  them,  and  three  times  screamed, 
Tu  whu  !  Tu  whu  !  Tu  whu  !  Jorindel  could  not 
move :  he  stood  fixed  as  a  stone,  and  could  nei- 
ther weep,  nor  speak,  nor  stir  hand  or  foot.  And 
now  the  sun  went  quite  down  ;  the  gloomy  night 
came;  the  owl  flew  into  a  bush;  and  a  moment 
after  the  old  fairy  came  forth  pale  and   meagre, 

5 


with  staring  eyes,  and  a  nose  and  chin  that  almost 
met. 

She  mumbled  something  to  herself,  seized  the 
nightingale,  and  went  away  with  it  in  her  hand. 
Poor  Jorindel  saw  the  nightinale  was  gone,  — but 
what  could  he  do  ?  he  could  not  speak,  he  could 
not  move  from  the  spot  where  he  stood.  At  last 
the  fairy  came  back,  and  sang  with  a  hoarse  voice, 

"  Till  the  prisoner  's  fast, 

And  her  doom  is  cast, 

There  stay  !     Oh,  stay 

When  the  charm  is  around  her, 

And  the  spell  has  bound  her, 
Hie  away  !  away  !  " 

On  a  sudden  Jorindel  found  himself  free.  Then 
iie  fell  on  his  knees  before  the  fairy,  and  prayed 
her  to  give  him  back  his  dear  Jorinda :  but  she 
said  he  should  never  see  her  again,  and  went  her 
way. 

He  prayed,  he  wept,  he  sorrowed,  but  all  in 
vain.  "  Alas  !  "  he  said,  "  what  will  become  of 
me?" 

He  could  not  return  to  his  own  home,  so  he. 
went  to  a  strange  village,  and  employed  himself  in 
keeping  sheep.  Many  a  time  did  he  walk  round 
and  round  as  near  to  the  hated  castle  as  he  dared 
go.  At  last  he  dreamt  one  night  that  he  found  a 
beautiful  purple  flower,  and  in  the  middle  of  it  lay 
a  costly  pearl ;  and  he  dreamt  that  he  plucked  the 
flower,  and  went  with  it  in  his  hand  into  the  cas- 
tle, and  that  everything  he  touched  with  it  was 
disenchanted,  and  that  there  he  found  his  dear 
Jorinda  again. 

In  the  morning  when  he  awoke,  he  began  to 
search  over  hill  and  dale  for  this  pretty  flower ; 
and  eight  long  days  he  sought  for  it  in  vain  :  but 
on  the  ninth  day,  early  in  the  morning,  he  found 
the  beautiful  purple  flower  ;  and  in  the  middle  of 
it  was  a  large  dew-drop  as  big  as  a  costly  pearl. 

Then  he  plucked  the  flower,  and  set  out  and 
traveled  day  and  night  till  he  came  again  to  the 
castle.  He  walked  nearer  than  a  hundred  paces 
to  it,  and  yet  he  did  not  become  fixed  as  be- 
fore, but  found  that  he  could  go  close  up  to  the 
door. 


34 


THE  BOOK  OF    WONDERS. 


Jorindel  was  very  glad  to  see  this :  he  touched 


BmSm 


the  door  with  the  flower,  and  it  sprang  open,  so 
that  he  went  in  through  the  court,  and  listened 


when  he  heard  so  many  birds  singing.  At  last  he 
came  to  the  chamber  where  the  fairy  sat,  with  the 
seven  hundred  birds  singing  in  the  seven  hundred 
cages.  And  when  she  saw  Jorindel  she  was  very 
angry,  and  screamed  with  rage ;  but  she  could  not 
come  within  two  yards  of  him  ;  for  the  flower  he 
held  in  his  hand  protected  him.  He  looked  around 
at  the  birds,  but  alas!  there  were  many,  many 
nightingales,  and  how  then  should  he  find  his  Jo- 
rinda?  While  he  was  thinking  what  to  do  he  ob- 
served that  the  fairy  had  taken  down  one  of  the 
cages,  and  was  making  her  escape  through  the 
door.  He  ran  or  flew  to  her,  touched  the  cage 
with  the  flower,  —  and  his  Jorinda  stood  before 
him.  She  threw  her  arms  round  his  neck  and 
looked  as  beautiful  as  ever,  as  beautiful  as  when 
they  walked  together  in  the  wood. 

Then  he  touched  all  the  other  birds  with  the 
flower,  so  that  they  resumed  their  old  forms  ;  and 
took  his  dear  Jorinda  home,  where  they  lived  hap- 
pily together  many  years. 


THE   SIX   SWANS. 


Once  upon  a  time,  a  king,  hunting  in  a  great 
forest,  chased  a  wild  boar  so  eagerly,  that  none 
of  his  people  could  follow  him.  When  evening 
came,  he  stopped  to  look  about  him,  and  saw  that 
he  had  lost  himself.  He  sought  everywhere  for  a 
way  out  of  the  wood,  but  could  find  none.  Then 
he  perceived  coming  towards  him  an  old  woman, 
whose  head  kept  constantly  shaking.  She  was  a 
witch. 

"My  good  woman,"  said  he  to  her,  "cannot 
you  show  me  the  way  through  the  wood?  " 

"  Oh  yes,  your  majesty,"  answered  she,  "  that  I 
can,  but  only  on  one  condition,  and  if  you  do  not 
agree  to  it,  you  will  never  get  out,  and  must  die 
here  of  hunger." 

"  What  is  the  condition  ?  "  asked  the  king, 
eagerly. 

"I  have  an  only  daughter,"  said  the  old  woman, 
"  she  is  as  beautiful  as  any  one  you  could  find 
in  the  wide  world,  and  well  deserves  to  be  your 


wife ;  if  you  will  make  her  your  queen,  I  wilL 
show  you  the  way  out  of  the  wood." 

The  king,  in  the  fear  of  his  heart,  consented, 
and  the  old  woman  led  him  to  her  house,  where 
her  daughter  sat  by  the  fire.  She  received  the 
king  as  if  she  had  expected  him,  and  he  saw  that 
she  was  very  beautiful ;  but  still  she  did  not 
please  him,  and  he  could  not  look  at  her  without 
a  secret  shudder.  After  he  had  lifted  the  maiden 
beside  him  on  his  horse,  the  old  woman  showed 
him  the  way,  and  the  king  arrived  again  at  his- 
royal  castle,  where  the  wedding  was  celebrated. 

He  had  been  married  once  before,  and  had  by 
his  first  wife  seven  children,  six  boys  and  a  girl, 
whom  he  loved  more  than  anything  in  the  world. 
But,  because  he  was  afraid  that  the  stepmother 
might  not  treat  them  well,  or  might  even  do  them 
some  harm,  he  took  them  to  a  lonely  castle  which 
stood  in  the  middle  of  a  wood.  It  was  so  hidden,, 
and  the  road  was  so  difficult  to  find,  that  he  him- 


THE  SIX  SWANS. 


35 


self  would  not  have  found  it,  if  a  wise  woman  had 
not  given  him  a  wonderful  skein  of  thread,  which, 
when  he  threw  it  down  before  bim,  unrolled  of 
itself  and  showed  him  the  way.  The  king  went 
out  so  often  to  his  dear  children  that  the  queen 
noticed  his  absence,  and  was  full  of  curiosity  to 
know  what  business  took  him  thus  alone  to  the 
wood.  So  she  gave  his  servants  a  sum  of  money, 
and  they  told  her  the  secret,  and  also  told  her  of 
the  skein,  which  was  the  only  thing  that  could 
show  the  way.  After  that  she  never  rested  till 
she  had  found  out  where  the  king  kept  the  skein. 
Then  she  made  some  little  white  silk  shirts,  and, 
as  she  had  learned  witchcraft  from  her  mother, 
she  sewed  a  spell  into  every  one  of  them.  And 
one  day,  when  the  king  was  gone  out  to  hunt,  she 
took  the  little  shirts  and  went  into  the  wood,  and 
the  skein  showed  her  the  way. 

The  six  brothers,  who  saw  some  one  in  the  dis- 
tance, thought  their  dear  father  was  coming,  and 
van  to  meet  him,  full  of  joy.  As  they  approached, 
the  queen  threw  one  of  the  shirts  over  each  of 
them,  and  when  the  shirts  touched  their  bodies 
they  were  changed  into  swans,  and  flew  away 
over  the  wood.  The  witch's  daughter  went  home 
quite  happy,  and  thought  she  had  got  rid  of  all 
her  step-children  ;  but  the  one  little  girl  had  not 
run  out  with  her  brothers,  and  the  queen  knew 
nothing  about  her. 

Next  day  the  king  came  joyfully  to  visit  his 
children,  but  he  found  nobody  except  the  little 
sister. 

"  Where  are  your  brothers  ?  "  asked  he. 

"  Oh,  clear  father,"  she  answered,  "  they  are 
gone  and  have  left  me  alone,"  and  then  she  told 
him  all  that  she  had  seen  out  of  her  window  : 
how  her  brothers  were  turned  into  swans,  and 
had  flown  away  over  the  wood ;  she  also  showed 
him  the  feathers  which  they  had  dropped  into  the 
courtyard,  and  which  she  had  picked  up. 

The  king  was  grieved,  but  he  never  thought 
that  the  queen  had  done  this  wicked  deed  ;  how- 
ever, because  he  dreaded  lest  the  little  girl  would 
be  stolen  from  him  likewise,  he  wished  to  take 
her  away  with  him.     But  she  was  afraid  of  the 


step-mother,  and  begged  the  king  to  let  her  stay 
one  night  more  in  the  castle  in  the  wood. 

The  poor  girl  thought,  "  I  cannot  rest  here  any 
longer  ;  I  will  go  and  look  for  my  brothers." 

And  when  the  night  came  she  ran  away,  and 
went  straight  into  the  wood.  She  went  on  all 
through  the  night,  and  the  next  day  too,  till  she 
was  so  tired  that  she  could  go  no  farther.  Then 
she  saw  a  little  house,  and  went  in,  and  found  a 
room  with  six  little  beds ;  she  did  not  dare  to  lie 
down  in  any,  but  crept  under  one  of  them,  laid 
herself  on  the  hard  floor,  and  meant  to  pass  the 
night  there.  But  when  the  sun  was  just  going  to 
set,  she  heard  a  rustling,  and  saw  six  swans  come 
flying  in  at  the  window.  They  sat  down  on  the 
floor,  and  blew  at  one  another,  and  blew  all  their 
feathers  off,  and  took  off  their  swan's-skins  like 
shirts.  Then  the  little  girl  saw  them  and  recog- 
nized her  brothers,  and  was  very  glad,  and  crept 
out  from  under  the  bed. 

The  brothers  were  not  less  rejoiced  when  they 
saw  their  little  sister,  but  their  joy  did  not  last 
long. 

"  You  cannot  stop  here,"  said  they  to  her,  "  this 
is  a  house  belonging  to  robbers ;  if  they  come 
home  and  find  you  they  will  kill  you." 

"  Cannot  you  protect  me  ?  "  said  the  little  sis- 
ter. 

"  No,"  answered  they,  "  we  can  only  take  off 
our  swan's-skins  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  every 
evening,  and  have  our  natural  shape  for  that  time, 
but  afterwards  we  are  turned  into  swans  again." 

The  little  sister  cried,  and  said,  "  Cannot  you  be 
released  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  "  answered  they,  "  the  conditions 
are  too  hard.  You  must  not  speak  or  laugh  for 
six  years,  and  must  make  for  us  six  shirts  out  of 
stitchweed  during  that  time.  If  while  you  are 
making  them  a  single  word  comes  from  your 
mouth  all  your  work  will  be  of  no  use."  When 
her  bi-others  had  said  this  the  quarter  of  an  hour 
was  over,  and  they  turned  into  swans  again  and 
flew  out  of  the  window. 

But  the  little  girl  made  a  firm  resolution  to  re- 
lease her  brothers,  even    if    it    cost  her  her  life. 


36 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


She  left  the  house,  and  went  into  the  middle  of 
the  wood,  and  climbed  up  in  a  tree  and  spent  the 
night  there.  Next  morning  she  got  down,  col- 
lected a  quantity  of  stitchweed,  and  began  to  sew. 
She  could  not  speak  to  any  one,  and  she  did  not 
want  to  laugh  ;  so  she  sat  and  only  looked  at  her 
work. 

When  she  had  been  there  a  long  time  it  hap- 
pened that  the  king  of  the  country  was  hunting  in 
the  wood,  and  his  hunters  came  to  the  tree  on 
which  the  little  girl  sat.  They  called  to  her,  and 
said,  "  Who  are  you  ?  " 

But  she  gave  them  no  answer. 

"  Come  down  and  see  us,"  said  they,  "  we  will 
not  do  you  any  harm." 

But  she  only  shook  her  head.  As  they  kept 
teasing  her  with  their  questions  she  threw  them 
down  her  gold  necklace,  and  thought  they  would 
be  satisfied  with  that.  But  they  did  not  leave  off, 
so  she  threw  her  sash  down  to  them,  and  as  that 
was  no  good  she  threw  down  her  garters,  and  at 
last  everything  that  she  had  on,  and  could  spare  ; 
so  that  she  had  nothing  left  but  her  shift.  But 
the  hunters  would  not  be  sent  away,  and  climbed 
up  the  tree  and  brought  down  the  little  girl  and 
took  her  to  the  king. 

The  king  asked,  "  Who  are  you  ?  what  were 
you  doing  up  in  the  tree  ?  " 

But  she  did  not  answer.  He  asked  it  in  all  the 
languages  that  he  knew,  but  she  remained  as 
dumb  as  a  fish.  But,  because  she  was  so  beauti- 
ful, the  king's  heart  was  moved,  and  he  fell  deeply 
in  love  with  her.  He  wrapped  his  cloak  round 
her,  took  her  before  him  on  his  horse,  and  brought 
ber  to  his  castle.  Then  he  had  her  dressed  in  rich 
clothes,  and  she  shone  in  her  beauty  like  bright 
sunshine  ;  but  they  could  not  get  a  word  out  of 
her.  He  set  her  by  him  at  the  table,  and  her 
modest  look  and  proper  behavior  pleased  him  so 
much  that  he  said,  "  I  will  marry  her,  and  no  one 
else  in  the  world,"  and  after  a  few  days  he  was 
married  to  her. 

But  the  king  had  a  wicked  mother,  who  was  not 
pleased  with  his  marriage,  and  spoke  ill  of  the 
young  queen.     "  Who  knows  where  the  girl  comes 


from  ?  "  said  she,  "  she  cannot  speak ;  she  is  not 
good  enough  for  a  king." 

A  year  after,  when  the  queen  brought  her  first 
child  into  the  world,  the  old  mother  took  it  away, 
and  smeared  her  mouth  with  blood  while  she  was 
asleep.  Then  she  went  to  the  king,  and  accused 
her  of  eating  her  child.  The  king  would  not  be- 
lieve it,  and  would  not  let  any  one  do  her  any 
harm.  And  she  always  sat  and  sewed  the  shirts, 
and  took  no  notice  of  anything  else.  Next  time, 
when  she  had  another  beautiful  baby,  the  wicked 
mother  did  the  same  as  before  ;  but  the  king  could 
not  resolve  to  believe  what  she  said. 

He  said,  "  My  wife  is  too  pious  and  good  to  do 
such  a  thing ;  if  she  were  not  dumb,  and  if  she 
could  defend  herself,  her  innocence  would  be  made 
clear." 

But  when  for  the  third  time  the  old  woman  took 
away  the  new-born  child,  and  accused  the  queen, 
who  could  not  say  a  word  in  her  own  defense,  the 
king  could  not  help  himself  ;  he  was  forced  to  give 
her  up  to  the  court  of  justice,  and  she  was  con- 
demned to  suffer  death  by  fire. 

When  the  day  came  upon  which  the  sentence 
was  to  be  executed,  it  was  exactly  the  last  day  of 
the  six  years  in  which  she  might  not  speak  or 
laugh  ;  and  she  had  freed  her  dear  brothers  from 
the  power  of  the  spell.  The  six  little  shirts  were 
finished,  except  that  on  the  last  one  a  sleeve  was 
wanting.  When  she  came  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, she  laid  the  shirts  on  her  arm,  and  when  she 
stood  at  the  stake,  and  the  fire  was  just  going  to 
be  lit,  she  looked  round,  and  there  came  six  swans 
flying  through  the  air.  Then  her  heart  leaped 
with  joy,  for  she  saw  that  her  deliverance  was 
near. 

The  swans  flew  to  her,  and  crouched  down,  so 
that  she  could  throw  the  shirts  over  them  ;  as  soon 
as  the  shirts  were  touched  by  them,  their  swan's- 
skins  fell  off,  and  her  brothers  stood  before  her. 
They  were  all  grown  up,  strong  and  handsome ; 
only  the  youngest  had  no  left  arm,  but  instead  of 
it  a  swan's  wing. 

They  hugged  and  kissed  their  sister  many  times, 
and  then  the  queen  went  to  the  king,  and  began 


R  UMPEL-STIL  TS-KIN. 


37 


to  speak,  and  said,  "  Dearest  husband,  now  I  may 
speak,  and  declare  to  you  that  I  am  innocent  and 
falsely  accused;  "  and  she  told  him  about  the  de- 
ceit of  the  old  mother,  who  had  taken  away  her 
three  children,  and  hidden  them. 


However,  they  were  soon  fetched  safely  back,  to 
the  great  joy  of  the  king ;  and  the  wicked  mother- 
in-law  was  tied  to  the  stake,  and  burnt  to  ashes. 
But  the  king  and  queen,  with  their  six  brothers, 
lived  many  years  in  peace  and  happiness. 


RUMPEL-STILTS-KIN. 


In  a  certain  kingdom  once  lived  a  poor  miller 
who  had  a  very  beautiful  daughter.  She  was? 
moreover,  exceedingly  shrewd  and  clever ;  and  the 
miller  was  so  vain  and  proud  of  her  that  he  one 
day  told  the  king  of  the  land  that  his  daughter 
could  spin  gold  out  of  straw.  Now  this  king  was 
very  fond  of  money  ;  and  when  he  heard  the  mil- 
ler's boast  his  avarice  was  excited,  and  he  ordered 
the  girl  to  be  brought  before  him.  Then  he  led 
her  to  a  chamber  where  there  was  a  great  quantity 
of  straw,  gave  her  a  spinning-wheel,  and  said,  "All 
this  must  be  spun  into  gold  before  morning,  as  you 
value  your  life."  It  was  in  vain  that  the  poor 
maiden  declared  that  she  could  do  no  such  thing ; 
the  chamber  was  locked  and  she  remained  alone. 

She  sat  down  in  one  corner  of  the  room  and  be- 
gan to  lament  over  her  hard  fate,  when  on  a  sud- 
den the  door  opened,  and  a  droll-looking  little  man 
hobbled  in,  and  said,  "  Good-morrow  to  you,  my 
good  lass,  what  are  you  weeping  for  ?  "  "Alas  !  " 
answered  she,  "  I  must  spin  this  straw  into  gold, 
and  I  know  not  how."  "  What  will  you  give  me," 
said  the  little  man,  "  to  do  it  for  you  ?  "  "  My 
necklace,"  replied  the  maiden.  He  took  her  at 
her  word,  and  set  himself  down  at  the  wheel; 
round  about  it  went  merrily,  and  presently  the 
work  was  done  and  the  gold  all  spun. 

When  the  king  came  and  saw  this  he  was 
greatly  astonished  and  pleased  ;  but  his  heart  grew 
still  more  greedy  of  gain,  and  he  shut  up  the  poor 
miller's  daughter  again  with  a  fresh  task.  Then 
she  knew  not  what  to  do,  and  sat  down  once  more 
to  weep  ;  but  the  little  man  presently  opened  the 
door,  and  said,  "  What  will  you  give  me  to  do  your 
task '  ''  "  The  ring  on  my  finger,"  replied  she. 
So  Ler  little  friend  took  the  ring,  and  began  to 


work  at  the  wheel,  till  by  the  morning  all  was  fin- 
ished again. 

The  king  was  vastly  delighted  to  see  all  this 
glittering  treasure ;  but  still  he  was  not  satisfied, 
and  took  the  miller's  daughter  into  a  yet  larger 
room,  and  said,  "  All  this  must  be  spun  to-night ; 
and  if  you  succeed  you  shall  be  my  queen."  As 
soon  as  she  was  alone  the  dwarf  came  in,  and  said, 
"  What  will  you  give  me  to  spin  gold  for  you  this 
third  time?"  "I  have  nothing  left,"  said  she. 
"Then  promise  me,"  said  the  little  man,  "your 
first  little  child  when  you  are  queen."  "  That 
may  never  be,"  thought  the  miller's  daughter;  and 
as  she  knew  no  other  way  to  get  her  task  done,  she 
promised  him  what  he  asked,  and  he  spun  once 
more  the  whole  heap  of  gold.  The  king  came  in 
the  morning,  and,  finding  all  he  wanted,  married 
her,  and  so  the  miller's  daughter  really  became 
queen. 

At  the  birth  of  her  first  little  child  the  queen 
rejoiced  very  much,  and  forgot  the  little  man  and 
her  promise ;  but  one  day  he  came  into  her  cham- 
ber and  reminded  her  of  it.  Then  she  grieved 
sorely  at  her  misfortune,  and  offered  him  all  the 
treasures  of  the  kingdom  in  exchange  ;  but  in  vain, 
till  at  last  her  tears  softened  him,  and  he  said,  "  I 
will  give  you  three  days'  grace,  and  if  during  that 
time  you  tell  me  my  name  you  shall  keep  your 
child." 

Now  the  queen  lay  awake  all  night,  thinking  of 
all  the  odd  names  that  she  had  ever  heard,  and 
dispatched  messengers  all  over  the  land  to  inquire 
after  new  ones.  The  next  day  the  little  man  came, 
and  she  began  with  Timothy,  Benjamin,  Jere- 
miah, and  all  the  names  she  could  remember ;  but 
to  all  of  them  he  said,  "  That's  not  my  name." 


38 


THE  BOOK  OF    WONDERS. 


The  second  day  she  began  with  all  the  comical 
names  she  could  hear  of,  Bandy-legs,  Hunch-back, 


Crook-shanks,  and  so  on,  but  the  little  gentleman 
still  said  to  every  one  of  them,  "  That 's  not  my 
name." 

The  third  day  came  back  one  of  the  messen- 


gers, and  said,  "  I  can  hear  of  no  one  other  name ; 
but  yesterday,  as  I  was  climbing  a  high  hill  among 
the  trees  of  the  forest  where  the  fox  and  the  hare 
bid  each  other  good-night,  I  saw  a  little  hut,  and 
before  the  hut  burnt  a  fire,  and  round  about  the 
fire  danced  a  funny  little  man  upon  one  leg,  and 
sung, — 

"  Merrily  the  feast  I  '11  make, 
To-day  I  '11  brew,  to-morrow  bake ; 
Merrily  I  '11  dance  and  sing, 
For  next  day  will  a  stranger  bring : 
Little  does  my  lady  dream 
Rumpel-Stilts-Kin  is  my  name  ! " 

When  the  queen  heard  this,  she  jumped  for  joy, 
and  as  soon  as  her  little  visitor  came,  and  said, 
"  Now,  lady,  what  is  my  name  ?  "  "  Is  it  John  ?  " 
asked  she.  "No!:'  "Is  it  Tom?"  "No!" 
"  Can  your  name  be  Rumpel-Stilts-Kin  ?  "  "Some 
witch  told  you  that !  Some  witch  told  you  that !  " 
cried  the  little  man,  and  dashed  his  right  foot  in 
a  rage  so  deep  into  the  floor  that  he  was  forced  to 
lay  hold  of  it  with  both  hands  to  pull  it  out.  Then 
he  made  the  best  of  his  way  off,  while  everybody 
laughed  at  him  for  having  had  all  his  trouble  for 
nothing. 


THE  FAIR  ONE  WITH  GOLDEN  LOCKS. 


There  was  once  a  king's  daughter  so  beautiful 
that  they  named  her  the  Fair  One  with  Golden 
Locks.  These  golden  locks  were  the  most  remark- 
able in  the  world,  soft  and  fine,  and  falling  in  long 
waves  down  to  her  very  feet.  She  wore  them  al- 
ways thus,  loose  and  flowing,  surmounted  with  a 
wreath  of  flowers  ;  and  though  such  long  hair  was 
sometimes  rather  inconvenient,  it  was  so  exceed- 
ingly beautiful,  shining  in  the  sun  like  ripples  of 
molten  gold,  that  everybody  agreed  she  fully  de- 
served her  name. 

Now  there  was  a  young  king  of  a  neighboring 
country,  very  handsome,  very  rich,  and  wanting 
nothing  but  a  wife  to  make  him  happy.  He  heard 
so  much  of  the  various  perfections  of  the  Fair  One 
with  Golden  Locks,  that  at  last,  without  even  see- 


ing her,  he  fell  in  love  with  her  so  desperately  that 
he  could  neither  eat  nor  drink,  and  resolved  to  send 
an  ambassador  at  once  to  demand  her  in  marriage. 
So  he  ordered  a  magnificent  equipage  —  more 
than  a  hundred  horses  and  a  hundred  footmen  — 
with  instructions  to  bring  back  to  him  the  Fair 
One  with  Golden  Locks,  who,  he  never  doubted, 
would  be  only  too  happy  to  become  his  queen. 
Indeed,  he  felt  so  sure  of  her  that  he  refurnished 
the  whole  palace,  and  had  made,  by  all  the  dress- 
makers of  the  city,  dresses  enough  to  last  a  lady 
for  a  lifetime.  But,  alas  !  when  the  ambassador 
arrived  and  delivered  his  message,  either  the  prin- 
cess was  in  a  bad  humor,  or  the  offer  did  not  ap- 
pear to  be  to  her  taste  ;  for  she  returned  her  best 
thanks  to  his  majesty,  but  said   she  had  not  the 


THE  FAIR    ONE    WITH   GOLDEN  LOCKS. 


39 


slightest  wish  or  intention  to  be  married.  .She 
also,  being  a  prudent  damsel,  declined  receiving 
any  of  the  presents  which  the  king  had  sent  her; 
except  that,  not  quite  to  offend  his  majesty,  she 
retained  a  box  of  English  pins,  which  were  in  that 
country  of  considerable  value. 

When  the  ambassador  returned,  alone  and  un- 
successful, all  the  court  was  very  much  affected, 
and  the  king  himself  began  to  weep  with  all  his 
might.  Now  there  was  in  the  palace  household  a 
young  gentleman  named  Avenant,  beautiful  as  the 
sun,  besides  being  at  once  so  amiable  and  so  wise 
that  the  king  confided  to  him  all  his  affairs;  and 
every  one  loved  him,  except  those  people  —  to  be 
found  in  all  courts  —  who  were  envious  of  his 
good  fortune.  These  malicious  folk  hearing  him 
say  gayly,  "  If  the  king  had  sent  me  to  fetch  the 
Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks,  I  know  she  would 
have  come  back  with  me,"  repeated  the  saying  in 
such  a  manner,  that  it  appeared  as  if  Avenant 
thought  too  much  of  himself  and  his  beauty,  and 
felt  sure  the  princess  would  have  followed  him  all 
over  the  world  ;  which  when  it  came  to  the  ears  of 
the  king,  as  it  was  meant  to  do,  irritated  him  so 
greatly  that  he  commanded  Avenant  to  be  impris- 
oned in  a  high  tower,  and  left  to  die  there  of  hun- 
ger. The  guards  accordingly  carried  off  the  young 
man,  who  had  quite  forgotten  his  idle  speech,  and 
had  not  the  least  idea  what  fault  he  had  com- 
mitted. They  ill-treated  him,  and  then  left  him, 
with  nothing  to  eat  and  only  water  to  drink. 
This,  however,  kept  him  alive  for  a  few  days, 
during  which  he  did  not  cease  to  complain  aloud, 
and  to  call  upon  the  king,  saying,  "  O  king,  what 
harm  have  I  done  ?  You  have  no  subject  more 
faithful  than  I.  Never  have  I  had  a  thought  which 
could  offend  you." 

And  it  so  befell  that  the  king,  coming  by  chance, 
or  else  with  a  sort  of  remorse,  past  the  tower,  was 
touched  by  the  voice  of  the  young  Avenant,  whom 
he  had  once  so  much  regarded.  In  spite  of  all 
the  courtiers  could  do  to  prevent  him  he  stopped 
to  listen,  and  overheard  these  words.  The  tears 
rushed  into  his  eyes  ;  he  opened  the  door  of  the 
tower,  and  called,  "  Avenant  !  "     Avenant  came, 


creeping  feebly  along,  fell  at  the  king's  knees,  and 
kissed  his  feet :  — 

"  O  sire,  what  have  I  done  that  you  should  treat 
me  so  cruelly  ?  " 

"  You  have  mocked  me  and  my  ambassador  ; 
for  you  said,  if  I  had  sent  you  to  fetch  the  Fair 
One  with  Golden  Locks,  you  would  have  been  suc- 
cessful and  brought  her  back." 

"  I  did  say  it,  and  it  was  true,"  replied  Avenant, 
fearlessly  ;  "  for  I  should  have  told  her  so  much 
about  your  majesty  and  your  various  high  qualities, 
which  no  one  knows  so  well  as  myself.,  that  I  am 
persuaded  she  would  have  returned  with  me." 

"  I  believe  it,"  said  the  king,  with  an  angry 
look  at  those  who  had  spoken  ill  of  his  favorite  ; 
he  then  gave  Avenant  a  free  pardon,  and  took  him 
back  with  him  to  the  court. 

After  having  supplied  the  famished  youth  with 
as  much  supper  as  he  could  eat,  the  king  admitted 
him  to  a  private  audience,  and  said,  "  I  am  as 
much  in  love  as  ever  with  the  Fair  One  with 
Golden  Locks,  so  I  will  take  you  at  your  word,  and 
send  you  to  try  and  win  her  for  me." 

"  Very  well,  please  your  majesty,"  replied 
Avenant,  cheerfully  ;  "  I  will  depart  to-morrow." 

The  king,  overjoyed  with  his  willingness  and 
hopefulness,  would  have  furnished  him  with  a  still 
more  magnificent  equipage  and  suite  than  the  first 
ambassador ;  but  Avenant  refused  to  take  any- 
thing except  a  good  horse  to  ride,  and  letters  of  in- 
troduction to  the  princess's  father.  The  king  em- 
braced him,  and  eagerly  saw  him  depart. 

It  was  on  a  Monday  morning  when,  without  any 
pomp  or  show,  Avenant  thus  started  on  his  mis- 
sion. He  rode  slowly  and  meditatively,  pondering 
over  every  possible  means  of  persuading  the  Fair 
One  with  Golden  Locks  to  marry  the  king ;  but, 
even  after  several  days'  journey  towards  her  coun- 
try, no  clear  project  had  entered  into  his  mind. 

One  morning,  when  he  had  started  at  break  of 
day,  he  came  to  a  great  meadow  with  a  stream 
running  through  it,  along  which  were  planted  wil- 
lows and  poplars.  It  was  such  a  pleasant,  rippling 
stream  that  he  dismounted  and  sat  down  on  its 
banks.     There  he  perceived,  gasping  on  the  grass, 


40 


THE  BOOK  OF    WONDERS. 


a  large  golden  carp,  which,  in  leaping  too  far  after 
gnats,  had  thrown  itself  quite  out  of  the  water, 
and  now  lay  dying  on  the  greensward.  Avenant 
took  pity  on  it,  and  though  he  was  very  hungry, 
and  the  fish  was  very  fat,  and  he  would  well 
enough  have  liked  it  for  his  breakfast,  still  he 
lifted  it  gently  and  put  it  back  into  the  stream. 
No  sooner  had  the  carp  touched  the  fresh  cool 
water  than  it  revived  and  swam  away  ;  but  shortly 
returning,  it  spoke  to  him  from  the  water  in  this 
wise  :  — 

"  Avenant,  I  thank  you  for  your  good  deed.  I 
was  dying,  and  you  have  saved  me :  I  will  recom- 
pense you  for  this  one  day." 

After  this  pretty  little  speech,  the  fish  popped 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  stream,  according  to 
the  habit  of  carp,  leaving  Avenant  very  much  as- 
tonished, as  was  natural. 

Another  day  he  met  with  a  raven  that  was  in 
great  distress,  being  pursued  by  an  eagle,  which 
would  have  swallowed  him  up  in  a  trice.  "  See," 
thought  Avenant,  "  how  the  stronger  oppress  the 
weaker !  What  right  has  an  eagle  to  eat  up  a 
raven  ?  "  So  taking  his  bow  and  arrow,  which  he 
always  carried,  he  shot  the  eagle  dead,  and  the 
raven,  delighted,  perched  in  safety  on  an  opposite 
tree. 

"Avenant,"  screeched  he,  not  in  the  sweetest 
voice  in  the  world  ;  "you  have  generously  succored 
me,  a  poor  miserable  raven.  I  am  not  ungrate- 
ful, and  I  will  recompense  you  one  day." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Avenant,  and  continued  his 
road. 

Entering  a  thick  wood,  so  dark  with  the  shad- 
ows of  early  morning  that  he  could  scarcely  find 
his  way,  he  heard  an  owl  hooting,  as  if  in  great 
tribulation.  She  had  been  caught  by  the  nets 
spread  by  bird-catchers  to  entrap  finches,  larks, 
and  other  small  birds.  "  What  a  pity,"  thought 
Avenant,  "  that  men  must  always  torment  poor 
birds  and  beasts  who  have  done  them  no  harm  ! " 
So  he  took  out  his  knife,  cut  the  net,  and  set 
the  owl  free.  She  went  sailing  up  into  the  air, 
but  immediately  returned,  hovering  over  his  head 
on  her  brown  wings. 


"  Avenant,"  said  she,  "  at  daylight  the  bird- 
catchers  would  have  been  here,  and  I  should  have 
been  caught  and  killed.  I  have  a  grateful  heart; 
I  will  recompense  you  one  day." 

These  were  the  three  principal  adventures  that 
befell  Avenant  on  his  way  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks.  Arrived  there,  he 
dressed  himself  with  the  greatest  care,  in  a  habit 
of  silver  brocade,  and  a  hat  adorned  with  plumes 
of  scarlet  and  white.  He  threw  over  all  a  rich 
mantle,  and  carried  a  basket,  in  which  was  a 
lovely  little  dog,  an  offering  of  respect  to  the  prin- 
cess. With  this  he  presented  himself  at  the  pal- 
ace-gates, where,  even  though  he  came  alone,  his 
mien  was  so  dignified  and  graceful,  so  altogether 
charming,  that  every  one  did  him  reverence,  and 
was  eager  to  run  and  tell  the  Fair  One  with 
Golden  Locks  that  Avenant,  another  ambassador 
from  the  king  her  suitor,  awaited  an  audience. 

"  Avenant !  "  repeated  the  princess,  "  that  is  a 
pretty  name  ;  perhaps  the  youth  is  pretty,  too." 

"So  beautiful,"  said  the  ladies  of  honor,  "  that 
while  he  stood  under  the  palace-window,  we  could 
do  nothing  but  look  at  him." 

"  How  silly  of  you  !  "  sharply  said  the  princess. 
But  she  desired  them  to  bring  her  robe  of  blue 
satin,  to  comb  out  her  long  hair,  and  adorn  it  with 
the  freshest  garland  of  flowers  ;  to  give  her  her 
high-heeled  shoes,  and  her  fan.  "  Also,"  added 
she,  "  take  care  that  my  audience-chamber  is  well 
swept  and  my  throne  well  dusted.  I  wish,  in 
everything,  to  appear  as  becomes  the  Fair  One 
with  Golden  Locks." 

This  done,  she  seated  herself  on  her  throne  of 
ivory  and  ebony,  and  gave  orders  for  her  musi- 
cians to  play,  but  softly,  so  as  not  to  disturb  con- 
versation.  Thus,  shining  in  all  her  beauty,  she 
admitted  Avenant  to  her  presence. 

He  was  so  dazzled  that  at  first  he  could  not 
speak  :  then  he  began  and  delivered  his  harangue 
to  perfection. 

"  Gentle  Avenant,"  returned  the  princess,  after 
listening  to  all  his  reasons  for  her  returning  with 
him,  "  your  arguments  are  very  strong,  and  I  am 
inclined  to  listen  to  them ;  but  you  must  first  find 


THE  FAIR    ONE    WITH   GOLDEN  LOCKS. 


41 


for  me  a  ring,  which  I  dropped  into  the  river 
about  a  month  ago.  Until  I  recover  it,  I  can  listen 
to  no  propositions  of  marriage." 

Avenant,  surprised  and  disturbed,  made  her  a 
profound  reverence  and  retired,  taking  with  him 
the  basket  and  the  little  dog  Cabriole,  which  she 
refused  to  accept.  All  night  long  he  sat  sighing 
to  himself,  "  How  can  I  ever  find  a  ring  which  she 
dropped  into  the  river  a  month  ago?  She  has  set 
me  an  impossible  task." 

"My  dear  master,"  said  Cabriole,  "nothing  is 
an  impossibility  to  one  so  young  and  charming  as 
you  are  :  let  us  go  at  daybreak  to  the  river-side." 

Avenant  patted  him,  but  replied  nothing  :  until, 
worn  out  with  grief,  he  slept.  Before  dawn  Ca- 
briole wakened  him,  saying,  "  Master,  dress  your- 
self and  let  us  go  to  the  river." 

There  Avenant  walked  up  and  down,  with  his 
arms  folded  and  his  head  bent,  but  saw  nothing. 
At  last  he  heard  a  voice  calling  from  a  distance, 
"  Avenant,  Avenant !  " 

The  little  dog  ran  to  the  water-side  —  "  Never 
believe  me  again,  master,  if  it  be  not  a  golden  carp 
with  a  ring  in  its  mouth  !  " 

"  Yes,  Avenant,"  said  the  carp,  "  this  is  the 
ring  which  the  princess  had  lost.  You  saved  my 
life  in  the  willow  meadow,  and  I  have  recompensed 
you.     Farewell  !  " 

Avenant  took  the  ring  gratefully,  and  returned 
to  the  palace  with  Cabriole,  who  scampered  about 
in  great  glee.  Craving  an  audience,  he  presented 
the  princess  with  her  ring,  and  begged  her  to  ac- 
company him  to  his  master's  kingdom.  She  took 
the  ring,  looked  at  it,  and  thought  she  was  surely 
dreaming. 

"  Some  fairy  must  have  assisted  you,  fortunate 
Avenant,"  said  she. 

"  Madam,  I  am  only  fortunate  in  my  desire  to 
obey  jour  wishes." 

"  Obey  me  still,"  she  said,  graciously.  "  There 
is  a  prince  named  Galifron,  whose  suit  I  have  re- 
fused. He  is  a  giant,  as  tall  as  a  tower,  who  eats 
a  man  as  a  monkey  eats  a  nut :  he  puts  cannons 
into  his  pockets  instead  of  pistols  ;  and  when  he 
speaks  his  voice  is  so  loud  that  every  one  near  him 


becomes  deaf.  Go  and  fight  him,  and  bring  me 
his  head." 

Avenant  was  thunderstruck  ;  but  after  a  time 
he  recovered  himself  —  "  Very  well,  madam.  I 
shall  certainly  perish,  but  I  will  perish  like  a. 
brave  man.  I  will  depart  at  once  to  fight  the 
Giant  Galifron." 

The  princess,  now  in  her  turn  surprised  and 
alarmed,  tried  every  persuasion  to  induce  him  not 
to  go,  but  in  vain.  Avenant  armed  himself  and 
started,  carrying  his  little  dog  in  its  basket.  Ca- 
briole was  the  only  creature  that  gave  him  conso- 
lation :  "  Courage,  master  !  While  you  attack 
the  giant,  I  will  bite  his  legs  :  he  will  stoop  down 
to  strike  me,  and  then  you  can  knock  him  on  the 
head."  Avenant  smiled  at  the  little  dog's  spirit, 
but  he  knew  it  was  useless. 

Arrived  at  the  castle  of  Galifron,  he  found  the 
road  all  strewn  with  bones  and  carcasses  of  men. 
Soon  he  saw  the  giant  walking.  His  head  was 
level  with  the  highest  trees,  and  he  sang  in  a  ter- 
rific voice,  — 

"  Bring;  me  babies  to  devour  ; 
More  —  more  —  more  —  more  — 
Men  and  women,  tender  and  tough  ; 
All  the  world  holds  not  enough." 

To  which  Avenant  replied,  imitating  the  tune, — 

"  Avenant  you  here  may  see, 
He  is  come  to  punish  thee  : 
Be  he  tender,  be  he  tough, 
To  kill  thee,  giant,  he  is  enough." 

Hearing  these  words,  the  giant  took  up  his  mas- 
sive club,  looked  around  for  the  singer,  and,  per- 
ceiving him,  would  have  slain  him  on  the  spot, 
had  not  a  raven,  sitting  on  a  tree  close  by,  sud- 
denly flown  out  upon  him,  and  picked  out  both 
his  eyes.  Then  Avenant  easily  killed  him,  and 
cut  off  his  head,  while  the  raven,  watching  him, 
said,  — 

"  You  shot  the  eagle  who  was  pursuing  me  :  I 
promised  to  recompense  you,  and  to-day  I  have 
done  it.     We  are  quits." 

"  No,  it  is  I  who  am  your  debtor,  Sir  Raven," 
replied  Avenant,  as,  hanging  the  frightful  head  to 
his  saddle-bow,  he  mounted  his  horse  and   rode 


42 


THE  BOOK  OF    WONDERS. 


back  to  the  city  of  the  Fair  One  with  Golden 
Locks. 

There  everybody  followed  him,  shouting,  "  Here 
is  brave  Avenant,  who  has  killed  the  giant,"  until 
the  princess,  hearing  the  noise,  and  fearing  it  was 
Avenant  himself  who  was  killed,  appeared,  all 
trembling ;  and  even  when  he  appeared  with  Gali- 
fron's  head,  she  trembled  still,  although  she  had 
nothing  to  fear. 

"  Madam,"  said  Avenant,  "  your  enemy  is  dead  : 
so  I  trust  you  will  accept  the  hand  of  the  king  my 
master." 

"I  cannot,"  replied  she,  thoughtfully,  "unless 
you  first  bring  me  a  phial  of  the  water  in  the 
Grotto  of  Darkness.  It  is  six  leagues  in  length, 
and  guarded  at  the  entrance  by  two  fiery  dragons. 
Within  it  is  a  pit  full  of  scorpions,  lizards,  and 
serpents,  and  at  the  bottom  of  this  place  flows 
the  Fountain  of  Beauty  and  Health.  All  who 
wash  in  it  become,  if  ugly,  beautiful,  and  if  beau- 
tiful, beautiful  forever ;  if  old,  young ;  and  if 
young,  young  forever.  Judge  then,  Avenant,  if 
I  can  quit  my  kingdom  without  carrying  with  me 
some  of  this  remarkable  water." 

"Madam,"  replied  Avenant,  "you  are  already 
so  beautiful  that  you  require  it  not ;  but  I  am  an 
unfortunate  ambassador  whose  death  you  desire : 
I  will  obey  you,  though  I  know  I  shall  never  re- 
turn." 

So  he  departed  with  his  only  friends —  his  horse 
and  his  faithful  dog  Cabriole  ;  while  all  who  met 
him  looked  at  him  compassionately,  pitying  so 
pretty  a  youth  bound  on  such  a  hopeless  errand. 
But,  however  kindly  they  addressed  him,  Avenant 
rode  on  and  answered  nothing,  for  he  was  too  sad 
at  heart. 

He  reached  a  mountain-side,  where  he  sat  down 
to  rest,  leaving  his  horse  to  graze,  and  Cabriole  to 
run  after  the  flies.  He  knew  that  the  Grotto  of 
Darkness  was  not  far  off,  yet  he  looked  about  him 
like  one  who  sees  nothing.  At  last  he  perceived 
a  rock,  as  black  as  ink,  whence  came  a  thick 
smoke  ;  and  in  a  moment  appeared  one  of  the  two 
dragons,  breathing  out  flames.  It  had  a  yellow 
and  green    body,  claws,  and   a  long  tail.     When 


Cabriole  saw  the  monster,  the  poor  little  dog  hid 
himself  in  terrible  fright.  But  Avenant  resolved 
to  die  bravely ;  so,  taking  a  phial  which  the  prin- 
cess had  given  him,  he  prepared  to  descend  into 
the  cave. 

"  Cabriole,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  soon  be  dead  :  then 
fill  this  phial  with  my  blood,  and  carry  it  to  the 
Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks,  and  afterwards  to 
the  king  my  master,  to  show  him  I  have  been 
faithful  to  the  last.'' 

While  he  was  thus  speaking,  a  voice  called, 
"  Avenant,  Avenant !  " —  and  he  saw  an  owl  sit- 
ting on  a  hollow  tree  near  by.  Said  the  owl : 
"  You  cut  the  net  in  which  I  was  caught,  and  I 
vowed  to  recompense  you.  Now  is  the  time. 
Give  me  the  phial :  I  know  every  corner  of  the 
Grotto  of  Darkness — I  will  fetch  you  the  water 
of  beauty." 

Delighted  beyond  words,  Avenant  delivered  up 
his  phial ;  the  owl  flew  with  it  into  the  grotto,  and 
in  less  than  half-an-hour  reappeared,  bringing  it 
quite  full  and  well  corked.  Avenant  thanked  her 
with  all  his  heart,  and  joyfully  took  once  more  the 
road  to  the  city. 

The  Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks  had  no  more  to 
say.  She  consented  to  accompany  him  back,  with 
all  her  suite,  to  his  master's  court.  On  the  way 
thither  she  saw  so  much  of  him,  and  found  him  so 
charming,  that  Avenant  might  have  married  her 
himself  had  he  chosen ;  but  he  would  not  have 
been  false  to  his  master  for  all  the  beauties  under 
the  sun.  At  length  they  arrived  at  the  king's  city, 
and  the  Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks  became  his 
spouse  and  queen.  But  she  still  loved  Avenant  in 
her  heart,  and  often  said  to  the  king  her  lord, — 
"  But  for  Avenant  I  should  not  be  here  ;  he  has 
done  all  sorts  of  impossible  deeds  for  my  sake  ;  he 
has  fetched  me  the  water  of  beauty,  and  I  shall 
never  grow  old  —  in  short,  I  owe  him  every- 
thing." 

And  she  praised  him  in  this  sort  so  much,  that 
at  length  the  king  became  jealous  ;  and  though 
Avenant  gave  him  not  the  slightest  cause  of  of- 
fense, he  shut  him  up  in  the  same  high  tower  once 
more  —  but  with  irons  on  his  hands  and  feet,  and 


LITTLE   ONE  EYE,   LITTLE   TWO   EYES,   AND   LITTLE  THREE  EYES. 


43 


a  cruel  jailer  besides,  who  fed  him  with  bread  and 
water  only.  His  sole  companion  was  his  little  dog 
Cabriole. 

When  the  Fair  One  with  Golden  Locks  heard  of 
this,  she  reproached  her  husband  for  his  ingrati- 
tude, and  then,  throwing  herself  at  his  knees,  im- 
plored that  Avenant  might  be  set  free.  But  the 
king  only  said,  "  She  loves  him  !  "  and  refused  her 
prayer.  The  queen  entreated  no  more,  but  fell 
into  a  deep  melancholy. 

When  the  king  saw  it,  he  thought  she  did  not 
care  for  him  because  he  was  not  handsome  enough  ; 
and  that  if  he  could  wash  his  face  with  her  water 
of  beauty,  it  would  make  her  love  him  more.  He 
knew  she  kept  it  in  a  cabinet  in  her  chamber, 
where  she  could  find  it  always. 

Now  it  happened  that  a  waiting-maid,  in  clean- 
ing out  this  cabinet,  had,  the  very  day  before, 
knocked  down  the  phial,  which  was  broken  in  a 
thousand  pieces,  and  all  the  contents  were  lost. 
Very  much  alarmed  she  then  remembered  seeing 
in  a  cabinet  belonging  to  the  king  a  similar  phial. 
This  she  fetched,  and  put  in  the  place  of  the  other 
one,  in  which  was  the  water  of  beauty.  But  the 
ting's  phial  contained  the  water  of  death.  It  was 
>\  poison,  used  to  destroy  great  criminals —  that  is, 
noblemen,  gentlemen,  and  such  like.  Instead  of 
hanging  them  or  cutting  their  heads  off,  like  com- 


mon people,  they  were  compelled  to  wash  their 
face3  with  water  ;  upon  which  they  fell  asleep, 
and  woke  no  more.  So  it  happened  that  the  king, 
taking  up  this  phial,  believing  it  to  be  the  water 
of  beauty,  washed  his  face  with  it,  fell  asleep,  and 

—  died. 

Cabriole  heard  the  news,  and,  gliding  in  and 
out  among  the  crowd  which  clustered  round  the 
young  and  lovely  widow,  whispered  softly  to  her, 

—  "  Madam,  do  not  forget  poor  Avenant."  If  she 
had  been  disposed  to  do  so,  the  sight  of  his  little 
dog  would  have  been  enough  to  remind  her  of 
him — his  many  sufferings,  and  his  great  fidelity. 
She  rose  without  speaking  to  anybody,  and  went 
straight  to  the  tower  where  Avenant  was  con- 
fined. There,  with  her  own  hands,  she  struck 
off  his  chains,  and  putting  a  crown  of  gold  on  his 
head,  and  a  purple  mantle  on  his  shoulders,  said 
to  him,  "  Be  king —  and  my  husband." 

Avenant  could  not  refuse  ;  for  in  his  heart  he 
had  loved  her  all  the  time.  He  threw  himself  at 
her  feet,  and  then  took  the  crown  and  sceptre,  and 
ruled  her  kingdom  like  a  king.  All  the  people 
were  delighted  to  have  him  as  their  sovereign. 
The  marriage  was  celebrated  with  all  imaginable 
pomp,  and  Avenant  and  the  Fair  One  with  Golden 
Locks  lived  and  reigned  happily  together  all  their 
days. 


LITTLE   ONE   EYE,   LITTLE    TWO   EYES,   AND   LITTLE   THREE   EYES. 


There  was  a  woman  who  had  three  daughters, 
the  eldest  of  whom  was  called  Little  One  Eye, 
because  she  had  only  one  eye  in  the  middle  of  her 
forehead  ;  the  second,  Little  Two  Eyes,  because 
she  had  two  eyes  like  other  people ;  and  the 
youngest,  Little  Three  Eyes,  because  she  had 
three  eyes,  one  of  them  being  also  in  the  middle 
of  the  forehead.  But  because  Little  Two  Eyes 
looked  no  different  from  other  people  her  sis- 
ters and  mother  could  not  bear  her.  They  said, 
"  You  with  your  two  eyes  are  no  better  than 
anybody  else  ;  you  do  not  belong  to  us."  They 
knocked  her  about,  and  gave  her  shabby  clothes, 


and  food  which  was  left  over  from  their  own 
meals  ;  in  short,  they  vexed  her  whenever  they 
could. 

It  happened  that  Little  Two  Eyes  had  to  go 
out  into  the  fields  to  look  after  the  goat ;  but  she 
was  still  quite  hungry,  because  her  sisters  had 
given  her  so  little  to  eat.  She  sat  down  on  a 
hillock  and  began  to  cry,  and  cried  so  much  that 
a  little  stream  ran  down  out  of  each  eye.  And 
as  she  looked  up  once  in  her  sorrow,  a  woman 
stood  near  her,  who  asked,  "  Little  Two  Eyes, 
why  do  you  cry  ?  " 

Little  Two  Eyes  answered,  "  Have  I  not  need 


4-4 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


to  cry  ?  Because  I  have  two  eyes,  like  other 
people,  my  sisters  and  my  mother  cannot  bear 
me ;  they  push  me  out  of  one  corner  into  the 
other,  give  me  shabby  clothes,  and  nothing  to  eat 
but  what  they  leave.  To-day  they  have  given 
me  so  little  that  I  am  still  quite  hungry." 

The  wise  woman  said,  "  Little  Two  Eyes,  dry 
your  eyes,  and  I  will  tell  you  something  which 
will  keep  you  from  ever  being  hungry  more.  Only 
say  to  your  gnat,  '  Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  table, 
rise,'  and  a  neatly-laid  table  will  stand  before  you 
with  the  most  delicious  food  on  it,  so  that  you 
can  eat  as  much  as  you  like.  And  when  you  are 
satisfied  and  do  not  want  the  table  any  more,  only 
say,  '  Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  table,  away,'  and 
it  will  all  disappear  before  your  eyes."  Then  the 
wise  woman  went  out  of  sight. 

Little  Two  Eyes  thought,  "  I  must  try  directly 
if  it  be  true  what  she  has  said,  for  I  am  much  too 
hungry  to  wait."  So  she  said,  "  Little  goat,  bleat ; 
little  table,  rise  ;  "  and  scarcely  had  she  uttered 
the  words,  when  there  stood  before  her  a  little 
table,  covered  with  a  white  cloth,  on  which  were 
laid  a  plate,  knife  and  fork,  and  silver  spoon. 
The  most  delicious  food  was  there  also,  and  smok- 
ing hot,  as  if  just  come  from  the  kitchen.  Then 
Little  Two  Eyes  said  the  shortest  grace  that  she 
knew,  "  Lord  God,  be  our  Guest  at  all  times.  — 
Amen,"  began  to  eat,  and  found  it  very  good. 
And  when  she  had  had  enough,  she  said  as  the 
wise  woman  had  taught  her, —  "  Little  goat,  bleat ; 
little  table,  away."  In  an  instant  the  little  table, 
and  all  that  stood  on  it,  had  disappeai'ed  again. 
"  That  is  a  beautiful,  easy  way  of  housekeeping," 
thought  Little  Two  Eyes,  and  was  quite  happy 
and  merry. 

In  the  evening,  when  she  came  home  with  her 
goat,  she  found  a  little  earthen  dish  with  food, 
which  her  sisters  had  put  aside  for  her,  but  she 
did  not  touch  anything  —  she  had  no  need.  On 
the  next  day  she  went  out  again  with  her  goat, 
and  let  the  few  crusts  that  were  given  her  remain 
uneaten.  The  first  time  and  the  second  time  the 
sisters  took  no  notice ;  but  when  the  same  thing 
happened  every  day,  they  remarked   it,  and  said, 


"  All  is  not  right  with  Little  Two  Eyes ;  she  at 
ways  leaves  her  food,  and  she  used  formerly  to 
eat  everything  that  was  given  her  ;  she  must  have 
found  other  ways  of  dining." 

In  order  to  discover  the  truth,  they  resolved 
that  Little  One  Eye  should  go  with  Little  Two 
Eyes  when  she  drove  the  goat  into  the  meadow, 
and  see  what  she  did  there,  and  if  anybody  brought 
her  anything  to  eat  and  drink.  So  when  Little 
Two  Eyes  set  out  again,  Little  One  Eye  came 
to  her  and  said,  "  I  will  go  with  you  into  the 
field,  and  see  that  the  goat  is  taken  proper  care 
of,  and  driven  to  good  pasture." 

But  Little  Two  Eyes  saw  what  Little  One  Eye 
had  in  her  mind,  and  drove  the  goat  into  long 
grass,  saying,  "  Come,  Little  One  Eye,  we  will 
sit  down  ;  I  will  sing  you  something."  Little  One 
Eye  sat  down,  being  tired  from  the  unusual  walk 
and  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  Little  Two  Eyres 
kept  on  singing,  "Are  you  awake,  Little  One 
Eye  ?  Are  you  asleep,  Little  One  Eye  ?  "  Then 
Little  One  Eye  shut  her  one  eye,  and  fell  asleep. 
And  when  Little  Two  Eyes  saw  that  Little  One 
Eye  was  fast  asleep,  and  could  not  betray  any- 
thing, she  said,  "  Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  table, 
rise,"  and  sat  herself  at  her  table,  and  ate  and 
drank  till  she  was  satisfied  ;  then  she  called  out 
again,  "Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  table,  away,"  and 
instantly  everything  disappeared. 

Little  Two  Eyes  now  woke  Little  One  Eye,  and 
said,  "  Little  One  Eye,  you  pretend  to  watch,  and 
fall  asleep  over  it,  and  in  the  mean  time  the  goat 
could  have  run  all  over  the  world  ;  come,  we  will 
go  home."  Then  they  went  home,  and  Little 
Two  Eyes  let  her  little  dish  again  stand  un- 
touched ;  and  Little  One  Eye,  who  could  not  tell 
the  mother  why  her  sister  would  not  eat,  said, 
as  an  excuse,  "  Oh,  I  fell  asleep  out  there." 

The  next  day  the  mother  said  to  Little  Three 
Eyes,  "This  time  you  shall  go  and  see  if  Little 
Two  Eyes  eats  out  of  doors,  and  if  any  one  brings 
her  food  and  drink,  for  she  must  eat  and  drink 
secretly." 

Then  Little  Three  Eyes  went  to  Little  Two 
Eyes,  and   said,  "  I    will   go    with   you   and   see 


LITTLE   ONE  EYE,   LITTLE    TWO  EYES,   AND   LITTLE   THREE  EYES. 


45 


if  the  goat  be  taken  proper  care  of,  and  driven 
to  good  pasture."  But  Little  Two  Eyes  saw 
what  Little  Three  Eyes  had  in  her  mind,  and 
drove  the  goat  into  long  grass,  and  said  as  before, 
"  We  will  sit  down  here,  Little  Three  Eyes  ;  I  will 
sing  you  something."  Little  Three  Eyes  seated 
herself,  being  tired  from  the  walk  and  the  heat 
of  the  sun,  and  Little  Two  Eyes  began  the  same 
song  again,  and  sang,  "  Are  you  awake,  Little 
Three  Eyes  ? "  But  instead  of  singing  then  as 
she  should,  "  Are  you  asleep,  Little  Three  Eyes  ?" 
she  sang,  through  carelessness,  "  Are  you  asleep, 
Little  Two  Eyes?"  and  went  on  singing,  "Are 
you  awake,  Little  Three  Eyes  ?  Are  you  asleep, 
Little  Two  Eyes  ?  "  So  the  two  eyes  of  Little 
Three  Eyes  fell  asleep,  but  the  third  did  not  go 
to  sleep,  because  it  was  not  spoken  to  by  the  verse. 
Little  Three  Eyes,  to  be  sure,  shut  it,  and  made 
believe  to  go  to  sleep,  but  only  through  slyness ; 
for  she  winked  with  it,  and  could  see  everything 
quite  well.  And  when  Little  Two  Eyes  thought 
that  Little  Three  Eyes  was  fast  asleep,  she  said 
her  little  sentence,  "  Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  ta- 
ble, rise,"  ate  and  drank  heartily,  and  then  told  the 
little  table  to  go  away  again,  "  Little  goat,  bleat ; 
little  table,  away."  But  Little  Three  Eyes  had 
seen  everything. 

Then  Little  Two  Eyes  came  to  her,  woke  her, 
and  said,  "  Ah !  Little  Three  Eyes,  have  you  been 
asleep  ?  you  keep  watch  well !  come,  we  will  go 
home."  And  when  they  got  home,  Little  Two 
Eyes  again  did  not  eat,  and  Little  Three  Eyes 
said  to  the  mother,  "  I  know  why  the  proud 
thing  does  not  eat :  when  she  says  to  the  goat 
out  there,  '  Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  table,  rise,' 
there  stands  a  table  before  her,  which  is  covered 
with  the  very  best  food,  much  better  than  we 
have  here ;  and  when  she  is  satisfied,  she  says, 
'  Little  goat,  bleat ;  little  table,  away,'  and  every- 
thing is  gone  again  ;  I  have  seen  it  all  exactly. 
She  put  two  of  my  eyes  to  sleep  with  her  little 
verse,  but  the  one  in  my  forehead  luckily  re- 
mained awake." 

Then  the  envious  mother  cried  out,  "  Shall 
she  be  better  off  than  we  are?"  fetched  a  butcher's 


knife,  and  stuck  it  into  the  goat's  heart,  so  that  it 
fell  down  dead. 

When  Little  Two  Eyes  saw  that,  she  went  out 
full  of  grief,  seated  herself  on  a  hillock,  and  wept 
bitter  tears.  All  at  once  the  wise  woman  stood 
near  her  again,  and  said,  "  Little  Two  Eyes,  why 
do  you  cry  ?  " 

"  Shall  I  not  cry  ?  "  answered  she.  "  The  goat 
who  every  day,  when  I  said  your  little  verse,  laid 
the  table  so  beautifully,  has  been  killed  by  my 
mother ;  now  I  must  suffer  hunger  and  thirst 
again." 

The  wise  woman  said,  "  Little  Two  Eyes,  I  will 
give  you  some  good  advice  ;  beg  your  sisters  to 
give  you  the  heart  of  the  murdered  goat,  and  bury 
it  in  the  ground  before  the  house  door,  and  it  will 
turn  out  lucky  for  you."  Then  she  disappeared, 
and  Little  Two  Eyes  went  home  and  said  to  her 
sisters,  "  Dear  sisters,  give  me  some  part  of  my 
goat ;  I  don't  ask  for  anything  good,  only  give  me 
the  heart." 

Then  they  laughed,  and  said,  "  You  can  have 
that,  if  you  do  not  want  anything  else."  Little 
Two  Eyes  took  the  heart,  and  buried  it  quietly  in 
the  evening,  before  the  house  door,  after  the  ad- 
vice of  the  wise  woman. 

Next  morning,  when  the  sisters  woke,  and  went 
to  the  house  door  together,  there  stood  a  most 
wonderfully  splendid  tree,  with  leaves  of  silver  and 
fruit  of  gold  hanging  between  them.  Nothing 
more  beautiful  or  charming  could  be  seen  in  the 
wide  world.  But  they  did  not  know  how  the  tree 
had  come  there  in  the  night.  Little  Two  Eyes 
alone  noticed  that  it  had  grown  out  of  the  heart 
of  the  goat,  for  it  stood  just  where  she  had  buried 
it  in  the  ground. 

Then  the  mother  said  to  Little  One  Eye, 
"  Climb  up,  my  child,  and  gather  us  some  fruit 
from  the  tree." 

Little  One  Eye  climbed  up,  but  when  she 
wanted  to  seize  a  golden  apple,  the  branch  sprang 
out  of  her  hand  :  this  happened  every  time,  so 
that  she  could  not  gather  a  single  apple,  though 
she  tried  as  hard  as  she  could. 

Then  the  mother  said.  "  Little  Three  Eyes,  do 


46 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


you  climb  up  ;  you  can  see  better  about  you  with 
your  three  eyes  than  Little  One  Eye  can." 

Little  One  Eye  scrambled  down,  and  Little 
Three  Eyes  climbed  up.  But  Little  Three  Eyes 
was  no  cleverer,  and  might  look  about  her  as 
much  as  she  liked  —  the  golden  apples  always 
sprang  back  from  her  grasp.  At  last  the  mother 
became  impatient,  and  climbed  up  herself,  but 
could  touch  the  fruit  just  as  little  as  Little  One 
Eye  or  Little  Three  Eyes  ;  she  always  grasped 
the  empty  air. 

Then  Little  Two  Eyes  said,  "  I  will  go  up  my- 
self ;  perhaps  I  shall  prosper  better." 

"You!"  cried  the  sisters.  "With  your  two 
eyes,  what  can  you  do  ?  " 

But  Little  Two  Eyes  climbed  up,  and  the 
golden  apples  did  not  spring  away  from  her,  but 
dropped  of  themselves  into  her  hand,  so  that  she 
could  gather  one  after  the  other,  and  brought 
down  a  whole  apron  full.  Her  mother  took  them 
from  her,  and  instead  of  her  sisters,  Little  One 
Eye  and  Little  Three  Eyes,  behaving  better  to 
poor  Little  Two  Eyes  for  it,  they  were  only  envi- 
ous because  she  alone  could  get  the  fruit,  and  be- 
haved still  more  cruelly  to  her. 

It  happened,  as  they  stood  together  by  the  tree, 
one  day,  that  a  young  knight  came  riding  by  on  a 
fine  horse. 

"  Quick,  Little  Two  Eyes,"  cried  the  two  sis- 
ters, "  creep  under,  so  that  we  may  not  be  ashamed 
of  you  ;  "  and  threw  over  poor  Little  Two  Eyes, 
in  a  great  hurry,  an  empty  cask  that  stood  just  by 
the  tree,  and  pushed  also  beside  her  the  golden 
apples  which  she  had  broken  off. 

Now,  as  the  knight  came  nearer,  he  proved  to 
be  a  handsome  prince,  who  stood  still,  admired 
the  beautiful  tree  of  gold  and  silver,  and  said  to 
the  two  sisters,  — 

"  To  whom  does  this  beautiful  tree  belong  ? 
She  who  gives  me  a  branch  of  it  shall  have  what- 
ever she  wishes." 

Then  Little  One  Eye  and  Little  Three  Eyes 
answered  that  the  tree  was  theirs,  and  the}'  would 
break  off  a  branch  for  him.  Both  gave  themselves 
a  great  dral  of  trouble,  but  it  was  of  no   use,  for 


the   branches  and  fruit  sprang  back    from  them 
every  time.     Then  the  knight  said,  — 

"It  is  very  wonderful  that  the  tree  belongs  to 
you,  and  yet  you  have  not  the  power  of  gathering 
anything  from  it." 

They  insisted,  however,  that  the  tree  was  their 
own  property.  But  as  they  spoke,  Little  Two 
Eyes  rolled  a  few  golden  apples  from  under  the 
cask,  so  that  they  ran  to  the  feet  of  the  knight ; 
for  Little  Two  Eyes  was  angry  that  Little  One 
Eye  and  Little  Three  Eyes  did  not  tell  the  truth. 

When  the  knight  saw  the  apples,  he  was  aston- 
ished, and  asked  where  they  came  from.  Little 
One  Eye  and  Little  Three  Eyes  answered  that 
they  had  another  sister,  who  might  not,  however, 
show  herself,  because  she  had  only  two  eyes,  like 
other  common  people.  But  the  knight  desired  to 
see  her,  and  called  out,  "  Little  Two  Eyes,  come 
out."  Then  Little  Two  Eyes  came  out  of  the 
cask  quite  comforted,  and  the  knight  was  aston- 
ished at  her  great  beauty,  and  said,  — 

"  You,  Little  Two  Eyes,  can  certainly  gather 
me  a  branch  from  the  tree  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Little  Two  Eyes,  "  I  can  do 
that,  for  the  tree  belongs  to  me."  And  she  climbed 
up  and  easily  broke  off  a  branch,  with  its  silver 
leaves  and  golden  fruit,  and  handed  it  to  the 
knight. 

Then  the  knight  said,  "  Little  Two  Eyes,  what 
shall  I  give  you  for  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  answered  Little  Two  Eyes,  "  I  suffer 
hunger  and  thirst,  sorrow  and  want,  from  early 
morning  till  late  evening ;  if  you  would  take  me 
with  you  and  free  me,  I  should  be  happy." 

Then  the  knight  lifted  Little  Two  Eyes  upon 
his  horse,  and  took  her  home  to  his  father's  cas- 
tle; there  he  gave  her  beautiful  clothes,  food,  and 
drink,  as  much  as  she  wanted,  and  because  he 
loved  her  so  much  he  married  her,  and  the  mar- 
riage was  celebrated  with  great  joy. 

Now,  when  Little  Two  Eyes  was  taken  away 
by  the  handsome  knight,  the  two  sisters  envied 
her  very  much  her  happiness.  "  The  wonderful 
tree  remains  for  us,  though,"  thought  they ;  "  and 
even  though  we    cannot  gather  any  fruit   off   it, 


THE    TRAVELING  MUSICIANS. 


47 


every  one  will  stand  still  before  it,  come  to  us, 
and  praise  it."  But  the  next  morning,  the  tree 
had  disappeared,  and  all  their  hopes  with  it. 

Little  Two  Eyes  lived  huppily  a  long  time.  Once 
two  poor  women  came  to  her  at  the  castle,  and 
begged  alms.  Then  Little  Two  Eyes  looked  in 
their  faces,  and  recognized  her  sisters,  Little  One 


Eye  and  Little  Three  Eyes,  who  had  fallen  into 
such  poverty  that  they  had  to  wander  about,  and 
seek  their  bread  from  door  to  door.  Little  Two 
Eyes,  however,  bade  them  welcome,  and  was  very 
good  to  them,  and  took  care  of  them  ;  for  they 
both  repented  from  their  hearts  the  evil  they  had 
done  to  their  sister  in  their  youth.  ■ 


THE   TRAVELING   MUSICIANS. 


An  honest  farmer  had  once  an  ass  that  had  been 
a  faithful  servant  to  him  a  great  many  years,  but 
was  now  growing  old  and  every  day  more  and 
more  unfit  for  work.  His  master,  therefore,  was 
tired  of  keeping  him  and  began  to  think  of  put- 
ting an  end  to  him  ;  but  the  ass,  who  saw  that 
some  mischief  was  in  the  wind,  took  himself  slyly 
off,  and  began  his  journey  towards  the  great  city, 
"for  there,"  thought  he,  "I  may  turn  musician." 

After  he  had  traveled  a  little  way  he  spied  a 
dog  lying  by  the  roadside  and  panting  as  if  he 
were  very  tired.  "  What  makes  you  pant  so,  my 
friend?"  said  the  ass.  "Alas!"  said  the  dog, 
"my  master  was  going  to  knock  me  on  the  head, 
because  I  am  old  and  weak,  and  can  no  longer 
make  myself  useful  to  him  in  hunting ;  so  I  ran 
away  :  but  what  can  I  do  to  earn  my  livelihood  ?  " 
"  Hark  ye  !  "  said  the  ass,  "  I  am  going  to  the 
great  city  to  turn  musician ;  suppose  you  go  with 
me,  and  try  what  you  can  do  in  the  same  way  ?  " 
The  dog  6aid  he  was  willing,  and  they  jogged  on 
together. 

They  had  not  gone  far  before  they  saw  a  cat  sit- 
ting in  the  middle  of  the  road  and  making  a  most 
rueful  face.  "  Pray,  my  good  lady,"  said  the  ass, 
"  what 's  the  matter  with  jfou  ?  you  look  quite  out 
of  spirits  !  "  "  Ah  me  !  "  said  the  cat,  "  how  can 
one  be  in  good  spirits  when  one's  life  is  in  danger  ? 
Because  I  am  beginning  to  grow  old,  and  bad 
rather  lie  at  my  ease  by  the  fire  than  run  about 
the  house  after  the  mice,  my  mistress  laid  hold  of 
me,  and  was  going  to  drown  me ;  and  though  I 
have  been  lucky  enough  to  get  away  from  her,  I 
do  not  know  what  I  am  to  live  upon."     "  Oh  !  " 


said  the  ass,  "  by  all  means  go  with  us  to  the  great 
city;  you  are  a  good. night  singer,  and  may  make 
your  fortune  as  a  musician."  The  cat  was  pleased 
with  the  thought,  and  joined  the  party. 

Soon  afterwards,  as  they  were  passing  by  a 
farmyard,  they  saw  a  cock  perched  upon  a  gate, 
and  screaming  out  with  all  his  might  and  main. 
"  Bravo  !  "  said  the  ass  ;  "  upon  my  word  you  make 
a  famous  noise ;  pray,  what  is  all  this  about  ?  " 
"  Why,"  said  the  cock,  "  I  was  just  now  saying 
that  we  should  have  fine  weather  for  our  washing- 
day,  and  yet  my  mistress  and  the  cook  don't  thank 
me  for  my  pains,  but  threaten  to  cut  off  my  head 
to-morrow,  and  make  broth  of  me  for  the  guests 
that  are  coming  on  Sunday  !  "  "  Heaven  forbid  !  " 
said  the  ass  ;  "  come  with  us,  Master  Chanticleer  ; 
it  will  be  better,  at  any  rate,  than  staying  here  to 
have  your  head  cut  off !  Besides,  who  knows  ? 
If  we  take  care  to  sing  in  tune,  we  may  get  up 
some  kind  of  a  concert :  so  come  along  with  us." 
"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  the  cock ;  so  they  all 
four  went  on  jollily  together. 

They  could  not,  however,  reach  the  great  city 
the  first  day :  so  when  night  came  on  they  went 
into  the  wood  to  sleep.  The  ass  and  the  dog  laid 
themselves  down  under  a  great  tree,  and  the  cat 
climbed  up  into  the  branches ;  while  the  cock, 
thinking  that  the  higher  he  sat  the  safer  he  should 
be,  flew  up  to  the  very  top  of  the  tree,  and  then, 
according  to  his  custom,  before  he  went  to  sleep, 
looked  out  on  all  sides  of  him  to  see  that  every- 
thing was  well.  In  doing  this  he  saw  afar  off 
something  bright  and  shining ;  and  calling  to  his 
companions  said,  "  There  must  be  a  house  no  great 


48 


THE  BOOK   OF   WONDERS. 


way  off,  for  I  see  a  light."  "  If  that  be  the  case," 
said  the  ass,  "  we  had  better  change  our  quarters, 
for  our  lodging  is  not  the  best  in  the  world ! " 
"  Besides,"  added  the  dog,  "  I  should  not  be  the 
worse  for  a  bone  or  two,  or  a  bit  of  meat."  So 
they  walked  off  together  towards  the  spot  where 
Chanticleer  had  seen  the  light ;  and  as  they  drew 
near  it  became  larger  and  brighter,  till  at  last 
they  came  close  to  a  house  in  which  a  gang  of 
robbers  lived. 

The    ass,    being    the    tallest    of    the    company, 
marched  up  to  the  window  and  peeped  in.    "  Well, 


Donkey,"  said  Chanticleer,  "What  do  you  see?" 
"What  do  I  see?"  replied  the  ass,  "why  I  see  a 
table  spread  with  all  kinds  of  good  things,  and 
robbers  sitting  round  it  making  merry."  "  That 
would  be  a  noble  lodging  for  us,"  said  the  cock. 
"Yes,"  said  the  ass,  "if  we  could  only  get  in:" 
so  they  consulted  together  how  they  should  con- 
trive to  get  the  robbers  out ;  and  at  last  they  hit 
upon  a  plan.  The  ass  placed  himself  upright  on 
his  hind-legs,  with  his  fore-feet  resting  against  the 
window ;  the  dog  got  upon  his  back ;  the  cat 
scrambled  up  to  the  dog's  shoulders,  and  the  cock 
flew  up  and  sat  upon  the  cat's  head.     When  all 


was  ready,  a  signal  was  given,  and  they  began 
their  music.  The  ass  brayed,  the  dog  barked,  the 
cat  mewed,  and  the  cock  screamed  ;  and  then  they 
all  broke  through  the  window  at  once,  and  came 
tumbling  into  the  room,  amongst  the  broken  glass, 
with  a  most  hideous  clatter!  The  robbers,  who 
had  been  not  a  little  frightened  by  the  opening 
concert,  had  now  no  doubt  that  some  frightful  hob- 
goblin had  broken  in  upon  them,  and  scampered 
away  as  fast  as  they  could. 

The  coast  once  clear,  our  travelers  soon  sat  down, 
and  dispatched  what  the  robbers  had  left,  with  as 
much  eagerness  as  if  they  had  not  expected  to  eat 
again  for  a  month.  As  soon  as  they  had  satisfied 
themselves,  they  put  out  the  lights,  and  each  once 
more  sought  out  a  resting-place  to  his  own  liking. 
The  donkey  laid  himself  down  upon  a  heap  of 
straw  in  the  yard ;  the  dog  stretched  himself  upon 
a  mat  behind  the  door ;  the  cat  rolled  herself  up 
on  the  hearth  before  the  warm  ashes ;  and  the 
cock  perched  upon  a  beam  at  the  top  of  the  house  ; 
and,  as  they  were  all  rather  tired  with  their  jour- 
ney, they  soon  fell  asleep. 

But  about  midnight  the  robbers,  when  they  saw 
from  afar  that  the  lights  were  out  and  that  all 
seemed  quiet,  began  to  think  that  they  had  been 
in  too  great  a  hurry  to  run  away ;  and  one  of 
them,  who  was  bolder  than  the  rest,  went  to  see 
what  was  going  on.  Finding  everything  still,  he 
marched  into  the  kitchen,  and  groped  about  till 
he  found  a  match  in  order  to  light  a  candle  ;  and 
then,  espying  the  glittering  fiery  eyes  of  the  cat, 
he  mistook  them  for  live  coals,  and  held  the  match 
to  them  to  light  it.  But  the  cat,  not  understand- 
ing this  joke,  sprang  at  his  face,  and  spit,  and 
scratched  at  him.  This  frightened  him  dread- 
fully, and  away  he  ran  to  the  door :  but  there  the 
dog  jumped  up  and  bit  him  in  the  leg;  and  as  he 
was  crossing  over  the  yard  the  ass  kicked  him : 
and  the  cock,  who  had  been  awakened  by  the 
noise,  crowed  with  all  his  might.  At  this  the 
robber  ran  back  as  fast  as  he  could  to  his  com- 
rades, and  told  the  captain  "how  a  horrid  witch 
had  got  into  the  house,  and  had  spit  at  him  and 
scratched  his  face  with  her  long  bony  fingers ;  how 


THE    WHITE    CAT. 


49 


a  man  with  a  knife  in  his  hand  had  hidden  him- 
self behind  the  door,  and  stabbed  him  in  the  leg ; 
how  a  black  monster  stood  in  the  yard  and  struck 
him  with  a  club,  and  how  the  judge  sat  upon  the 
top  of  the  house  and  cried  out,  '  Throw  the  rascal 


up  here ! '  "  After  this  the  robbers  never  dared 
to  go  back  to  the  house ;  but  the  musicians  were 
so  pleased  with  their  quarters,  that  they  took  up 
their  abode  there  ;  and  there  they  are,  I  dare  say, 
at  this  very  day. 


THE   WHITE   CAT. 


TflEKE  was  once  a  king  who  had  three  sons,  all 
handsome,  brave,  and  noble  of  heart.  Neverthe- 
less, some  wicked  courtiers  made  their  father  be- 
lieve they  were  eager  to  wear  his  crown,  which, 
though  he  was  old,  he  had  no  mind  to  resign.  He 
therefore  invented  a  plan  to  get  them  out  of  the 
kingdom,  and  prevent  their  carrying  out  any  un- 
dutiful  projects.  Sending  for  them  to  a  private 
audience,  he  conversed  with  them  kindly,  and 
said  :  "  You  must  be  sensible,  my  dear  children, 
that  my  great  age  prevents  me  from  attending  so 
closely  as  I  have  hitherto  done  to  state  affairs.  I 
fear  this  may  be  injurious  to  my  subjects ;  I 
therefore  desire  to  place  my  crown  on  the  head  of 
•one  of  you  ;  but  it  is  no  more  than  just  that,  in 
return  for  such  a  present,  you  should  procure  me 
some  amusement  in  my  retirement,  before  I  leave 
the  capital  forever.  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
a  little  dog,  handsome,  faithful,  and  engaging, 
would  be  the  very  thing  to  make  me  happy  ;  so 
that,  without  bestowing  a  preference  on  either  of 
you,  I  declare  that  he  who  brings  me  the  most 
perfect  little  dog  shall  be  my  successor  in  the 
kingdom." 

The  princes  were  much  surprised  at  the  fancy 
•of  their  father  to  have  a  little  dog,  yet  they  ac- 
cepted the  proposition  with  pleasure ;  and  accord- 
ingly, after  taking  leave  of  the  king,  who  pre- 
sented them  with  an  abundance  of  money  and 
jewels,  and  appointed  that  day  twelvemonth  for 
their  return,  they  set  off  on  their  travels. 

Before  separating,  however,  they  took  some  re- 
freshment together,  in  an  old  palace  about  three 
miles  out  of  town,  where  they  mutually  agreed  to 
meet  on  their  return  that  day  twelvemonth,  and 
go  all  together  with  their  presents  to  court.  They 
7 


also  agreed  to  change  their  names,  and  to  travel 
incognito. 

Each  took  a  different  road  ;  but  it  is  intended 
to  relate  the  adventures  of  the  youngest  only,  who 
was  the  most  beautiful,  amiable,  and  accomplished 
prince  in  the  world.  As  he  traveled  from  town  to 
town,  he  bought  all  the  handsome  clogs  that  fell 
in  his  way  ;  and  as  soon  as  he  saw  one  that  was 
handsomer  than  those  he  had,  he  made  a  present 
of  the  rest ;  for  twenty  servants  would  scarcely 
have  been  sufficient  to  take  care  of  all  the  dogs  he 
was  continually  purchasing.  At  length,  wander- 
ing he  knew  not  whither,  he  found  himself  in  a 
forest ;  night  suddenly  came  on,  and  with  it  a  vio- 
lent storm  of  thunder,  lightning,  and  rain  :  to  add 
to  his  perplexity,  he  lost  his  way.  After  he  had 
groped  about  for  a  long  time,  he  perceived  a  light, 
which  made  him  suppose  that  he  was  not  far  from 
some  house :  he  accordingly  pursued  his  way  to- 
wards it,  and  in  a  short  time  found  himself  at  the 
gates  of  the  most  magnificent  palace  he  had  ever 
beheld.  The  entrance  door  was  of  gold,  covered 
with  sapphires,  which  shone  so  that  the  strongest 
eyesight  scarcely  could  bear  to  look  at  it :  this  was 
the  light  the  prince  had  seen  from  the  forest. 
The  walls  were  of  transparent  porcelain,  variously 
colored,  and  represented  the  history  of  all  the 
fairies  that  had  existed  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world.  The  prince,  coming  back  to  the  golden 
door,  observed  a  deer's  foot  fastened  to  a  chain  of 
diamonds  ;  he  could  not  help  wondering  at  the 
magnificence  he  beheld,  and  the  security  in  which 
the  inhabitants  seemed  to  live  ;  "  For,"  said  he  to 
himself,  "  nothing  could  be  easier  than  for  thieves 
to  steal  this  chain,  and  as  many  of  the  sapphire- 
stones  as  would  make  their  fortunes."     He  pulled 


50 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


the  chain,  and  heard  a  bell,  the  sound  of  which 
was  exquisite.  In  a  few  moments  the  door  was 
opened;  yet  he  perceived  nothing  but  twelve 
hands  in  the  air,  each  holding  a  torch.  The 
prince  was  so  astonished  that  he  durst  not  move  a 
step — when  he  felt  himself  gently  pushed  on  by 
some  other  hands  from  behind  him.  He  walked 
on,  in  great  perplexity,  till  he  entered  a  vestibule 
inlaid  with  porphyry  and  lapis-stone,  where  the 
most  melodious  voice  he  had  ever  heard  chanted 
the  following  words  :  — 

"  Welcome,  prince,  no  danger  fear, 
Mirth  and  love  attend  you  here: 
You  shall  break  the  magic  spell, 
That  on  a  beauteous  lady  fell. 

"  Welcome,  prince,  no  danger  fear, 
Mirth  and  love  attend  you  here." 

The  prince  now  advanced  with  confidence,  won- 
dering what  these  words  could  mean  ;  the  hands 
moved  him  forward  towards  a  large  door  of  coral, 
which  opened  of  itself  to  give  him  admittance  into 
a  splendid  apartment  built  of  mother-of-pearl, 
through  which  he  passed  into  others  so  richly 
adorned  with  paintings  and  jewels,  and  so  resplen- 
dently  lighted  with  thousands  of  lamps,  girandoles, 
and  lustres,  that  he  imagined  he  must  be  in  an 
enchanted  palace.  When  he  had  passed  through 
sixty  apartments,  all  equally  splendid,  he  was 
stopped  by  the  hands,  and  a  large  easy  chair  ad- 
vanced of  itself  towards  the  fire-place  ;  then  the 
hands,  which  he  observed  were  extremely  white 
and  delicate,  took  off  his  wet  clothes,  and  supplied 
their  place  with  the  finest  linen  imaginable,  add- 
ing a  comfortable  wrapping-gown,  embroidered 
with  gold  and  pearls. 

The  hands  next  brought  him  an  elegant  dress- 
ing-table, and  combed  his  hair  so  very  gently  that 
he  scarcely  felt  their  touch.  They  held  before 
him  a  beautiful  basin,  filled  with  perfumes,  for 
him  to  wash  his  face  and  hands,  and  afterwards 
took  off  the  wrapping-gown,  and  dressed  him  in 
a  suit  of  clothes  of  still  greater  splendor.  When 
his  toilet  was  complete  they  conducted  him  to  an 
apartment  he  had  not  yet  seen,  and  which  also 
was  magnificently  furnished.     There  was  a  table 


spread  for  supper,  and  everything  upon  it  was  of 
the  purest  gold,  adorned  with  jewels.  The  prince 
observed  there  were  two  covers  set,  and  was  won- 
dering who  was  to  be  his  companion,  when  his 
attention  was  suddenly  caught  by  a  small  figure 
not  a  foot  high,  which  just  then  entered  the 
room,  and  advanced  towards  him.  It  had  on  a 
long  black  veil,  and  was  supported  by  two  cats 
dressed  in  mourning,  and  with  swords  by  their 
sides  :  they  were  followed  by  a  numerous  retinue 
of  cats,  some  carrying  cages  full  of  rats,  and 
others  mouse-traps  full  of  mice. 

The  prince  was  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  think. 
The  little  figure  now  approached,  and  throwing 
aside  her  veil,  he  beheld  a  most  beautiful  white 
cat :  she  seemed  young  and  melancholy  ;  and,  ad- 
dressing herself  to  him,  said,  "  My  prince,  you  are 
welcome ;  your  presence  affords  me  the  greatest 
pleasure." 

"Madam,"  replied  he,  "I  would  fain  thank  you 
for  your  generosity,  nor  can  I  help  observing  that 
you  must  be  an  extraordinary  creature  to  possess, 
with  your  present  form,  the  gift  of  speech,  and 
the  most  magnificent  palace  I  have  ever  seen." 

"  All  this  is  very  true,"  answered  the  beautiful 
cat ;  "  but,  prince,  I  am  not  fond  of  talking,  and 
least  of  all  do  I  like  compliments ;  let  us  therefore 
sit  down  to  supper." 

The  trunkless  hands  then  placed  the  dishes  on 
the  table,  and  the  prince  and  white  cat  seated 
themselves  at  it.  The  first  dish  was  a  pie  made 
of  young  pigeons,  and  the  next  was  a  fricassee  of 
the  fattest  mice.  The  view  of  the  one  made  the 
prince  almost  afraid  to  taste  the  other,  till  the 
white  cat,  who  guessed  his  thoughts,  assured  him 
that  there  were  certain  dishes  at  table  which  had 
been  dressed  on  purpose  for  him,  in  which  there 
was  not  a  morsel  of  either  rat  or  mouse  :  accord- 
ingly he  ate  heartily  of  such  as  she  recommended. 
When  supper  was  over  he  perceived  that  the 
white  cat  had  a  portrait  set  in  gold  hanging  to  one 
of  her  feet.  He  begged  her  permission  to  look  at 
it ;  when,  to  his  astonishment,  he  saw  the  portrait 
of  a  handsome  young  man,  who  exactly  resembled 
himself !     He  thought  there  was  something  most 


THE    WHITE    CAT. 


51 


extraordinary  in  all  this  :  yet,  as  the  white  cat 
sighed  and  looked  very  sorrowful,  he  did  not  vent- 
ure to  ask  any  questions.  He  conversed  with  her 
on  different  subjects,  and  found  her  extremely 
well  versed  in  everything  that  was  passing  in 
the  world.  When  night  was  far  advanced,  his 
hostess  wished  him  a  good-night,  and  he  was  con- 
ducted by  the  hands  to  his  chamber,  which  was 
different  still  from  anything  he  had  seen  in 
the  palace,  being  hung  with  the  wings  of  butter- 
flies mixed  with  the  most  curious  feathers.  His 
bed  was  of  gauze,  festooned  with  bunches  of  the 
gayest  ribbons,  and  the  looking-glasses  reaching 
from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling.  The  prince  was  un- 
dressed and  put  into  bed  by  the  hands,  without 
speaking  a,  word.  He,  however,  slept  little,  and 
in  the  morning  was  awakened  by  a  confused  noise. 
The  hands  took  him  out  of  bed,  and  put  on  him  a 
handsome  hunting-jacket.  He  looked  into  the 
courtyard,  and  perceived  more  than  five  hundred 
cats,  busily  employed  in  preparing  for  the  field 
—  for  this  was  a  day  of  festival.  Presently  the 
white  cat  came  to  his  apartment;  and  having 
politely  inquired  after  his  health,  she  invited  him 
to  partake  of  their  amusement.  The  prince  will- 
ingly acceded,  and  mounted  a  wooden  horse, 
richly  caparisoned,  which  had  been  prepared  for 
him,  and  which  he  was  assured  would  gallop  to 
admiration.  The  beautiful  white  cat  mounted  a 
monkey  ;  she  wore  a  dragoon's  cap,  which  made 
her  look  so  fierce  that  all  the  rats  and  mice  ran 
away  in  the  utmost  terror. 

Everything  being  ready,  the  horns  sounded, 
and  away  they  went :  no  hunting  was  ever  more 
agreeable.  The  cats  ran  faster  than  the  hares 
and  rabbits ;  and  when  they  caught  any,  they 
turned  them  out  to  be  hunted  in  the  presence  of 
the  white  cat,  and  a  thousand  cunning  tricks  were 
played.  Nor  were  the  birds  in  safety ;  for  the 
monkey  made  nothing  of  climbing  up  the  trees, 
with  the  white  cat  on  his  back,  to  the  nests  of  the 
young  eagles.  When  the  chase  was  over,  the 
whole  retinue  returned  to  the  palace  ;  the  white 
cat  immediately  exchanged  her  dragoon's  cap  for 
the  veil,  and  sat  down  to  supper  with  the  prince, 


who,  being  very  hungry,  ate  heartily,  and  after- 
wards partook  with  her  of  the  most  delicious 
wines.  He  then  was  conducted  to  his  chamber  as 
before,  and  wakened  in  the  morning  to  renew  the 
same  sort  of  life,  which  day  after  day  became  so 
pleasant  to  him  that  he  no  longer  thought  of  any- 
thing but  of  pleasing  the  sweet  little  creature  who 
received  him  so  courteously :  accordingly,  every 
day  was  spent  in  new  amusements.  The  prince 
had  almost  forgotten  his  country  and  relations, 
and  sometimes  even  regretted  that  he  was  not  a 
cat,  so  great  was  his  affection  for  his  mewing  com- 
panions. 

"  Alas  !  "  said  he  to  the  white  cat,  "how  will  it 
afflict  me  to  leave  you,  whom  I  love  so  much  ! 
Either  make  yourself  a  lady,  or  make  me  a  cat." 
She  smiled  at  the  prince's  wish,  but  offered  no 
reply. 

At  length  the  twelvemonth  was  nearly  expired  : 
the  white  cat,  who  knew  the  very  day  when  the 
prince  was  to  reach  his  father's  palace,  reminded 
him  that  he  had  but  three  days  longer  to  look  for 
a  perfect  little  dog.  The  prince,  astonished  at 
his  own  forgetfulness,  began  to  afflict  himself ; 
when  the  cat  told  him  not  to  be  so  sorrowful,  since 
she  would  not  only  provide  him  with  a  little  dog, 
but  also  with  a  wooden  horse,  which  should  con- 
vey him  safely  home  in  less  than  twelve  hours. 

"Look  here,"  said  she,  showing  him  an  acorn; 
"  this  contains  what  you  desire." 

The  prince  put  the  acorn  to  his  ear,  and  heard 
the  barking  of  a  little  dog.  Transported  with 
joy,  he  thanked  the  cat  a  thousand  times  ;  and 
the  next  day,  bidding  her  tenderly  adieu,  he  set 
out  on  his  return. 

The  prince  arrived  first  at  the  place  of  rendez- 
vous, and  was  soon  joined  by  his  brothers  :  they 
mutually  embraced,  and  began  to  give  an  account 
of  their  success  ;  when  the  youngest  showed  them 
only  a  little  mongrel  cur,  telling  them  that  lie 
thought  it  could  not  fail  to  please  the  king,  from 
its  extraordinary  beaut}'.  The  brothers  trod  on 
each  other's  toes  under  the  table,  as  much  as  to 
say,  "  We  have  little  to  fear  from  this  sorry-look- 
ing animal."     The  next  day  they  went  together 


52 


THE  BOOK   OF   WONDERS. 


to  the  palace.  The  dogs  of  the  two  elder  brothers 
were  lying  on  cushions,  and  so  curiously  wrapped 
around  with  embroidered  quilts  that  one  would 
scarcely  venture  to  touch  them.  The  youngest 
produced  his  cur,  and  all  wondered  how  the 
prince  could  hope  to  receive  a  crown  for  such  a 
shabby  present.  The  king  examined  the  two 
little  dogs  of  the  elder  princes,  and  declared  he 
thought  them  so  equally  beautiful  that  he  knew 
not  to  which,  with  justice,  he  could  give  the  pref- 
erence. They  accordingly  began  to  dispute;  when 
the  youngest  prince,  taking  his  acorn  from  his 
pocket,  soon  ended  their  contention  ;  for  a  little 
dog  appeared,  which  could  with  ease  go  through 
the  smallest  ring,  and  was,  besides,  a  miracle  of 
beaut}'. 

The  king  could  not  possibly  hesitate  in  declar- 
ing his  satisfaction  ;  yet,  as  he  was  not  more  in- 
clined than  the  year  before  to  part  with  bis  crown, 
he  told  his  sons  that  he  was  extremely  obliged  to 
them  for  the  pains  tliey  had  taken  :  and  since  they 
had  succeeded  so  well,  he  wished  they  would  make 
a  second  attempt ;  he  therefore  begged  they  would 
take  another  year  in  order  to  procure  a  piece  of 
cambric,  fine  enough  to  be  drawn  through  the  eye 
of  a  small  needle. 

The  three  princes  thought  this  very  hard  ;  yet 
they  set  out,,  in  obedience  to  the  king's  command. 
The  two  eldest  took  different  roads,  and  the 
youngest  remounted  his  wooden  horse,  and  in  a 
short  time  arrived  at  the  palace  of  his  beloved 
white  cat,  who  received  him  with  the  greatest 
joy,  while  the  trunkless  hands  helped  him  to  dis- 
mount, and  provided  him  with  immediate  refresh- 
ment. Afterwards  the  prince  gave  the  white  cat 
an  account  of  the  admiration  which  had  been  be- 
stowed on  the  beautiful  little  dog,  and  informed 
her  of  the  further  injunction  of  his  father. 

"  Make  yourself  perfectly  easy,  dear  prince," 
said  she  ;  "  I  have  in  my  palace  some  cats  who  are 
perfect  adepts  in  making  such  cambric  as  the  king 
requires  ;  so  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  give 
me  the  pleasure  of  your  company  while  it  is  mak- 
ing, and  I  will  procure  you  all  the  amusement  pos- 
sible." 


She  accordingly  ordered  the  most  curious  fire- 
works to  be  played  off  in  sight  of  the  window  of 
the  apartment  in  which  they  were  sitting ;  and 
nothing  but  festivity  and  rejoicing  was  heard 
throughout  the  palace  for  the  prince's  return.  As 
the  white  cat  frequently  gave  proofs  of  an  excellent 
understanding,  the  prince  was  by  no  means  tired 
of  her  company ;  she  talked  with  him  of  state 
affairs,  of  theatres,  of  fashions :  in  sbort,  she  was 
at  a  loss  on  no  subject  whatever ;  so  that  when 
the  prince  was  alone,  he  had  plenty  of  amuse- 
ment in  thinking  how  it  could  possibly  be,  that 
a  small  white  cat  could  be  endowed  with  all  the 
attractions  of  the  very  best  and  most  charming  of 
women. 

The  twelvemonth  in  this  manner  again  passed 
insensibly  away  ;  but  the  cat  took  care  to  remind 
the  prince  of  his  duty  in  proper  time.  "  For  once, 
my  prince,"  said  she,  "  I  will  have  the  pleasure  of 
equipping  you  as  suits  your  high  rank."  And, 
looking  into  the  courtyard,  he  saw  a  superb  car, 
ornamented  all  over  with  gold,  silver,  pearls,  and 
diamonds,  drawn  by  twelve  horses  as  white  as 
snow,  and  harnessed  in  the  most  sumptuous  trap- 
pings ;  and  behind  the  car  a  thousand  guards, 
richly  appareled,  were  waiting  to  attend  on  the 
prince's  person.  She  then  presented  him  with  a 
nut :  "  You  will  find  in  it,"  said  she,  "  the  piece 
of  cambric  I  promised  you :  do  not  break  the  shell 
till  you  are  in  the  presence  of  the  king  your  fa- 
ther." Then,  to  prevent  the  acknowledgments 
which  the  prince  was  about  to  offer,  she  hastily 
bade  him  adieu. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  speed  with  which  the 
snow-white  horses  conveyed  this  fortunate  prince 
to  his  father's  palace,  where  his  brothers  had  just 
arrived  before  him.  They  embraced  each  other, 
and  demanded  an  immediate  audience  of  the  king, 
who  received  them  with  the  greatest  kindness. 
The  princes  hastened  to  place  at  the  feet  of  his 
majesty  the  curious  present  he  had  required  them 
to  procure.  The  eldest  produced  a  piece  of  cam- 
bric so  extremely  fine,  that  his  friends  had  no 
doubt  of  its  passing  through  the  eye  of  the  needle, 
which  was  now  delivered  to  the  king,  having  been 


. 


THE    WHITE    CAT. 


53 


kept  locked  up  in  the  custody  of  his  majesty's 
treasurer  all  the  time.  But  when  the  king  tried 
to  draw  the  cambric  through  the  eye  of  the  needle 
it  would  not  pass,  though  it  failed  but  very  little. 
Then  came  the  second  prince,  who  made  as  sure 
of  obtaining  the  crown  as  his  brother  had  done, 
but,  alas !  with  no  better  success;  for  though  his 
piece  of  cambric  was  exquisitely  fine,  yet  it  could 
not  be  drawn  through  the  eye  of  the  needle.  It 
was  now  the  turn  of  the  youngest  prince,  who  ac- 
cordingly advanced,  and  opening  an  elegant  little 
box  inlaid  with  jewels,  took  out  a  walnut  and 
cracked  the  shell,  imagining  he  should  immedi- 
ately perceive  his  piece  of  cambric  ;  but  what  was 
his  astonishment  to  see  nothing  but  a  filbert !  He 
did  not,  however,  lose  his  hopes ;  he  cracked  the 
filbert,  and  it  presented  him  with  a  cherry-stone. 
The  lords  of  the  court,  who  had  assembled  to  wit- 
ness this  extraordinary  trial,  could  not,  any  more 
than  the  princes  his  brothers,  refrain  from  laugh- 
ing, to  think  he  should  be  so  silly  as  to  claim  the 
crown  on  no  better  pretensions.  The  prince,  how- 
ever, cracked  the  cherry-stone,  which  was  filled 
with  a  kernel;  he  divided  it  and  found  in  the  mid- 
dle a  grain  of  wheat,  and  in  that  a  grain  of  millet- 
seed.  He  was  now  absolutely  confounded,  and 
could  not  help  muttering  between  his  teeth,  "  O 
white  cat,  white  cat,  thou  hast  deceived  me  !  "  At 
this  instant  he  felt  his  hand  scratched  by  the  claw 
of  a  cat ;  upon  which  he  again  took  courage,  and 
opening  the  grain  of  millet-seed,  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  all  present,  he  drew  forth  a  piece  of  cam- 
bric four  hundred  yards  long,  and  fine  enough  to 
be  threaded  with  perfect  ease  through  the  eye  of 
the  needle. 

When  the  king  found  he  had  no  pretext  left 
for  refusing  the  crown  to  his  youngest  son,  he 
sighed  deeply,  and  it  was  easy  to  be  seen  that  he 
was  sorry  for  the  prince's  success. 

"  My  sons,"  said  he,  "  it  is  so  gratifying  to  the 
heart  of  a  father  to  receive  proofs  of  his  children's 
love  and  obedience,  that  I  cannot  refuse  myself 
the  satisfaction  of  requiring  of  you  one  thing  more. 
You  must  undertake  another  expedition.  That 
one  of  you  who,  by  the  end  of  a  year,  brings  me 


the  most  beautiful  lady,  shall  marry  her  and  ob- 
tain my  crown." 

So  they  again  took  leave  of  the  king  and  of 
each  other,  and  set  out  without  delay  ;  and  in  less 
than  twelve  hours  our  young  prince  arrived,  in 
his  splendid  car,  at  the  palace  of  his  dear  white 
cat.  Everything  went  on  as  before  till  the  end  of 
another  year.  At  length  only  one  day  remained 
of  the  year,  when  the  white  cat  thus  addressed 
him  :  "  To-morrow,  m}^  prince,  you  must  present 
yourself  at  the  palace  of  your  father,  and  give 
hiin  a  proof  of  your  obedience.  It  depends  only 
on  yourself  to  conduct  thither  the  most  beautiful 
princess  ever  yet  beheld,  for  the  time  is  come 
when  the  enchantment  by  which  I  am  bound  may 
be  ended.  You  must  cut  off  my  head  and  tail," 
continued  she,  "  and  throw  them  into  the  fire." 

"  I !  "  said  the  prince  hastily,  —  "I  cut  off  your 
head  and  tail !  You  surely  mean  to  try  my  af- 
fection, which,  believe  me,  beautiful  cat,  is  truly 
yours." 

"  You  mistake  me,  generous  prince,"  said  she ; 
"  I  do  not  doubt  your  regard ;  but  if  you  wish  to 
see  me  in  any  other  form  than  that  of  a  cat,  you 
must  consent  to  do  as  I  desire,  then  you  will  have 
done  me  a  service  I  shall  never  be  able  sufficiently 
to  repay." 

The  prince's  eyes  filled  with  tears  as  she  spoke, 
yet  he  considered  himself  obliged  to  undertake 
the  dreadful  task  ;  and,  the  cat  continuing  to  press 
him  with  the  greatest  eagerness,  with  a  trembling 
hand  he  drew  his  sword,  cut  off  her  head  and  tail, 
and  threw  them  into  the  fire.  No  sooner  was  this 
done  than  the  most  beautiful  lady  his  eyes  had 
ever  seen  stood  before  him  :  and  ere  he  had  suffi- 
ciently recovered  from  his  surprise  to  speak  to 
her,  a  long  train  of  attendants,  who,  at  the  same 
moment  as  their  mistress,  were  changed  to  their 
natural  shapes,  came  to  offer  their  congratulations 
to  the  queen,  and  inquire  her  commands.  She 
received  them  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and  or- 
dering them  to  withdraw,  thus  addressed  the  as- 
tonished  prince:  — 

"  Do  not  imagine,  dear  prince,  that  I  have  al- 
ways been   a  cat,  or  that  I  am  of  obscure  birth. 


54 


THE  BOOK   OF   WONDERS. 


My  father  was  the  monarch  of  six  kingdoms ;  he 
tenderly  loved  my  mother,  and  left  her  always  at 
liberty  to  follow  her  own  inclinations.  Her  pre- 
vailing passion  was  to  travel ;  and  a  short  time 
before  my  birth,  having  heard  of  some  fairies  who 
were  in  possession  of  the  largest  gardens  filled 
with  the  most  delicious  fruits,  she  had  so  strong 
a  desire  to  eat  some  of  them,  that  she  set  out  for 
the  country  where  they  lived.  She  arrived  at 
their  abode,  which  she  found  to  be  a  magnificent 
palace,  on  all  sides  glittering  with  gold  and  pre- 
cious stones.  She  knocked  a  long  time  at  the 
gates ;  but  no  one  came,  nor  could  she  perceive  the 
least  sign  that  it  had  any  inhabitant.  The  diffi- 
culty, however,  did  but  increase  the  violence  of 
my  mother's  longing  ;  for  she  saw  the  tops  of  the 
trees  above  the  garden  walls,  loaded  with  the  most 
luscious  fruits.  The  queen,  in  despair,  ordered  her 
attendants  to  place  tents  close  to  the  door  of  the 
palace ;  but,  having  waited  six  weeks  without 
seeing  any  one  pass  the  gates,  she  fell  sick  of  vex- 
ation, and  her  life  was  despaired  of. 

"  One  night,  as  she  lay  half  asleep,  she  turned 
herself  about,  and,  opening  her  eyes,  perceived  a 
little  old  woman,  very  ugly  and  deformed,  seated 
in  the  easy-chair  by  her  bedside.  '  I  and  my  sister 
fairies,'  said  she,  '  take  it  very  ill  that  your  maj- 
esty should  so  obstinately  persist  in  getting  some 
of  our  fruit ;  but  since  so  precious  a  life  is  at 
stake,  we  consent  to  give  you  as  much  as  you  can 
carry  away,  provided  you  will  give  us  in  return 
what  we  shall  ask.'  '  Ah  !  kind  fairy,'  cried  the 
queen,  '  I  will  give  you  anything  that  I  possess, 
even  my  very  kingdoms,  on  condition  that  I  eat  of 
your  fruit."  The  old  fairy  then  informed  the 
queen  that  what  they  required  was,  that  she  should 
give  them  the  child  she  was  going  to  have,  as  soon 
as  it  should  be  born  ;  adding  that  every  possible 
care  should  be  taken  of  it,  and  that  it  should  be- 
come the  most  accomplished  princess.  The  queen 
replied  that,  however  cruel  the  conditions,  she 
must  accept  them,  since  nothing  but  the  fruit 
oould  save  her  life.  In  short,  dear  prince,"  con- 
tinued the  lady,  "  my  mother  instantly  got  out  of 
bed,  was  dressed   by  her  attendants,  entered  the 


palace,  and  satisfied  her  longing.     Having  eaten 
her  fill,  she  ordered   four  thousand  mules  to  be 
procured  and  loaded  with  the  fruit,  which  had  the 
virtue  of  continuing  all  the  year  round  in  a  state 
of  perfection.     Thus  provided,  she  returned  to  the 
king  my   father,  who,  with   the   whole  court,  re- 
ceived her  with  rejoicings,  as  it  was  before  imag- 
ined she  would  die  of  disappointment.     All  this 
time  the  queen  said  nothing  to  my  father  of  the 
promise  she  had  made  to  give  her  daughter  to  the 
fairies  ;  so  that  when  the  time  was  come  that  she 
expected   my    birth,  she  grew  very  melancholy  ; 
till  at  length,  being  pressed  by  the  king,  she  de- 
clared to  him  the  truth.    Nothing  could  exceed  his 
affliction  when  he  heard  that  his  only  child,  when 
born,  was  to  be  given  to  the  fairies.     He  bore  it, 
however,  as  well  as  he  could,  for  fear  of  adding  to 
my  mother's  grief ;   and  also  believing  he  should 
find  some  means  of  keeping  me  in  a  place  of  safety, 
which  the  fairies  would  not  be  able   to   approach. 
As  soon,  therefore,  as  I  was  born,  he  had  me  con- 
veyed to  a  tower  in  the  palace,  to  which  there  were 
twenty  flights  of  stairs,  and  a  door  to  each,  of  which 
my  father  kept  the  key,  so  that  none  came  near 
me  without  his  consent.     When  the  fairies  heard 
of  what  had  been  done,  they  sent  first  to  demand 
me  ;  and  on   my  father's  refusal,  they  let  loose  a 
monstrous  dragon,  which   devoured  men,  women, 
and  children,  and  which,  by  the  breath  of  its  nos- 
trils, destroyed  everything  it  came  near,  so  that 
even  the  trees  and  plants  began  to  die.     The  grief 
of  the  king  was  excessive  ;  and,  finding  that  his 
whole  kingdom  would  in  a  short  time  be  reduced 
to   famine,  he    consented  to   give    me  into    their 
hands.      I  was  accordingly  laid  in  a  cradle  of  moth- 
er-of-pearl, ornamented  with  gold  and  jewels,  and 
carried  to  their  palace,  when  the  dragon  immedi- 
ately   disappeared.     The   fairies  placed   me  in  a 
tower,  elegantly  furnished,  but  to  which  there  was 
no  door,  so  that  whoever  approached  was  obliged 
to    come  by   the   windows,   which  were   of  great 
height   from    the    ground  :    from   these  I  had  the 
liberty  of  getting  out  into  a  delightful  garden,  in 
which  were  baths,  and  every  sort  of  cooling  fruit 
In   this  place  was  I  educated  by  the  fairies,  who 


THE    WHITE   GAT. 


55 


behaved  to  me  with  the  greatest  kindness ;  my 
clothes  were  splendid,  and  I  was  instructed  in 
every  kind  of  accomplishment ;  in  short,  prince, 
if  I  had  never  seen  any  one  but  them  I  should  have 
remained  very  happy.  One  day,  however,  as  I 
was  talking  at  the  window  with  my  parrot,  I  per- 
ceived a  young  gentleman  who  was  listening  to 
our  conversation.  As  I  had  never  seen  a  man 
save  in  pictures,  I  was  not  sorry  for  the  opportu- 
nity of  gratifying  my  curiosity.  I  thought  him  a 
very  pleasing  object,  and  he  at  length  bowed  in 
the  most  respectful  manner,  without  daring  to 
speak,  for  he  knew  that  I  was  in  the  palace  of  the 
fairies.  When  it  began  to  grow  dark  he  went 
away,  and  I  vainly  endeavored  to  see  which  road 
he  took.  The  next  morning,  as  soon  as  it  was 
light,  I  again  placed  myself  at  the  window,  and 
bad  the  pleasure  of  seeing  that  the  gentleman  had 
returned  to  the  same  place.  He  now  spoke  to  me 
through  a  speaking-trumpet,  and  declared  that  he 
thought  me  a  most  charming  lady,  and  that  he 
should  be  very  unhappy  if  he  did  not  pass  his  life 
in  my  company. 

"I  resolved  to  find  some  way  of  escaping  from 
my  tower,  and  was  not  long  in  devising  the  means 
for  the  execution  of  my  project:  I  begged  the 
fairies  to  bring  me  a  netting-needle,  a  mesh,  and 
some  cord,  saying  I  wished  to  make  some  nets  to 
amuse  myself  with  catching  birds  at  my  window. 
This  they  readily  complied  with,  and  in  a  short 
time  I  completed  a  ladder  long  enough  to  reach 
to  the  ground.  I  now  sent  my  parrot  to  the 
prince,  to  beg  he  would  come  to  the  usual  place, 
as  I  wished  to  speak  with  him.  He  did  not  fail  ; 
and  finding  the  ladder,  mounted  it,  and  quickly 
entered  my  tower.  This  at  first  alarmed  me,  but 
the  charms  of  his  conversation  had  restored  me  to 
tranquillity,  when  all  at  once  the  window  opened, 
and  the  Fairy  Violent,  mounted  on  the  dragon's 
back,  rushed  into  the  tower.  My  beloved  prince 
thought  of  nothing  but  how  to  defend  me  from 
her  fury  ;  for  I  had  had  time  to  relate  to  him  my 
story,  previous  to  this  cruel  interruption  ;  but  her 
attendants  overpowered  him,  and  the  Fairy  Vio- 
lent had  the  barbarity  to  command  the  dragon  to 


devour  my  lover  before  nry  eyes.  In  my  despair 
I  would  have  thrown  myself  also  into  the  mouth 
of  the  horrible  monster  ;  but  this  they  took  care, 
to  prevent,  saying  my  life  should  be  preserved 
for  greater  punishment.  The  fairy  then  touched 
me  with  her  wand,  and  I  instantly  became  a  white 
cat.  She  next  conducted  me  to  this  palace,  which 
belonged  to  my  father,  and  gave  me  a  train  of  cats 
for  my  attendants,  together  with  the  twelve  hands 
that  waited  on  your  highness.  She  then  informed 
me  of  my  birth  and  the  death  of  my  parents,  and 
pronounced  upon  me  what  she  imagined  the  great- 
est of  maledictions  :  that  I  should  not  be  restored 
to  my  natural  figure  until  a  young  prince,  the  per- 
fect resemblance  of  him  I  had  lost,  should  cut  off 
my  head  and  tail.  You  are  that  perfect  resem- 
blance ;  and  accordingly  you  ended  the  enchant- 
ment. I  need  not  add  that  I  already  love  you 
more  than  my  life  ;  let  us  therefore  hasten  to  the 
palace  of  the  king  your  father,  and  obtain  his  ap- 
probation to  our  marriage." 

The  prince  and  princess  accordingly  set  out  side 
by  side,  in  a  car  of  still  greater  splendor  than  be- 
fore, and  reached  the  palace  just  as  the  two 
brothers  had  arrived  with  two  beautiful  prin- 
cesses. The  king,  hearing  that  each  of  his  sons 
had  succeeded  in  finding  what  he  had  required, 
again  began  to  think  of  some  new  expedient  to 
delay  the  time  of  resigning  the  crown  ;  but  when 
the  whole  court  were  with  the  king  assembled 
to  pass  judgment,  the  princess  who  accompanied 
the  youngest,  perceiving  his  thoughts  by  his  coun- 
tenance, stepped  majestically  forward  and  thus  ad- 
dressed him :  — 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  your  majesty,  who  is  so  ca- 
pable of  governing,  should  think  of  resigning  the 
crown  !  I  am  fortunate  enough  to  have  six  king- 
doms in  my  possession  ;  permit  me  to  bestow  one 
on  each  of  the  eldest  princes,  and  to  enjoy  the  re- 
maining four  in  the  society  of  the  youngest.  And 
may  it  please  your  majesty  to  keep  }'our  own 
kingdom,  and  make  no  decision  concerning  the 
beauty  of  three  princesses,  who,  without  such  a 
proof  of  your  majesty's  preference,  will  no  doubt 
live  happily  together  !  " 


56 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


The  air  resounded  with  the  applauses  of  the  as- 
sembly :  the  young  prince  and  princess  embraced 
the  king,  and    next   their   brothers    and    sisters : 


the  three  weddings  immediately  took  place,  and 
the  kingdoms  were  divided  as  the  princess  had  pro- 
posed. 


PRINCE   CHERRY. 


Long  ago  there  lived  a  monarch,  who  was  such 
a  very  honest  man  that  his  subjects  entitled  him 
the  Good  King.  One  day,  when  he  was  out  hunt- 
ing, a  little  white  rabbit,  which  had  been  half 
killed  by  his  hounds,  leaped  right  into  his  maj- 
esty's arms.  Said  he,  caressing  it :  "  This  poor 
creature  has  put  itself  under  my  protection,  and  I 
will  allow  no  one  to  injure  it."  So  he  carried  it 
to  his  palace,  had  prepared  for  it  a  neat  little  rab- 
bit-hutch, with  abundance  of  the  daintiest  food, 
such  as  rabbits  love,  and  there  he  left  it. 

The  same  night,  when  he  was  alone  in  his 
chamber,  there  appeared  to  him  a  beautiful  lady. 
She  was  dressed  neither  in  gold,  nor  silver,  nor 
brocade ;  but  her  flowing  robes  were  white  as 
snow,  and  she  wore  a  garland  of  white  roses  on 
her  head.  The  Good  King  was  greatly  astonished 
at  the  sight ;  for  his  door  was  locked,  and  he  won- 
dered how  so  dazzling  a  lady  could  possibly  enter , 
but  she  soon  removed  his  doubts. 

"  I  am  the  Fairy  Candide,"  said  she,  with  a 
smiling  and  gracious  air.  "  Passing  through  the 
wood,  where  you  were  hunting,  I  took  a  desire  to 
know  if  you  were  as  good  as  men  say  you  are.  I 
therefore  changed  myself  into  a  white  rabbit,  and 
took  refuge  in  your  arms.  You  saved  me  ;  and 
now  I  know  that  those  who  are  merciful  to  dumb 
beasts  will  be  ten  times  more  so  to  human  beings. 
You  merit  the  name  your  subjects  give  you :  you 
are  the  Good  King.  I  thank  you  for  your  protec- 
tion, and  shall  be  always  one  of  your  best  friends. 
You  have  but  to  say  what  you  most  desire,  and 
I  promise  you  your  wish  shall  be  granted." 

"  Madam,"  replied  the  king,  "  if  you  are  a 
fairy,  you  must  know,  without  my  telling  you, 
the  wish  of  my  heart.  I  have  one  well-beloved 
son,  Prince  Cherry :  whatever  kindly  feeling  you 
have  towards  me,  extend  it  to  him." 


"  Willingly,"  said  Candide.  "  I  will  make  him 
the  handsomest,  richest,  or  most  powerful  prince  in 
the  world  :  choose  whichever  you  desire  for  him." 

"  None  of  the  three,"  returned  the  father.  "  I 
only  wish  him  to  be  good  —  the  best  prince  in  the 
whole  world.  Of  what  use  would  riches,  power, 
or  beauty  be  to  him  if  he  were  a  bad  man  ?  " 

"  You  are  right,"  said  the  fairy  ;  "but  I  cannot 
make  him  good  :  he  must  do  that  himself.  I  can 
only  change  his  external  fortunes ;  for  his  per- 
sonal character,  the  utmost  I  can  promise  is  to 
give  him  good  counsel,  reprove  him  for  his  faults, 
and  even  punish  him  if  he  will  not  punish  him- 
self. You  mortals  can  but  do  the  same  with  your 
children." 

"  Ah,  yes !  "  said  the  king,  sighing.  Still,  he 
felt  that  the  kindness  of  a  fairy  was  something 
gained  for  his  son,  and  died,  not  long  after,  con- 
tent and  at  peace. 

Prince  Cherry  mourned  deeply,  for  he  dearly 
loved  his  father,  and  would  have  gladly  given  all 
his  kingdoms  and  treasures  to  keep  him  in  life  a 
little  longer.  Two  days  after  the  Good  King  was 
no  more,  Prince  Cherry  was  sleeping  in  his  cham- 
ber, when  he  saw  the  same  dazzling  vision  of  the 
Fairy  Candide. 

"  I  promised  your  father,"  said  she,  "  to  be 
your  best  friend,  and  in  pledge  of  this  take  what 
I  now  give  you ;  "  and  she  placed  a  small  gold 
ring  upon  his  finger.  "  Poor  as  it  looks,  it  is 
more  precious  than  diamonds  ;  for  whenever  you 
do  ill  it  will  prick  your  finger.  If,  after  that 
warning,  you  still  continue  in  evil,  you  will  lose 
my  friendship,  and  I  shall  become  your  direst 
enemy." 

So  saying,  she  disappeared,  leaving  Cherry  in 
such  amazement,  that  he  would  have  believed  it 
all  a  dream,  save  for  the  ring  on  his  finger. 


PRINCE    CHERRY. 


57 


He  was  for  a  long  time  so  good  that  the  ring 
never  pricked  him  at  all ;  and  this  made  him  so 
cheerful  and  pleasant  in  his  humor  that  everybody 
called  him  "  Happy  Prince  Cherry." 

But  one  unlucky  day  he  was  out  hunting  and 
found  no  sport,  which  vexed  him  so  much  that  he 
showed  his  ill  temper  by  his  looks  and  ways.  He 
fancied  his  ring  felt  very  tight  and  uncomfortable, 
but  as  it  did  not  prick  him  he  took  no  heed  of 
this  :  until,  reentering  his  palace,  his  little  pet 
dog,  Bibi,  jumped  up  upon  him,  and  was  sharply 
told  to  get  away.  The  creature,  accustomed  to 
nothing  but  caresses,  tried  to  attract  his  attention 
by  pulling  at  his  garments,  when  Prince  Cherry 
turned  and  gave  it  a  severe  kick.  At  this  mo- 
ment he  felt  in  his  finger  a  prick  like  a  pin. 

"  What  nonsense  !  "  said  he  to  himself.  "  The 
fairy  must  be  making  game  of  me.  Why,  what 
great  evil  have  I  done !  I,  the  master  of  a  great 
empire,  cannot  I  kick  my  own  dog?  " 

A  voice  replied,  or  else  Prince  Cherry  imagined 
it,  "  No,  sire  ;  the  master  of  a  great  empire  has  a 
right  to  do  good,  but  not  evil.  I  —  a  fairy  —  am 
as  much  above  you  as  you  are  above  your  dog.  I 
might  punish  you,  kill  you,  if  I  chose  ;  but  I  pre- 
fer leaving  you  to  amend  your  ways.  You  have 
been  guilty  of  three  faults  to-day — bad  temper, 
passion,  cruelty  :  do  better  to-morrow." 

The  prince  promised  and  kept  his  word  a  while  ; 
but  he  had  been  brought  up  by  a  foolish  nurse, 
who  indulged  him  in  every  way,  and  was  always 
telling  him  that  he  would  be  a  king  one  day, 
when  he  might  do  as  he  liked  in  all  things.  He 
found  out  now  that  even  a  king  cannot  always  do 
that ;  it  vexed  him,  and  made  him  angry.  His 
ring  began  to  prick  him  so  often  that  his  little 
finger  was  continually  bleeding.  He  disliked 
this,  as  was  natural,  and  soon  began  to  consider 
whether  it  would  not  be  easier  to  throw  the  ring 
away  altogether  than  to  be  constantly  annoyed  by 
it.  It  was  such  a  queer  thing  for  a  king  to  have 
ajways  a  spot  of  blood  on  his  finger  !  At  last,  un- 
able to  put  up  with  it  an}r  more,  he  took  his  ring 
off  and  hid  it  where  he  would  never  see  it  ;  and 
believed  himself  the  happiest  of  men,  for  he  could 


now  do  exactly  what  he  liked.     He  did  it  and  be- 
came every  day  more  and  more  miserable. 

One  day  he  saw  a  young  girl,  so  beautiful  that, 
being  always  accustomed  to  have  his  own  way,  he 
immediately  determined  to  espouse  her.  He  never- 
doubted  that  she  would  be  only  too  glad  to  be 
made  a  queen,  for  she  was  very  poor.  But  Zelia 
—  that  was  her  name  —  answered,  to  his  great 
astonishment,  that  she  would  rather  not  marry 
him. 

"  Do  I  displease  you  ?  "  asked  the  prince,  into 
whose  mind  it  had  never  entered  that  he  could 
displease  anybod}r. 

"  Not  at  all,  my  prince,"  said  the  honest  peas- 
ant maiden.  "  You  are  very  handsome,  very 
charming  ;  but  you  are  not  like  your  father,  the 
Good  King.  I  will  not  be  your  queen,  for  you 
would  make  me  miserable." 

At  these  words  the  prince's  love  seemed  to 
turn  to  hatred  :  he  gave  orders  to  his  guards  to 
convey  Zelia  to  a  prison  near  the  palace ;  and 
then  took  counsel  with  his  foster-brother,  the  one 
of  all  his  ill  companions  who  most  incited  him  ta 
do  wrong. 

"Sire,"  said  this  man,  "if  I  were  in  your  majes- 
ty's place,  I  would  never  vex  myself  about  a  poor 
silly  girl.  Feed  her  on  bread  and  water  till  she 
comes  to  her  senses  ;  and  if  she  still  refuses  you,. 
let  her  die  in  torment,  as  a  warning  to  your  other 
subjects  should  they  venture  to  dispute  your  will. 
You  will  be  disgraced  should  you  suffer  yourself 
to  be  conquered  by  a  simple  girl." 

"  But,"  said  Prince  Cherry,  "  shall  I  not  be 
disgraced  if  I  harm  a  creature  so  perfectly  inno- 
cent ?  " 

"  No  one  is  innocent  who  disputes  your  majes- 
ty's authority,"  said  the  courtier,  bowing;  "and 
it  is  better  to  commit  an  injustice  than  allow  it  to 
be  supposed  you  can  ever  be  contradicted  with 
impunity." 

This  touched  Cherry  on  his  weak  point  —  hk 
good  impulses  faded  :  he  resolved  once  more  to 
ask  Zelia  if  she  would  marry  him,  and,  if  she 
again  refused,  to  sell  her  as  a  slave.  Arrived  at 
the  cell  in  which  she  was  confined,  what  was  his 


58 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


astonishment  to  find  her  gone !  He  knew  not 
whom  to  accuse,  for  he  had  kept  the  key  in  his 
pocket  the  whole  time.  At  last,  the  foster-brother 
suggested  that  the  escape  of  Zelia  might  have 
been  contrived  by  an  old  man,  Suliman  by  name, 
the  prince's  former  tutor,  who  was  the  only  one 
who  now  ventured  to  blame  him  for  anything  that 
he  did.  Cherry  sent  immediately,  and  ordered 
his  old  friend  to  be  brought  to  him,  loaded  heav- 
ily with  irons.  Then,  full  of  fury,  he  went  and 
shut  himself  up  in  his  own  chamber,  where  he 
went  raging  to  and  fro,  till  startled  by  a  noise 
like  a  clap  of  thunder.  The  Fairy  Candide  stood 
before  him. 

"Prince,"  said  she,  in  a  severe  voice,  "  I  prom- 
ised your  father  to  give  you  good  counsels,  and  to 
punish  you  if  you  refused  to  follow  them.  My 
counsels  were  forgotten,  my  punishments  despised. 
Under  the  figure  of  a  man  you  have  been  no  bet- 
ter than  the  beasts  you  chase  :  like  a  lion  in  fury, 
a  wolf  in  gluttony,  a  serpent  in  revenge,  and  a 
bull  in  brutality.  Take,  therefore,  in  your  new 
form  the  likeness  of  all  these  animals." 

Scarcely  had  Prince  Cherry  heard  these  words 
than  to  his  horror  he  found  himself  transformed 
into  what  the  fairy  had  named.  He  was  a  creat- 
ure with  the  head  of  a  lion,  the  horns  of  a  bull, 
the  feet  of  a  wolf,  the  tail  of  a  serpent.  At  the 
same  time  he  felt  himself  transported  to  a  distant 
forest,  where,  standing  on  the  bank  of  a  stream, 
he  saw  reflected  in  the  water  his  own  frightful 
shape,  and  heard  a  voice  saying :  — 

"  Look  at  thyself,  and  know  thy  soul  has  be- 
come a  thousand  times  uglier  even  than  thy  body." 

Cherry  recognized  the  voice  of  Candide,  and  in 
his  rage  would  have  sprung  upon  her  and  de- 
voured her ;  but  he  saw  nothing,  and  the  same 
voice  said  behind  him  :  — 

"  Cease  thy  feeble  fury,  and  learn  to  conquer 
thy  pride  by  being  in  submission  to  thine  own 
subjects." 

Hearing  no  more  he  soon  quitted  the  stream, 
hoping,  at  least,  to  get  rid  of  the  sight  of  himself ; 
but  he  had  scarcely  gone  twenty  paces  when  he 
tumbled   into    a    pitfall   that    was    laid   to   catch 


bears ;  the  bear-hunters,  descending  from  some 
trees  hard  by,  caught  him,  chained  him,  and,  only 
too  delighted  to  get  hold  of  such  a  curious-looking 
animal,  led  him  along  with  them  to  the  capital  of 
his  own  kingdom. 

There  great  rejoicings  were  taking  place,  and 
the  bear-hunters,  asking  what  it  was  all  about, 
were  told  that  it  was  because  Prince  Cherry,  the 
torment  of  his  subjects,  had  been  struck  dead  by  a 
thunderbolt  —  just  punishment  of  all  his  crimes. 
Four  courtiers,  his  wicked  companions,  had  wished 
to  divide  his  throne  between  them ;  but  the  peo- 
ple had  risen  up  against  them,  and  offered  the 
crown  to  Suliman,  the  old  tutor  whom  Cherry  had 
ordered  to  be  arrested. 

All  this  the  poor  monster  heard.  He  even  saw 
Suliman  sitting  upon  his  own  throne,  and  tiying 
to  calm  the  populace  by  representing  to  them 
that  it  was  not  certain  Prince  Cherry  was  dead; 
that  he  might  return  one  day  to  reassume  with 
honor  the  crown  which  Suliman  only  consented 
to  wear  as  a  sort  of  viceroy. 

"I  know  his  heart,"  said  the  honest  and  faith- 
ful old  man  ;  "  it  is  tainted  but  not  corrupt.  If 
alive,  he  may  reform  yet,  and  be  his  father  over 
again  to  you,  his  people,  whom  he  has  caused  to 
suffer  so  much." 

These  words  touched  the  poor  beast  so  deeply 
that  he  ceased  to  beat  himself  against  the  iron 
bars  of  the  cage  in  which  the  hunters  carried  him 
about,  became  gentle  as  a  lamb,  and  suffered  him- 
self to  be  taken  quietly  to  a  menagerie,  where 
were  kept  all  sorts  of  strange  and  ferocious  ani- 
mals—  a  place  which  he  had  himself  often  visited 
as  a  boy,  but  never  thought  he  should  be  shut  up 
in. 

However,  he  owned  he  had  deserved  it  all,  and 
began  to  make  amends  by  showing  himself  very 
obedient  to  his  keeper.  This  man  was  almost  as 
great  a  brute  as  the  animals  he  had  charge  of,  and 
when  he  was  in  ill  humor  he  used  to  beat  them 
without  rhyme  or  reason.  One  day,  while  he  was 
sleeping,  a  tiger  broke  loose,  and  leaped  upon 
him,  eager  to  devour  him.  Cherry  at  first  felt  a 
thrill  of   pleasure   at   the   thought   of   being  re- 


PRINCE   CHERRY. 


59 


venged ;  then,  seeing  how  helpless  the  man  was, 
he  wished  himself  free,  that  he  might  defend  him. 
Immediately  the  doors  of  his  cage  opened.  The 
keeper,  waking  up,  saw  the  strange  beast  leap 
out,  and  imagined,  of  course,  that  he  was  going  to 
be  slain  at  once.  Instead,  he  saw  the  tiger  lying 
dead  and  the  strange  beast  creeping  up,  and  lay- 
ing itself  at  his  feet  to  be  caressed.  But  as  he 
lifted  up  his  hand  to  stroke  it,  a  voice  was  heard 
saying,  "Good  actions  never  go  unrewarded;" 
and,  instead  of  the  frightful  monster,  there 
crouched  on  the  ground  nothing  but  a  pretty  little 
dog. 

Cherry,  delighted  to  find  himself  thus  metamor- 
phosed, caressed  the  keeper  in  every  possible  way, 
till  at  last  the  man  took  him  up  into  his  arms  and 
carried  him  to  the  king,  to  whom  he  related  this 
wonderful  story,  from  beginning  to  end.  The 
queen  wished  to  have  the  charming  little  dog :  and 
Cherry  would  have  been  exceedingly  happy,  could 
he  have  forgotten  that  he  was  originally  a  man 
and  a  king.  He  was  lodged  most  elegantly,  had 
the  richest  of  collars  to  adorn  his  neck,  and  heard 
himself  praised  continually.  But  his  beauty  rather 
brought  him  into  trouble,  for  the  queen,  afraid 
lest  he  might  grow  too  large  for  a  pet,  took  advice 
of  dog-doctors,  who  ordered  that  he  should  be 
fed  entirely  upon  bread,  and  that  very  sparingly  ; 
so  poor  Cherry  was  sometimes  nearly  starved. 

One  day,  when  they  gave  him  his  crust  for 
breakfast,  a  fancy  seized  him  to  go  and  eat  it  in 
the  palace-garden  ;  so  he  took  the  bread  in  his 
mouth,  and  trotted  away  towards  a  stream  which 
he  knew,  and  where  he  sometimes  stopped  to 
drink.  But  instead  of  the  stream  he  saw  a  splen- 
did palace,  glittering  with  gold  and  precious  stones. 
Entering  the  doors  was  a  crowd  of  men  and 
women,  magnificently  dressed;  and  within  there 
were  singing  and  dancing,  and  good  cheer  of  all 
sorts.  Yet,  however  grandly  and  gayly  the  people 
went  in,  Cherry  noticed  that  those  who  came  out 
were  pale,  thin,  ragged,  half-naked,  covered  with 
wounds  and  sores.  Some  of  them  dropped  dead 
at  once  ;  others  dragged  themselves  on  a  little 
way  and    then  lay  down,   dying  of  hunger,   and 


vainly  begged  a  morsel  of  bread  from  others  who 
were  entering  in  —  who  never  took  the  least  no- 
tice of  them. 

Cherry  perceived  one  woman,  who  was  trying 
feebly  to  gather  and  eat  some  green  herbs. 
"  Poor  thing ! "  said  he  to  himself,  "  I  know 
what  it  is  to  be  hungry,  and  I  want  my  breakfast 
badly  enough  ;  but  still  it  will  not  kill  me  to  wait 
till  dinner-time,  and  my  crust  may  save  the  life  of 
this  poor  woman." 

So  the  little  dog  ran  up  to  her,  and  dropped  his 
bread  at  her  feet ;  she  picked  it  up,  and  ate  it 
with  avidity.  Soon  she  looked  quite  recovered, 
and  Cherry,  delighted,  was  trotting  back  again  to 
his  kennel,  when  he  heard  loud  cries,  and  saw  a 
young  girl  dragged  by  four  men  to  the  door  of  the 
palace,  which  they  were  trying  to  compel  her  to 
enter.  Oh,  how  he  wished  himself  a  monster 
again,  as  when  he  slew  the  tiger  !  —  for  the 
young  girl  was  no  other  than  his  beloved  Zelia. 
Alas !  what  could  a  poor  little  dog  do  to  defend 
her?  But  he  ran  forward  and  barked  at  the  men, 
and  bit  their  heels,  until  at  last  they  chased  him 
away  with  heavy  blows.  And  then  he  lay  down 
outside  the  palace-door,  determined  to  watch  and 
see  what  had  become  of  Zelia. 

Conscience  pricked  him  now.  "  What  ! '" 
thought  he,  "I  am  furious  against  these  wicked 
men  who  are  carrying  her  away  ;  and  did  I  not  do 
the  same  myself  ?  Did  I  not  cast  her  into  prison, 
and  intend  to  sell  her  as  a  slave  ?  Who  knows 
how  much  more  wickedness  I  might  not  have 
done  to  her  and  others  if  heaven's  justice  had  not 
stopped  me  in  time  ?  " 

While  he  lay  thinking  and  repenting,  he  heard 
a,  window  open,  and  saw  Zelia  throw  out  a  bit  of 
dainty  meat.  Cherry,  who  felt  hungry  enough 
by  this  time,  was  just  about  to  eat  it,  when  the 
woman  to  whom  he  had  given  his  crust  snatched 
him  up  in  her  arms. 

"Poor  little  beast!"  cried  she,  patting  him, 
"  every  bit  of  food  in  that  palace  is  poisoned  :  you 
shall  not  touch  a  morsel." 

And  at  the  same  time  the  voice  in  the  air  re- 
peated   again,    "  Good    actions    never   go    unre- 


60 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


warded  ;"  and  Cherry  found  himself  changed  into 
a  beautiful  little  white  pigeon.  He  remembered 
with  joy  that  white  was  the  color  of  the  Fairy 
Candide,  and  began  to  hope  that  she  was  taking 
him  into  favor  again. 

So  he  stretched  his  wings,  delighted  that  he 
might  now  have  a  chance  of  approaching  his  fair 
Zelia.  He  flew  up  to  the  palace-windows,  and, 
finding  one  of  them  open,  entered  and  sought 
everywhere,  but  he  could  not  find  Zelia.  Then, 
in  despair,  he  flew  out  again,  resolved  to  go  over 
the  world  until  he  beheld  her  once  more. 

He  took  flight  at  once,  and  traversed  many 
countries,  swiftly  as  a  bird  can,  but  found  no  trace 
of  his  beloved.  At  length  in  a  desert,  sitting  be- 
side an  old  hermit  in  his  cave,  and  partaking  with 
him  his  frugal  repast,  Cherry  saw  a  poor  peasant- 
girl,  and  recognized  Zelia.  Transported  with  joy, 
he  flew  in,  perched  on  her  shoulder,  and  expressed 
his  delight  and  affection  by  a  thousand  caresses. 

She,  charmed  with  the  pretty  little  pigeon, 
caressed  it  in  her  turn,  and  promised  it  that,  if  it 
would  stay  with  her,  she  would  love  it  always. 

"  What  have  you  done,  Zelia  ?  "  said  the  hermit, 
smiling ;  and  while  he  spoke  the  white  pigeon 
vanished,  and  there  stood  Prince  Cherry  in  his 
own    natural  form.     "  Your  enchantment    ended, 


prince,  when  Zelia  promised  to  love  you.  Indeed, 
she  has  loved  you  always,  but  your  many  faults 
constrained  her  to  hide  her  love.  These  are  now 
amended,  and  you  may  both  live  happy  if  you 
will,  because  your  union  is  founded  upon  mutual 
esteem." 

Cherry  and  Zelia  threw  themselves  at  the  feet 
of  the  hermit,  whose  form  also  began  to  change. 
His  soiled  garments  became  of  dazzling  whiteness, 
and  his  long  beard  and  withered  face  grew  into 
the  flowing  hair  and  lovely  countenance  of  the 
Fairy  Candide. 

"  Rise  up,  my  children,"  said  she;  "  I  must  now 
transport  you  to  your  palace  and  restore  to  Prince 
Cherry  his  father's  crown,  of  which  he  is  at  length 
worthy." 

She  had  scarcely  ceased  speaking  when  they 
found  themselves  in  the  chamber  of  Suliman, 
who,  delighted  to  find  again  his  beloved  pupil  and 
master,  willingly  resigned  the  throne,  and  became 
the  most  faithful  of  his  subjects. 

King  Chenw  and  Queen  Zelia  reigned  together 
for  man}7  years,  and  it  is  said  that  the  former  was 
so  blameless  and  strict  in  all  his  duties,  that 
though  he  constantly  wore  the  ring  which  Candide 
had  restored  to  him,  it  never  once  pricked  his 
finger  enough  to  make  it  bleed. 


THE    GOLDEN   BIRD. 


A  CERTAIN  king  had  a  beautiful  garden,  and  in 
the  garden  stood  a  tree  which  bore  golden  apples. 
These  apples  were  always  counted,  and  about  the 
time  when  they  began  to  grow  ripe  it  was  found 
that  every  night  one  of  them  was  gone.  The 
king  became  very  angry  at  this,  and  ordei-ed  the 
gardener  to  keep  watch  all  night  under  the  tree. 
The  gardener  set  his  eldest  son  to  watch  ;  but 
about  twelve  o'clock  he  fell  asleep,  and  in  the 
morning  another  of  the  apples  was  missing.  Then 
the  second  son  was  ordered  to  watch  the  tree  ; 
and  at  midnight  he  too  fell  asleep,  and  in  the 
morning  another  apple  was  gone.  Then  the  third 
son  offered  to  keep  watch ;  but  the  gardener  at 


first  would  not  let  him,  for  fear  some  harm  should 
come  to  him :  however,  at  last  he  consented,  and 
the  young  man  laid  himself  under  the  tree  to 
watch.  As  the  clock  struck  twelve  he  heard  a 
rustling  noise  in  the  air,  and  a  bird  came  flying 
that  was  of  pure  gold  ;  and  as  it  was  snapping  at 
one  of  the  apples  with  its  beak  the  gardener's  son 
jumped  up  and  shot  an  arrow  at  it.  But  the 
arrow  did  the  bird  no  harm  ;  only  it  dropped  a 
golden  feather  from  its  tail,  and  then  flew  away. 
The  golden  feather  was  brought  to  the  king  in  the 
morning,  and  all  the  council  was  called  together. 
Every  one  agreed  that  it  was  worth  more  than  all 
the  wealth  of  the  kingdom  :   but  the  king  said, 


THE  GOLDEN  BIRD. 


61 


"  One  feather  is  of  no  use  to  me,  I  must  have  the 
whole  bird." 

Then  the  gardener's  eldest  son  set  out  and 
thought  to  find  the  golden  bird  very  easily  ;  and 
when  he  had  gone  but  a  little  way,  he  came  to  a 
wood,  and  by  the  side  of  the  wood  he  saw  a  fox 
sitting  ;  so  he  took  his  bow  and  made  ready  to 
shoot  at  it.  Then  the  fox  said,  "  Do  not  shoot  me, 
for  I  will  give  you  good  counsel ;  I  know  what 
your  business  is,  and  that  you  want  to  find  the 
golden  bird.  You  will  reach  a  village  in  the  even- 
ing ;  and  when  you  get  there  you  will  see  two 
inns  opposite  to  each  other,  one  of  which  is  very 
pleasant  and  beautiful  to  look  at :  go  not  in  there, 
but  rest  for  the  night  in  the  other,  though  it  may 
ajDpear  to  you  to  be  very  poor  and  mean."  But 
the  son  thought  to  himself,  "  What  can  such  a 
beast  as  this  know  about  the  matter  ? "  So  he 
shot  his  arrow  at  the  fox  ;  but  he  missed  it,  and 
it  set  up  its  tail  above  its  back  and  ran  into  the 
wood.  Then  he  went  his  way,  and  in  the  even- 
ing came  to  the  village  where  the  two  inns  were  ; 
and  in  one  of  these  were  people  singing  and  danc- 
ing and  feasting ;  but  the  other  looked  very  dirty 
and  poor.  "  I  should  be  very  silly,"  said  he,  "  if 
I  went  to  that  shabby  house,  and  left  this  charm- 
ing place  ;  "  so  he  went  into  the  smart  house,  and 
ate  and  drank  at  his  ease,  and  forgot  the  bird  and 
his  country  too. 

Time  passed  on  ;  and  as  the  eldest  son  did  not 
come  back,  and  no  tidings  were  heard  of  him,  the 
second  son  set  out,  and  the  same  thing  happened 
to  him.  He  met  the  fox,  who  gave  him  the  same 
good  advice  :  but  when  he  came  to  the  two  inns, 
his  eldest  brother  was  standing  at  the  window 
where  the  merrymaking  was,  and  called  to  him 
to  come  in  ;  and  he  could  not  withstand  the  temp- 
tation, but  went  in,  and  forgot  the  golden  bird  and 
his  country  in  the  same  manner. 

Time  passed  on  again,  and  the  youngest  son, 
too,  wished  to  set  out  into  the  wide  world  to  seek 
for  the  golden  bird;  but  his  father  would  not 
hear  of  it  for  a  long  while,  for  he  was  very  fond 
of  his  son,  and  was  afraid  that  some  ill  luck 
might  happen  to  him  also,  and  prevent  his  com- 


ing back.  However,  at  last  it  was  agreed  he 
should  go,  for  he  would  not  rest  at  home ;  and 
as  he  came  to  the  wood,  he  met  the  fox,  and  heard 
the  same  good  counsel.  But  he  was  thankful  to 
the  fox,  and  did  not  attempt  his  life  as  his  broth- 
ers had  done  ;  so  the  fox  said,  "  Sit  upon  my  tail, 
and  you  will  travel  faster."  So  he  sat  down,  and 
the  fox  began  to  run,  and  away  they  went  over 
stock  and  stone  so  quick  that  their  hair  whistled 
in  the  wind. 

When    they  came   to  the  village,   the  son  fol- 
lowed   the    fox's    counsel,    and    without    looking 


there  all  night  at  his  ease 
the  fox  again 


about  him  went    to    the    shabby  inn   and    rested 

In  the  morning  came 
ind  met  him  as  he  was  beginning 
his  journey,  and  said,  "Go  straight  forward,  till 
you  come  to  a  castle,  before  which  lie  a  whole 
troop  of  soldiers  fast  asleep  and  snoring :  take 
no  notice  of  them,  but  go  into  the  castle  and  pass 
on  and  on  till  you  come  to  a  room,  where  tue 
golden  bird  sits  in  a  wooden  cage ;  close  by  it 
stands  a  beautiful  golden  cage;  but  do  not  try  to 
take  the  bird  out  of  the  shabby  cage  and  put  it 
into  the  handsome  one,  otherwise  you  will  repent 
it."  Then  the  fox  stretched  out  his  tail  again, 
and  the  young  man  sat  himself  down,  und  away 


62 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


they  went   over   stock  and    stone   till    their   hair 
whistled  in  the  wind. 

Before  the  castle  gate  all  was  as  the  fox  had 
said  :  so  the  son  went  in  and  found  the  chamber 
where  the  golden  bird  hung  in  a  wooden  cage,  and 
below  stood  a  golden  cage,  and  the  three  golden 
apples  that  had  been  lost  were  lying  close  by  it. 
Then  thought  he  to  himself,  "It  will  be  a  very 
droll  thing  to  bring  away  such  a  fine  bird  in  this 
shabby  cage  ;  "  so  he  opened  the  door  and  took 
hold  of  it  and  put  it  into  the  golden  cage.  But 
the  bird  set  up  such  a  loud  scream  that  all  the 
soldiers  awoke,  and  they  took  him  prisoner  and 
carried  him  before  the  king.  The  next  morning 
the  court  sat  to  judge  him  ;  and  when  all  was 
heard,  it  sentenced  him  to  die,  unless  he  should 
bring  the  king  the  golden  horse  which  could  run 
as  swiftly  as  the  wind  ;  and  if  he  did  this,  he 
was  to  have  the  golden  bird  given  him  for  his 
own. 

So  he  set  out  once  more  on  his  journey,  sigh- 
ing, and  in  great  despair,  when  on  a  sudden  his 
good  friend  the  fox  met  him,  and  said,  "  You  see 
now  what  has  happened  on  account  of  your  not 
listening  to  my  counsel.  I  will  still,  however,  tell 
you  how  to  find  the  golden  horse,  if  you  will  do  as 
I  bid  you.  You  must  go  straight  on  till  you  come 
to  the  castle  where  the  horse  stands  in  his  stall : 
by  his  side  will  lie  the  groom  fast  asleep  and  snor- 
ing :  take  away  the  horse  quietly,  but  be  sure  to 
put  the  old  leathern  saddle  upon  him,  and  not 
the  golden  one  that  is  close  by."  Then  the  son 
sat  down  on  the  fox's  tail,  and  away  they  went 
over  stock  and  stone  till  their  hair  whistled  in 
the  wind. 

All  went  right,  and  the  groom  lay  snoring  with 
his  hand  upon  the  golden  saddle.  But  when  the 
son  looked  at  the  horse,  he  thought  it  a  great 
pity  to  put  the  leathern  saddle  upon  him.  "  I  will 
give  him  the  good  one,"  said  he  ;  "  I  am  sure  he 
deserves  it."  As  he  took  up  the  golden  saddle, 
however,  the  groom  awoke  and  cried  out  so  loud 
that  all  the  guards  ran  in  and  took  him  prisoner, 
and  in  the  morning  he  was  again  brought  be- 
fore the  court  to  be  judged,  and  was  sentenced 


to  die.  But  it  was  agreed,  that,  if  he  could  bring 
hither  the  beautiful  princess,  he  should  live,  and 
have  the  bird  and  the  horse  given  him  for  his 
own. 

Then  he  went  his  way  again  very  sorrowful ; 
but  the  old  fox  came  and  said,  "  Why  did  not 
you  listen  to  me  ?  If  you  had,  you  would  have 
carried  away  both  the  bird  and  the  horse  ;  yet  will 
I  once  more  give  you  counsel.  Go  straight  on,  and 
in  the  evening  you  will  arrive  at  a  castle.  At 
twelve  o'clock  at  night  the  princess  goes  to  the 
bathing-house :  go  up  to  her  and  give  her  a  kiss, 
and  she  will  let  yTou  lead  her  away ;  but  take  care 
you  do  not  suffer  her  to  go  and  take  leave  of  her 
father  and  mother."  Then  the  fox  stretched  out 
his  tail,  and  so  away  they  went  over  stock  and 
stone  till  their  hair  whistled  again. 

As  they  came  to  the  castle  all  was  as  the  fox 
had  said,  and  at  twelve  o'clock  the  young  man  met 
the  princess  going  to  the  bath  and  gave  her  a  kiss, 
and  she  agreed  to  run  away  with  him,  but  begged 
with  many  tears  that  he  would  let  her  take  leave 
of  her  father.  At  first  he  refused,  but  she  wept 
still  more  and  more,  and  fell  at  his  feet,  till  at 
last  he  consented  ;  but  the  moment  she  came  to 
her  father's  house  the  guards  awoke  and  he  was 
taken  prisoner  again. 

Then  he  was  brought  before  the  king,  and  the 
king  said,  "  You  shall  never  have  my  daughter 
unless  in  eight  days  you  dig  away  the  hill  that 
stops  the  view  from  my  window."  Now  this  hill 
was  so  big  that  the  whole  world  could  not  take  it 
away  :  and  when  he  had  worked  for  seven  days, 
and  had  done  very  little,  the  fox  came  and  said, 
"  Lie  down  and  go  to  sleep  ;  I  will  work  for  you." 
And  in  the  morning  he  awoke  and  the  hill  was 
gone  ;  so  he  went  merrily7  to  the  king,  and  told 
him  that  now  it  was  removed  he  must  give  him 
the  princess. 

Then  the  king  was  obliged  to  keep  his  word, 
and  away  went  the  young  man  and  the  princess  ; 
and  the  fox  came  and  said  to  him,  "  We  will  have 
all  three,  the  princess,  the  horse,  and  the  bird." 
"  Ah !  "  said  the  young  man,  "  that  would  be  a 
great  thing,  but  how  can  you  contrive  it  ?  " 


THE    GOLDEN  BIRD. 


33 


"  If  you  will  only  listen,"  said  the  fox,  "  it  can 
soon  be  done.  When  you  come  to  the  king,  and 
he  asks  for  the  beautiful  princess,  you  must  say, 
'  Here  she  is ! '  Then  he  will  be  very  joyful ; 
and  you  will  mount  the  golden  horse  that  they 
are  to  give  you,  and  put  out  your  hand  to  take 
reave  of  them  ;  but  shake  hands  with  the  princess 
last.  Then  lift  her  quickly  on  to  the  horse  behind 
you  ;  clap  your  spurs  to  his  side,  and  gallop  away 
as  fast  as  you  can." 

All  went  right :  then  the  fox  said,  "  When  you 
come  to  the  castle  where  the  bird  is,  I  will  stay 
with  the  princess  at  the  door,  and  you  will  ride  in 
and  speak  to  the  king  ;  and  when  he  sees  that 
it  is  the  right  horse,  he  will  bring  out  the  bird  : 
but  you  must  sit  still,  and  say  that  you  want  to 
look  at  it,  to  see  whether  it  is  the  true  golden 
bird ;  and  when  you  get  it  into  your  hand,  ride 
away." 

This,  too,  happened  as  the  fox  said  ;  they  car- 
ried off  the  bird,  the  princess  mounted  again,  and 
they  rode  on  to  a  great  wood.  Then  the  fox 
came,  and  said,  "  Pray  kill  me,  and  cut  off  my 
head  and  my  feet."  But  the  young  man  refused 
to  do  it:  so  the  fox  said,  "I  will  at  any  rate 
give  you  good  counsel :  beware  of  two  things  ; 
ransom  no  one  from  the  gallows,  and  sit  down 
by  the  side  of  no  river."  Then  away  he  went. 
"  Well,"  thought  the  young  man,  "  it  is  no  hard 
matter  to  keep  that  advice." 

He  rode  on  with  the  princess,  till  at  last  he 
came  to  the  village  where  he  had  left  his  two 
brothers.  And  there  he  heard  a  great  noise  and 
uproar  ;  and  when  he  asked  what  was  the  mat- 
ter, the  people  said,  "  Two  men  are  going  to  be 
hanged."  As  he  came  nearer,  he  saw  that  the 
two  men  were  his  brothers,  who  had  turned  rob- 
bers ;  so  he  said,  "  Cannot  they  in  any  way  be 
saved?"  But  the  people  said  "No,"  unless  he 
would  bestow  all  his  money  upon  the  rascals  and 
buy  their  liberty.  Then  he  did  not  stay  to  think 
about  the  matter,  but  paid   what  was  asked,  and 


his  brothers  were  given  up,  and  went  on  with  him 
towards  their  home. 

As  they  came  to  the  wood  where  the  fox  first 
met  them,  it  was  so  cool  and  pleasant  that  the 
two  brothers  said,  "  Let  us  sit  down  by  the  side  of 
the  river,  and  rest  a  while,  to  eat  and  drink."  So 
he  said,  "  Yes,"  and  forgot  the  fox's  counsel,  and 
sat  down  by  the  side  of  the  river ;  and  while  he 
suspected  nothing  they  came  behind,  and  threw 
him  down  the  bank,  and  took  the  princess,  the 
horse,  and  the  bird,  and  went  home  to  the  king 
their  master,  and  said,  "  All  this  have  we  won  by 
our  labor."  Then  there  was  great  rejoicing  made ; 
but  the  horse  would  not  eat,  the  bird  would  not 
sing,  and  the  princess  wept. 

The  youngest  son  fell  to  the  bottom  of  the  riv- 
er's bed ;  luckily  it  was  nearly  dry,  but  his  bones 
were  almost  broken,  and  the  bank  was  so  steep 
that  he  could  find  no  way  to  get  out.  Then  the 
old  fox  came  once  more,  and  scolded  him  for  not 
following  his  advice ;  otherwise  no  evil  would  have 
befallen  him:  "Yet,"  said  he,  "I  cannot  leave 
you  here,  so  lay  hold  of  my  tail  and  hold  fast." 
Then  he  pulled  him  out  of  the  river,  and  said  to 
him,  as  he  got  upon  the  bank,  "  Your  brothers 
have  set  watch  to  kill  you,  if  they  find  you  in  the 
kingdom."  So  he  dressed  himself  as  a  poor  man, 
and  came  secretly  to  the  king's  court,  and  was 
scarcely  within  the  doors  when  the  horse  began  to 
eat,  and  the  bird  to  sing,  and  the  princess  left  off 
weeping.  Then  he  went  to  the  king,  and  told  him 
all  his  brothers'  roguery  ;  and  they  were  seized 
and  punished,  and  he  had  the  princess  given  to 
him  again  ;  and  after  the  king's  death  he  was  heir 
to  his  kingdom. 

A  long  while  after  he  went  to  walk  one  day  in 
the  wood,  and  the  old  fox  met  him,  and  besought 
him  with  tears  in  his  eyes  to  kill  him,  and  cut  off 
his  head  and  feet.  At  last  he  did  so,  and  in  a 
moment  the  fox  was  changed  into  a  man,  and 
turned  out  to  be  the  brother  of  the  princess,  who 
had  been  lost  a  great  many  years. 


84 


THE  BOOK  OF   WONDERS. 


RIQUET   WITH    THE   TUFT. 


Once  upon  a  time  there  lived  a  queen  who  had 
the  misfortune  to  have  a  child  extremely  ill-formed 
and  ill-looking,  though  a  fairy  assured  her  that  the 
child  would  have  great  good  sense,  and  would  be 
very  amiable ;  besides,  this  good  fairy  then  and 
there  gave  the  little  thing  a  great  gift :  he  should 
have  the  power  to  give  equally  good  sense  to 
whomever  he  loved  best.  But  all  this  hardly 
comforted  the  queen,  who  was  distressed  at  having 
such  a  very  homely  child,  and  was  scai'cely  pleased 
when  he  began,  as  soon  as  he  could  speak,  to  say 
the  most  charming  things  and  to  act  with  the  most 
admirable  cleverness.  I  had  forgotten  to  say  that 
he  was  born  with  a  little  tuft  of  hair  on  his  head, 
which  got  him  the  name  of  Riquet  with  the  Tuft, 
for  Riquet  was  the  family  name. 

About  seven  or  eight  years  after  Riquet  with  the 
Tuft  was  born,  the  queen  of  a  neighboring  king- 
dom had  twin  daughters.  When  the  first  of  the 
twins  came  into  the  world  she  was  so  exceedingly 
fair  that  the  mother  was  in  the  greatest  excite- 
ment of  joy,  and  the  good  fairy  who  stood  by,  and 
who  was  the  one  present  when  Riquet  with  the 
Tuft  was  born,  was  forced  to  tell  her  that  the 
child,  for  all  she  was  so  fair,  would  be  very,  very 
dull,  yes,  as  stupid  as  she  was  beautiful.  Then 
came  the  second  of  the  twins,  and  she  was  just  as 
ugly  as  the  first  was  lovely,  and  the  fairy  again 
tried  to  help  the  queen  by  the  assurance  that  this 
child  would  be  so  sensible  that  no  one  would  no- 
tice her  lack  of  beauty. 

"  Heaven  send  it  may  be  so ! "  said  the  poor 
queen,  "  but  is  there  no  way  of  giving  sense  to  the 
other,  who  is  so  beautiful?" 

"  I  can  do  nothing  of  that  sort  with  her,"  re- 
plied the  fairy,  "  but  she  shall  have  the  gift  of 
making  beautiful  the  person  who  shall  please  her. 
That  is  all  I  can  do." 

As  the  two  princesses  grew  up,  their  perfections 
grew  with  them,  and  nothing  was  talked  of  but 
the  beauty  of  the  elder  and  the  good  sense  of  the 
younger.    To  be  sure  their  defects  grew  too.     The 


younger  grew  uglier,  and  the  elder  more  stupid. 
She  either  made  no  answer  when  she  was  spoken 
to,  or  she  said  something  foolish.  Then  she  was 
so  awkward  that  she  could  not  place  four  dishes 
on  the  shelf  without  breaking  one,  nor  drink  a 
glass  of  water  without  spilling  some  on  her  dress, 
and  in  spite  of  her  beauty  she  saw  that  people  be- 
gan to  desert  her  for  her  sister.  At  first  they 
flocked  about  her  because  she  was  so  lovely  to  look 
upon,  but  little  by  little  they  left  her  and  gathered 
about  her  sister,  because  she  was  so  witty  and  en- 
tertaining. The  elder  would  have  given  all  she 
possessed  for  half  her  sister's  good  sense.  Even 
the  queen  could  not  help  reproaching  the  poor  girl 
for  her  stupidity,  and  this  made  her  exceedingly 
melancholy. 

One  day  the  beautiful  and  stupid  princess  was 
walking  alone  in  a  wood,  bewailing  her  fate,  when 
she  met  a  little  man,  dressed  very  finely,  but  with 
a  most  disagreeable  face.  It  was  Riquet  with  the 
Tuft,  who  had  seen  the  princess's  portrait,  and  was 
so  fascinated  by  it  that  he  had  left  his  father's 
kingdom  to  see  if  he  could  find  this  marvelously 
beautiful  girl.  He  knew  her  at  once  and  addressed 
her  with  the  greatest  respect  and  courtesy.  He 
noticed  how  melancholy  she  was,  and  presently 
said  :  — 

"  I  cannot  imagine  how  one  so  beautiful  as  you 
are  can  be  sad.  In  all  my  life,  and  I  have  trav- 
eled far  and  wide,  I  never  have  seen  so  beautiful 
a  woman." 

"You  are  very  good  to  say  so,"  said  the  prin- 
cess, and  then  stopped. 

"Beauty,"  continued  Riquet,  seriously,  "is  so 
great  a  gift  that  nothing  can  be  compared  with  it, 
and  one  who  has  it  can  surely  be  distressed  by 
nothing." 

"  Very  fine,'*  said  the  princess,  "  but  I  would 
rather  be  as  ugly  —  as  ugly  as  you  are,  and  have 
good  sense,  than  be  as  beautiful  as  I  am  and  be 
stupid." 

"  There  is  no  greater  proof  of  good  sense,"  said 


RIQUET    WITH  THE   TUFT. 


65 


Riquet  with  the  Tuft,  bowing  low,  "  than  the  be- 
lief that  we  are  without  it.  It  is  the  nature  of 
that  gift  that  the  more  we  have  the  more  sensible 
we  are  of  what  we  lack." 

"  I  do  not  know  how  that  may  be,"  cried  the 
princess,  "  I  only  know  that  I  am  very  stupid,  and 
that  is  what  is  killing  me." 

"  If  that  is  all  that  troubles  you,"  said  Riquet, 
"  I  can  easily  put  an  end  to  your  sorrow." 

"And  how?  " 

"  I  have  the  power  to  give  as  much  wit  as  any 
one  can  possess  to  the  person  I  love  the  most. 
You  are  the  one  I  love,  princess,  and  if  you  will 
only  promise  to  marry  me  you  shall  have  the 
greatest  good  sense  and  wit." 

The  princess  stood  stock  still  with  astonish- 
ment. 

"  I  see,"  said  Riquet,  "  that  my  offer  pains  you. 
I  am  not  surprised,  but  do  not  hurry.  I  will  give 
you  a  year  to  think  of  it."  The  princess  had  so 
little  sense  and  wanted  so  much,  and  a  year  seemed 
so  very  long  to  wait,  that  she  said  in  a  moment 
that  she  would  accept  him.  No  sooner  had  she 
promised  to  marry  Riquet  in  a  twelvemonth  than 
she  felt  herself  to  be  quite  another  person.  She 
heard  herself  talking  with  the  utmost  sprightli- 
ness,  and  saying  the  most  sensible  things  with  the 
greatest  ease.  Indeed,  she  talked  with  so  much 
brilliancy  and  good  nature,  that  Riquet  began  to 
think  he  had  given  her  more  wit  than  he  had  kept 
for  himself. 

She  returned  alone  to  the  palace,  and  the  whole 
court  speedily  discovered  that  she  had  been  singu- 
larly changed.  Everybody  was  puzzled  to  account 
for  her.  She  said  as  many  bright  and  sensible 
things  now  as  before  she  had  said  stupid  and  ri- 
diculous ones.  But  whatever  had  caused  the 
change,  every  one  was  charmed,  —  every  one, 
that  is,  except  her  younger  sister,  who  had  now 
lost  the  only  advantage  she  had.  People  all 
flocked  about  the  princess  who  was  both  witty  and 
handsome.  Even  the  king  consulted  her  judg- 
ment, and  used  to  hold  his  councils  of  state  in  her 
chamber.  Her  fame  spread  abroad  and  the 
princes  in  the  neighborhood  all  wished  to  marry 


her,  but  now  not  one  of  them  seemed  to  her  half 
wise  enough. 

At  length  there  came  a  prince  who  was  rich, 
witty,  and  handsome,  and  she  looked  upon  him 
with  more  favor  than  on  any  of  the  others.  Her 
father,  seeing  this,  called  her  to  himself  and  told 
her  that  he  had  perfect  confidence  in  her  judgment, 
and  he  should  leave  her  to  choose  entirely  for  her- 
self. As  the  more  sense  we  have  the  more  diffi- 
cult we  find  it  to  make  up  our  minds  definitely  in 
such  cases,  she  requested,  after  thanking  her 
father,  that  he  would  give  her  some  time  to  think 
it  over,  and  then,  wishing  to  be  by  herself,  she 
went  to  walk  in  the  wood.  It  was  the  same  wood 
where  she  had  met  Riquet  with  the  Tuft,  and  as 
she  walked,  thinking  hard,  she  heard  a  dull  sound 
beneath  her  feet  as  of  many  people  running  about 
busily  under  ground.  She  stopped  to  listen,  and 
heard  some  one  say,  "Bring  me  that  saucepan," 
and  again,  "  Give  me  that  kettle,"  and  "  Put  some 
wood  on  the  fire."  At  that  the  ground  opened, 
and  she  saw  beneath  her  what  appeared  to  be  a 
large  kitchen,  full  of  cooks,  scullions,  and  all  kinds 
of  servants,  making  ready  a  great  banquet.  A 
band  of  twenty  or  thirty  cooks  came  forward  and 
placed  themselves  at  a  table,  where  they  set  to 
work  preparing  dainties,  and  singing  over  their 
work.  The  princess,  very  much  astonished,  in- 
quired of  them  for  whom  they  were  working  so 
merrily. 

"Madam,"  replied  one,  "  for  Prince  Riquet  with 
the  Tuft,  who  is  to  be  married  to-morrow."  All  at 
once  the  princess  remembered  that  to-morrow  was 
the  very  end  of  the  year  when  she  had  promised 
to  marry  Riquet.  The  reason  why  she  had  for- 
sotten  this  before  was  that  when  she  made  the 
promise  she  was  a.  fool,  and  as  soon  as  she  became 
wise  she  forgot  all  her  follies.  She  was  lost  in 
amazement  and  was  moving  forward  when  Riquet 
with  the  Tuft  suddenly  appeared,  gayly  dressed,  ■ 
and  with  all  the  air  of  a  man  about  to  be  mar- 
ried. 

"  I  have  kept  my  word,  princess,  as  you  see," 
he  said,  "  and  I  doubt  not  that  you  have  kept 
yours  and  will  marry  me  to-morrow." 


66 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


"  Prince,"  said  the  princess  frankly,"  I  must 
confess  that  I  had  not  intended  to  marry  you,  and 
fear  I  cannot." 

"  You  surprise  me  very  much." 

"  No  doubt,  and  I  should  be  disturbed  about  it 
if  I  were  dealing  with  a  dull  person  instead  of 
one  with  your  excellent  good  sense.  You  must 
yourself  see  that  I  cannot  do  what  I  promised  to 
do  when  I  was  a  fool.  You  should  not  have  given 
me  so  much  sense." 

"  If  I  were  a  fool  I  might  be  persuaded  by  you, 
princess,  but  being  a  man  of  sense  I  see  that  you 
are  taking  away  all  the  happiness  of  my  life.  Tell 
me  frankly,  is  there  anything  in  me  that  you 
complain  of  besides  my  ugliness  ?  I  know  I  am 
ugly%  but  do  you  object  to  my  birth,  my  temper, 
my  manners  or  any  —  my  good  sense  ?  " 


"  No,  truly,"  replied  the  princess,  "  I  like  every, 
thing  about  you,  except  —  except  your  looks." 

"  Then  I  need  not  lose  my  happiness ;  for  if  I 
have  the  gift  of  making  clever  whomever  I  love 
best,  you  are  able  to  make  the  person  you  pre- 
fer as  handsome  as  ever  you  please.  Could  you 
not  love  me  enough  to  do  that  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  did  not  know  that  before !  "  cried  the 
princess.  "  With  all  my  heart !  "  and  she  wished 
eagerly  that  he  might  become  the  handsomest 
man  in  the  world.  No  sooner  had  she  uttered  this 
wish  than  Riquet  stood  before  her  eyes  the  finest,, 
most  charming  man  she  had  ever  seen.  And  so 
they  were  married,  and  Riquet  thought  the  prin- 
cess the  most  sensible  and  agreeable  companion 
in  the  world,  while  the  princess  looked  upon 
Riquet  as  the  noblest  and  most  commanding  man. 


THE   NOSE. 


Did  you  ever  hear  the  story  of  the  three  poor 
soldiers,  who,  after  having  fought  hard  in  the 
wars,  set  out  on  their  road  home,  begging  their 
way  as  they  went  ? 

They  had  journeyed  on  a  long  way,  sick  at 
heart  with  their  bad  luck  at  thus  being  turned 
loose  on  the  world  in  their  old  days,  when  one 
evening  they  reached  a  deep  gloomy  wood  through 
which  they  must  pass  ;  night  came  fast  upon  them, 
and  they  found  that  they  must,  however  unwill- 
ingly, sleep  in  the  wood ;  so  to  make  all  as  safe 
as  they  could,  it  was  agreed  that  two  should  lie 
down  and  sleep,  while  a  third  sat  up  and  watched 
lest  wild  beasts  should  break  in  and  tear  them  to 
pieces  ;  when  he  was  tired  he  was  to  wake  one  of 
the  others  and  sleep  in  his  turn,  and  so  on  with 
the  third,  that  they  might  share  the  work  fairly 
among  them. 

The  two  who  were  to  rest  first  soon  lay  down 
and  fell  fast  asleep,  and  the  other  made  himself  a 
good  fire  under  the  trees  and  sat  down  by  the 
side  to  keep  watch.  He  had  not  sat  long  before 
all  on  a  sudden  up  came  a  little  man  in  a  red 
jacket.     "  Who  's  there?  "  said  he.     "  A  friend," 


said  the  soldier.  "  What  sort  of  a  friend  ?  "  "  An 
old  broken  soldier,"  said  the  other,  "  with  his  two' 
comrades  who  have  nothing  left  to  live  on  ;  come, 
sit  down  and  warm  yourself."  "  Well,  my  worthy- 
fellow,"  said  the  little  man,  "  I  will  do  what  I  can 
for  you  ;  take  this  and  show  it  to  your  comrades 
in  the  morning."  So  he  took  out  an  old  cloak 
and  gave  it  to  the  soldier,  telling  him  that  when- 
ever he  put  it  over  his  shoulders  anything  that  he 
wished  for  would  be  fulfilled ;  then  the  little  man 
made  him  a  bow  and  walked  away. 

The  second  soldier's  turn  to  watch  soon  came, 
and  the  first  laid  himself  down  to  sleep ;  but  the 
second  man  had  not  sat  by  himself  long  before  up 
came  the  little  man  in  the  red  jacket  again.  The 
soldier  treated  him  in  a  friendly  way  as  his  com- 
rade had  done,  and  the  little  man  gave  him  for 
his  part  a  purse,  which  he  told  him  was  always 
full  of  gold,  let  him  draw  as  much  as  he  would 
from  it. 

Then  the  third  soldier's  turn  to  watch  came, 
and  he  also  had  the  little  man  for  his  guest,  who 
gave  him  a  wonderful  horn  that  drew  crowds 
around   it    whenever    it    was   played ;  and    made- 


THE  NOSE. 


67 


every  one  forget  his  business  to  come  and  dance 
to  its  beautiful  music. 

In  the  morning  each  told  his  story  and  showed 
his  treasure  ;  and  as  they  all  liked  each  other  very 
much  and  were  old  friends,  they  agreed  to  travel 
together  to  see  the  world,  and  for  a  while  only  to 
make  use  of  the  wonderful  purse.  And  thus  they 
spent  their  time  very  joyously,  till  at  last  they 
began  to  be  tired  of  this  roving  life,  and  thought 
they  should  like  to  have  a  home  of  their  own.  So 
the  first  soldier  put  his  old  cloak  on,  and  wished 
for  a  fine  castle.  In  a  moment  it  stood  before 
their  eyes  ;  fine  gardens  and  green  lawns  spread 
round  it,  and  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats  and  herds 
of  oxen  were  grazing  about,  and  out  of  the  gate 
came  a  fine  coach  with  three  dapple  gray  horses 
to  meet  them  and  bring  them  home. 

All  this  was  very  well  for  a  time  ;  but  it  would 
not  do  to  stay  at  home  always,  so  they  got  to- 
gether all  their  rich  clothes  and  trappings  and  serv- 
ants, and  ordered  their  coach  with  three  horses, 
and  set  out  on  a  journey  to  see  a  neighboring 
king.  Now  this  king  had  an  only  daughter,  and 
as  he  took  the  three  soldiers  for  kings'  sons,  he 
gave  them  a  kind  welcome.  One  day,  as  the 
second  soldier  was  walking  with  the  princess,  she 
saw  him  with  the  wonderful  purse  in  his  hand  ; 
and  having  asked  him  what  it  was,  he  was  foolish 
enough  to  tell  her; — though,  indeed,  it  did  not 
much  signify,  for  she  was  a  witch  and  knew 
all  the  wonderful  things  that  the  three  soldiers 
brought.  Now  this  princess  was  very  cunning 
and  artful ;  so  she  set  to  work  and  made  a  purse 
so  like  the  soldier's  that  no  one  would  know  one 
from  the  other,  and  then  asked  him  to  come  and 
see  her,  and  made  him  drink  some  wine  that  she 
had  got  ready  for  him,  till  he  fell  fast  asleep. 
Then  she  felt  in  his  pocket,  and  took  away  the 
wonderful  purse  and  left  the  one  she  had  made  in 
its  place. 

The  next  morning  the  soldiers  set  out  for  home, 
and  soon  after  they  reached  their  castle,  happen- 
ing to  want  some  money,  they  went  to  their  purse 
for  it,  and  found  something  indeed  in  it,  but  to 
their   great   sorrow    when   they    had    emptied   it 


none  came  in  the  place  of  what  they  took.  Then 
the  cheat  was  soon  found  out :  for  the  second 
soldier  knew  where  he  had  been,  and  how  he 
had  told  the  story  to  the  princess,  and  he  guessed 
that  she  had  betrayed  him.  "  Alas  !  "  cried  he, 
"  poor  wretches  that  we  are,  what  shall  we  do  ?  " 
"  Oh  !  "  said  the  first  soldier,  "  let  no  gray  hairs 
grow  for  this  mishap  ;  I  will  soon  get  the  purse 
back."  So  he  threw  his  cloak  across  his  shoulders 
and  wished  himself  in  the  princess's  chamber. 
There  he  found  her  sitting  alone,  telling  her  gold 
that  fell  around  her  in  a  shower  from  the  purse. 
But  the  soldier  stood  looking  at  her  too  long,  for 
the  moment  she  saw  him  she  started  up  and  cried 
out  with  all  her  force,  "  Thieves  !  Thieves  !  "  so 
that  the  whole  court  came  running  in  and  tried  to 
seize  him.  The  poor  soldier  now  began  to  be 
dreadfully  frightened  in  his  turn,  and  thought  it 
was  high  time  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  off ; 
so,  without  thinking  of  the  ready  way  of  traveling 
that  his  cloak  gave  him,  he  ran  to  the  window, 
opened  it,  and  jumped  out ;  and  unluckily  in  his 
haste  his  cloak  caught  and  was  left  hanging,  to 
the  great  joy  of  the  princess,  who  knew  its  worth. 

The  poor  soldier  made  the  best  of  his  way  home 
to  his  comrades,  on  foot  and  in  a  very  downcast 
mood  ;  but  the  third  soldier  told  him  to  keep  up 
his  heart,  and  took  his  horn  and  blew  a  merry 
tune.  At  the  first  blast  a  countless  troop  of  foot 
and  horse  came  rushing  to  their  aid,  and  they  set 
out  to  make  war  against  their  enemy.  Then  the 
king's  palace  was  besieged,  and  he  was  told  that 
he  must  give  up  the  purse  and  cloak,  or  that 
not  one  stone  should  be  left  upon  another.  And 
the  king  went  into  his  daughter's  chamber  and 
talked  with  her ;  but  she  said,  "  Let  me  try  first 
if  I  cannot  beat  them  some  other  way."  So  she 
thought  of  a  cunning  scheme  to  overreach  them, 
and  dressing  herself  as  a  poor  girl  with  a  basket 
on  her  arm  set  out  by  night  with  her  maid,  and 
went  into  the  enemy's  camp  as  if  she  wanted  to 
sell  trinkets. 

In  the  morning  she  began  to  ramble  about, 
singing  ballads  so  beautifully  that  all  the  tents 
were  left  empty,  and  the    soldiers  ran  round  in 


68 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


crowds  and  thought  of  nothing  but  heai'ing  her 
sing.  Amongst  the  rest  came  the  soldier  to  whom 
the  horn  belonged,  and  as  soon  as  she  saw  him  she 
■winked  to  her  maid,  who  slipped  slily  through 
the  crowd  and  went  into  his  tent  where  the  horn 
hung,  and  stole  it  away.  This  done,  they  both  got 
safely  back  to  the  palace  ;  the  besieging  army 
went  away,  the  three  wonderful  gifts  were  all 
left  in  the  hands  of  the  princess,  and  the  three 
soldiers  were  as  penniless  and  forlorn  as  when  the 
little  man  with  the  red  jacket  found  them  in  the 
wood. 


Poor  fellows  !  they  began  to  think  what  was  now 
to  be  done.  "  Comrades,"  at  last  said  the  second 
soldier,  who  had  had  the  purse,  "  we  had  better 
part,  we  cannot  live  together,  let  each  seek  his 
bread  as  well  as  he  can."  So  he  turned  to  the 
right,  and  the  other  two  to  the  left  ;  for  they  said 
they  would  rather  travel  together.  Then  on  he 
strayed  till  he  came  to  a  wood  (now  this  was  the 
same  wood  where  they  had  met  with  so  much 
good  luck  before)  ;  and  he  walked  on  a  long  time 
till  evening  began  to  fall,  when  he  sat  down  tired 
beneath  a  tree,  and  soon  fell  asleep. 


Morning  dawned,  and  he  was  greatly  delighted, 
at  opening  his  eyes,  to  see  that  the  tree  was 
laden  with  the  most  beautiful  apples.  He  was 
hungry  enough,  so  he  soon  plucked  and  ate  first 
one,  then  a  second,  then  a  third  apple.  A  strange 
feeling  came  over  his  nose  :  when  he  put  the  ap- 
ple to  his  mouth  something  was  in  the  way;  he 
felt  it ;  it  was  his  nose,  that  grew  and  grew  till 
it  hung  down  to  his  breast.  It  did  not  stop  there, 
still  it  grew  and  grew  ;  "  Heavens  !  "  thought  he, 
"  when  will  it  have  done  growing  ?  "  And  well 
might  he  ask,  for  by  this  time  it  reached  the 
ground  as  he  sat  on  the  grass,  and  thus  it  kept 
creeping  on  till  he  could  not  bear  its  weight,  or 
raise  himself  up;  and  it  seemed  as  if  it  would 
never  end,  for  already  it  stretched  its  enormous 
length  all  through  the  wood. 

Meantime  his  comrades  were  journeying  on,  till 
on  a  sudden  one  of  them  stumbled  against  some- 
thing. "  What  can  that  be  ?  "  said  the  other. 
They  looked,  and  could  think  of  nothing  that  it 
was  like  but  a  nose.  "  We  will  follow  it  and  find 
its  owner,  however,"  said  they;  so  they  traced  it 
till  at  last  they  found  their  poor  comrade  lying 
stretched  along  under  the  apple-tree.  What  was 
to  be  done  ?  They  tried  to  carry  him,  but  in  vain. 
They  caught  an  ass  that  was  passing  by,  and 
raised  him  upon  its  back ;  but  it  was  soon  tired  of. 
carrying  such  a  load.  So  they  sat  down  in  de- 
spair, when  up  came  the  little  man  in  the  red 
jacket.  "  Why,  how  now,  friend?  "  said  he,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  well,  I  must  find  a  cure  for  you,  I  see." 
So  he  told  them  to  gather  a  pear  from  a  tree  that 
grew  close  by,  and  the  nose  would  come  right 
again.  No  time  was  lost,  and  the  nose  was  soon 
brought  to  its  proper  size,  to  the  poor  soldier's  joy. 

"  I  will  do  something  more  for  you  yet,"  said 
the  little  man ;  "  take  some  of  those  pears  and 
apples  with  you  ;  whoever  eats  one  of  the  ap- 
ples will  have  his  nose  grow  like  yours  just  now; 
but  if  you  give  him  a  pear,  all  will  come  right 
again.  Go  to  the  princess  and  get  her  to  eat  some 
of  your  apples  ;  her  nose  will  grow  twenty  times 
as  long  as  yours  did ;  then  look  sharp,  and  you 
will  get  what  you  want  of  her." 


HOP-  O'-MT-  THUMB. 


69 


Then  they  thanked  their  old  friend  very  heartily 
for  all  his  kindness,  and  it  was  agreed  that  the 
poor  soldier  who  had  already  tried  the  power  of 
of  the  apple  should  undertake  the  task.  So  he 
dressed  himself  up  as  a  gardener's  boy,  and  went 
to  the  king's  palace,  and  said  he  had  apples  to  sell, 
such  as  were  never  seen  there  before.  Every  one 
that  saw  them  was  delighted  and  wanted  to  taste, 
but  he  said  they  were  only  for  the  princess  ;  and 
she  soon  sent  her  maid  to  buy  his  stock.  They 
were  so  ripe  and  rosy  that  she  soon  began  eating, 
and  had  already  eaten  three,  when  she,  too,  began 
to  wonder  what  was  the  matter  with  her  nose, 
for  it  grew  and  grew,  down  to  the  ground,  out  at 
the  window,  and  over  the  garden,  nobody  knows 
where. 

Then  the  kins:  made  known  to  all  his  kingdom, 
that  whoever  would  heal  her  of  this  dreadful  dis- 
ease should  be  richly  rewarded.  Many  tried,  but 
the  princess  got  no  relief.  And  now  the  old  sol- 
dier dressed  himself  very  sprucely  as  a  doctor, 
who  said  he  could  cure  her ;  so  he  chopped  up 
some  of  the  apple,  and  to  punish  her  a  little  more 
gave  her  a  dose,  saying  he  would  call  to-morrow 
and  see  her  again.  The  morrow  came,  and  of 
course,  instead  of  being  better,  the  nose  had  been 
growing  fast  all  night,  and  the  poor  princess  was 
in  a  dreadful  fright.  So  the  doctor  chopped  up 
a  very  little  of  the  pear  and  gave  her,  and  said 
he  was  sure  that  would  do  good,  and  he  would 
call  again  the  next  day.  Next  day  came,  and  the 
nose  was,  to  be  sure,  a  little  smaller,  but  yet  it 


was  bigger  than  it  was  when  the  doctor  first  be- 
gan  to  meddle  with  it. 

Then  he  thought  to  himself,  "  I  must  frighten 
this  cunning  princess  a  little  more  before  I  shall 
get  what  I  want  of  her;  "  so  he  gave  her  another 
dose  of  the  apple,  and  said  he  would  call  on  the 
morrow.  The  morrow  came,  and  the  nose  was  ten 
times  as  bad  as  before.  "  My  good  lady,"  said  the  ■ 
doctor,  "something  works  against  my  medicine, 
and  is  too  strong  for  it ;  but  I  know  by  the  force 
of  my  art  what  it  is ;  you  have  stolen  goods  about 
you,  I  am  sure,  and  if  you  do  not  give  them  back, 
I  can  do  nothing  for  you."  But  the  princess  de- 
nied very  stoutly  that  she  had  anything  of  the 
kind.  "Very  well,"  said  the  doctor,  "you  may 
do  as  you  please,  but  I  am  sure  I  am  right,  and 
you  will  die  if  you  do  not  own  it."  Then  he  went 
.to  the  king,  and  told  him  how  the  matter  stood. 
"Daughter,"  said  he,  "send  back  the  cloak,  the 
purse,  and  the  horn,  that  you  stole  from  the  right 
owners." 

Then  she  ordered  her  maid  to  fetch  all  three, 
and  gave  them  to  the  doctor,  and  begged  him  to 
give  them  back  to  the  soldiers ;  and  the  moment 
he  had  them  safe  he  gave  her  a  whole  pear  to  eat, 
and  the  nose  came  right.  And  as  for  the  doctor, 
he  put  on  the  cloak,  wished  the  king  and  all  his 
court  a  good  day,  and  was  in  a  short  time  with 
his  two  friends,  who  lived  from  that  time  happily 
at  home  in  their  palace,  except  when  they  took 
airings  in  their  coach  with  the  three  dapple  gray 
horses. 


HOP-O'-MY-THUMB. 


There  was  once  a  wood-cutter  and  his  wife  who 
had  seven  children,  all  boys.  The  eldest  was  only 
ten  years  old,  the  youngest  but  seven,  and  they 
were  thus  a  burden  to  their  poor  parents,  for  they 
could  as  yet  do  nothing  to  earn  their  living.  The 
youngest  of  all  was  very  delicate,  and  spoke  so 
seldom  that  his  parents  thought  him  dull,  when 
really  he  had  very  good  sense.  He  was  so  very 
little  when  he  was  born,  scarcely  bigger  than  one's 


thumb,  that  he  got  the  name,  "  Hop-o'-my- 
Thumb."  The  little  fellow  had  to  take  the  blame 
of  everything  that  went  wrong.  Yet  he  was  the 
most  sensible  of  all  the  children,  for  he  was  listen- 
ing when  the  rest  were  speaking.  There  came  a 
very  bad  harvest,  and  there  was  great  scarcity  of 
food,  so  that  these  poor  people  determined  that 
they  must  get  rid  of  their  children.  One  evening, 
when  they  were  all  in  bed,  the  wood-cutter  was 


70 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


sitting  close  to  the  fire  with  his  wife,  and  said  to 
her  with  an  aching  heart :  — 

"  Thou  seest  plainly  that  we  can  no  longer  find 
food  for  our  chil-  em 
dren.  I  cannot 
see  them  die  of 
hunger,  and  I 
am  resolved  to 
lose  them  to- 
morrow in  the 
wood,  which  can 
easily  be  done, 
for  while  they 
are  busy  tying 
up  the  fagots  we 
can  slip  away 
and  leave  them." 

«  Ah  !  "  ex- 
claimed his  wife, 
"■hast  thou  the 
heart  to  lose  thy 
own  children  ?  " 
Her  husband 
begged  her  to 
remember  how 
very  poor  they 
were ;  she  would 
not  consent ;  she 
was  poor,  but  she 
was  their  moth- 
er. Then  he 
bade  her  think 
how  she  must 
see  them  die  of 
hunger,  and  so 
at  length  she  as- 
sented and  went 
weeping  to  bed. 
Now  Hop-o'-my- 
Thumb  had 
heard  every-  *M!i' 
thing  that  was  said;  for  being  in  bed  and  hearing 
them  talk,  he  had  stolen  quietly  to  his  father's 
stool  and  sat  under  it  where  he  could  listen  with- 
out being  seen.     He  went  to  bed  again,  but  he 


could  not  sleep  a  wink  all  night,  so  busy  was  he 
thinking  what  he  should  do.  He  rose  early  and 
went  to  the   banks  of   a  brook   near   by,   where 

lie  filled  his 
pockets  with 
small  white  peb- 
bles, and  then 
returned  home. 
The  family  all 
set  out  together 
as  usual,  but 
Hop-o'-my- 
Thumb  said 
nothing  to  his 
brothers  of  what 
he  had  heard. 
They  entered  a 
very  thick  for- 
est, so  dense  that 
one  need  go  but 
a  few  steps  to 
be  lost.  The 
wood-cutter  be- 
gan to  cut  wood 
and  the  chil- 
dren to  gather 
the  sticks  into 
bundles  of  fag- 
ots. The  father 
and  mothe  r, 
when  they  saw 
them  busily  en- 
gaged, stole 
away  gradually 
and  then  fled 
suddenly  by  a 
small,  winding 
path.  Presently 
the  children 
found  them- 
selves alone  and 
began  to  cry  with  fear.  Hop-o'-my-Thumb  alone 
had  no  tears,  for  he  knew  the  way  home.  As  they 
came,  he  had  dropped  all  along  the  road  the  little 
white  pebbles  which  he  had  brought  in  his  pocket. 


HOP-  O'-MT-  THUMB. 


71 


"  Fear  not,  brothers,"  he  said,  "  our  father  and 
mother  have  left  us  here,  but  I  will  lead  you  safely 
home.  Only  follow  me."  Thereupon  he  led  them 
back  to  the  house  by  the  same  road  tliat  they  had 
taken  into  the  forest.  They  feared  to  enter  im- 
mediately, but  placed  themselves  close  by  the  door 
to  hear  what  their  father  and  mother  might  be 
saying. 

Now,  just  as  the  wocd-cutter  and  his  wife 
reached  home,  the  lord  of  the  manor  sent  them 
ten  crowns,  which  he  had  been  owing  them  a  long 
time,  and  they  had  given  up  all  hopes  of  ever  get- 
ting. They  were  ready  to  starve  but  for  this,  and 
the  wood-cutter  sent  his  wife  quickly  to  the  butch- 
er's to  buy  some  meat.  As  it  was  many  a  day 
since  they  had  tasted  meat,  she  bought  three  times 
as  much  as  two  persons  could  need.  When  they 
had  eaten  and  were  satisfied,  the  thought  of  her 
poor  children  rushed  back  upon  her,  and  the  wood- 
cutter's wife  cried,  — 

"  Alas !  where  now  are  our  poor  children  ? 
There  is  enough  here  and  to  spare.  It  was  thou, 
husband,  that  wouldst  lose  them.  Did  I  not  say 
we  should  repent  it?  What  are  they  now  doing 
in  the  forest?  Alas!  perhaps  the  wolves  have 
already  devoured  them  !  Thou  hast  destroyed  my 
children  !  " 

She  said  this  twenty  times  over,  until  the  wood- 
cutter became  exceedingly  impatient,  and  threat- 
ened to  beat  her  if  she  did  not  hold  her  tongue. 
But  the  more  angry  he  was  the  more  she  re- 
proached him.  She  wept  bitterly  and  cried  out 
loudly,  — 

"  Alas !  where  are  now  my  children,  my  poor 
children?"  The  children  who  were  close  by  the 
door  heard  this,  and  began  to  call  out  eagerly, — 

"  Here  we  are  !  here  we  are  !  " 

She  ran  quickly  to  open  the  door,  and  threw  her 
arms  about  them,  exclaiming,  — 

"O  my  dear  children,  how  happy  I  am  to  see 
you  again.  How  tired  and  hungry  you  must  be  ! 
and  Peter,  how  dirty  you  are.  Come  and  let  me 
wash  you."  Peter  was  the  eldest  of  the  children, 
and  the  one  she  loved  most.  They  sat  down  to 
supper,  and  ate  eagerly  with  an  appetite  that  de- 


lighted their  father  and  mother.  They  began  all 
to  speak  at  once,  and  to  tell  how  frightened  they 
were  in  the  forest,  and  how  glad  to  find  their  way 
home  again.  The  good  people  were  overjoyed  at 
getting  their  dear  children  back,  and  so  long  as  the 
ten  crowns  lasted  they  were  all  happy  together; 
but  at  length  the  money  was  spent  and  they  were 
once  more  in  despair  ;  and  now  the  wood-cutter 
and  his  wife  determined  to  lead  their  children  far- 
ther still  from  home,  so  as  to  lose  them  alto- 
gether. 

They  could  not  talk  of  this  so  privately  but  that 
Hop-o'-my-Tliumb  overheard  them,  and  trusted  to 
do  as  he  had  done  before.     But  though  he  got  up 
very  early  to  collect  the  little  pebbles,  he  could 
not  get  out  of  the  house,  for  the  door  was  double- 
locked.     He  knew  not  what  to  do  when  the  wood- 
cutter's wife  gave  them  each  their    last  piece  of 
bread  for  breakfast,  when  he  suddenly  thought  of 
using  crumbs  of  his  bread  instead  of  pebbles,  and 
so  he  put  his  piece  in  his  pocket.      His  father  ,.nd 
mother  led  them  into  the  thickest  and  darkest  part 
of  the  wood,  and  then  finding  a  by-path,  slipped 
away  from   them   unnoticed,  as    before.     Hop-o'- 
my-Thumb  was  not  much  troubled  by  this,  for  he 
thought  he  should  easily  lead  his  brothers  back  by 
means  of  the  crumbs  which  he  had  dropped  along 
the  way.    But  when  he  came  to  look  not  a  crumb 
was    to    be    seen.     The    birds    had    eaten  it    all ! 
Then  were  the  children    in  distress.     The   more 
they  wandered  the  deeper  they  plunged  into  the 
forest.     Night    came  on  and  the  wind    began   to 
howl,  so  that  they  fancied  wolves  were  all  about 
them.    They  huddled  close  together,  scarcely  dar- 
ing to  speak.     Then  it  began  to  rain  heavily  and 
they  were   drenched  to  the    skin.     They  slipped 
about  in  the  mud  and  scrambled  out  of  pits,  tired 
and  dirty.     Hop-o'-mj'-Thumb  climbed  a  tree  to 
see  if  he  could  make  out  anything  from  the  top  of 
it,  and  looking  all  about  he  saw  a  little  light  like 
that  of  a  candle,  but  it  was  far  away  on  the  other 
side  of  the  forest.    He  came  clown  again  and  then 
could  not  see  the  light  from  the  ground ;  but  he 
knew  the  direction  in  which  it  was,  and  they  all 
walked  toward  where  they  supposed  it  to  be,  and 


72 


THE  BOOK   OF    WONDERS. 


at  length,  coming  out  of  the  woods,  they  saw  the 
light  and  presently  came  to  the  house  where  it  was. 
They  knocked  at  the  door,  and  a  good  woman 
came  to  open  it.  She  asked  them  what  they 
wanted.  Hop-o'-my-Thumb  told  her  they  were 
poor  children  who  had  lost  their  way  in  the  forest, 
and  begged  a  night's  lodging  for  charity.  The 
woman,  seeing  they  were  all  so  pretty,  began  to 
weep  and  said,  — 

"  Alas  !  my  poor  children,  do  you  know  to  what 
you  have  come  ?  This  is  the  house  of  an  ogre 
who  eats  little  boys  ! " 

"Alas!  Madam,"  answered  Hop-o'-my-Thumb, 
trembling  from  head  to  foot  as  his  brothers  did, 
"what  shall  we  do?  If  we  stay  in  the  forest  the 
wolves  will  devour  us  before  the  morning.  We 
had  rather  be  eaten  by  the  gentleman  ;  perhaps 
he  may  have  pity  upon  us  if  you  but  ask  him." 
The  ogre's  wife,  for  so  she  was,  was  a  kind- 
hearted  woman,  and  fancied  she  could  hide  them 
from  her  husband  till  the  next  morning,  so  she 
brought  them  into  the  house,  and  led  them  to  a 
fine  fire  where  a  whole  sheep  was  on  the  spit,  roast- 
ing for  the  ogre's  supper.  Just  as  they  were  be- 
ginning to  get  warm,  they  heard  two  or  three  loud 
knocks  at  the  door.  It  was  the  ogre,  who  had 
come  home.  His  wife  immediately  made  the  chil- 
dren hide  under  the  bed,  and  went  to  open  the 
door.  The  ogre  asked  at  once  if  his  supper  was 
ready,  and  if  she  had  drawn  the  wine,  and  with 
that  he  sat  down  to  his  meal.  The  mutton  was 
all  but  raw,  but  he  liked  it  the  better  for  that. 
He  began  to  sniff  right  and  left  and  said  that  he 
smelt  fresh  meat. 

"It  must  be  the  calf  I  have  just  skinned  that 
you  smell,"  said  his  wife. 

"  I  smell  fresh  meat,  I  tell  you  again,"  replied 
the  ogre  looking  sharply  at  his  wife.  "  There  is 
something  here  that  I  don't  understand."  Saying 
this  he  rose  from  the  table  and  went  straight  to 
the  bed.  "Ah!"  he  exclaimed,"  "thou  art  de- 
ceiving me,  wretched  woman !  I  know  not  what 
hinders  me  from  eating  thee  also,  except  that 
thou  art  old  and  tough.  Here  is  some  game  which 
comes  in  good  time  for  me  to  entertain  three  ogres 


of  my  acquaintance,  who  are  coming  to  see  me 
in  a  day  or  two."  He  dragged  the  children  from 
under  the  bed  one  after  the  other.  They  fell 
on  their  knees  begging  for  mercy,  but  he  was 
the  most  cruel  of  ogres,  who  felt  no  pity  for  them 
but  devoured  them  already  with  his  eyes,  and 
said  to  his  wife  that  they  would  be  dainty  bits 
when  she  had  made  a  good  sauce  for  them.  He 
went  to  fetch  a  great  knife,  and  as  he  returned  to 
the  poor  children,  he  whetted  it  on  a  long  stone 
which  he  held  in  his  left  hand.  He  had  already 
seized  one,  when  his  wife  said  to  him,  — 

"  Why  do  you  do  it  at  this  hour  of  the  night  ? 
Will  it  not  be  time  enough  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Hold  thy  peace,"  replied  the  ogre,  "  they  will 
be  all  the  more  tender." 

"But  you  have  already  so  much  on  hand,"  she 
persisted.     "  Here  is  a  calf,  two  sheep,  and  half  a 

5) 
Pig- 

"  Thou  art  right,"  said  the  Ogre.  "  Give  them 
a  good  supper,  that  they  may  not  fall  away,  and 
put  them  to  bed."  The  good  woman  was  greatly 
rejoiced  and  brought  the  children  plenty  for  sup- 
per, but  they  could  eat  nothing,  so  terrified  were 
they.  As  for  the  ogre,  he  seated  himself  to  drink 
again,  much  pleased  to  think  that  he  had  such  a 
feast  in  store  for  his  friends,  and  drained  a  dozen 
goblets  more  than  usual,  so  that  his  head  began  to 
ache,  and  he  went  to  bed. 

The  ogre  had  seven  daughters,  who  were  still 
very  young.  They  had  the  most  beautiful  com- 
plexions, in  consequence  of  their  eating  raw  flesh 
like  their  father,  but  they  had  very  small  round 
gray  eyes,  hooked  noses,  and  very  large  mouths 
with  long  teeth,  exceedingly  sharp  and  wide  apart. 
They  were  not  very  vicious,  as  yet,  but  they 
showed  that  they  would  be,  for  they  had  already 
begun  to  bite  little  boys.  They  had  been  sent  to 
bed  early,  and  were  all  seven  in  a  large  bed,  each 
wearing  a  crown  of  gold  on  her  head.  In  the 
same  room  was  another  bed  just  as  large.  Into 
this  the  ogre's  wife  put  the  seven  little  boys  to 
sleep,  while  she  went  off  to  her  husband. 

Hop-o-my-Thumb  had  noticed  that  the  ogre's 
daughters  all  wore  golden  crowns  on  their  heads, 


HOP-  0--MT-THUMB. 


73 


and  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  fearing  that  the  He  then  went  to  the  bed  where  his  daughters 
ogre  might  come  up  in  the  dark  and  dispatch  slept,  and  passing  his  hand  over  their  heads,  felt: 
them,  he  got  up,  took  off  the  night-caps  from  his  the  little  night-caps.  "  Aha !  "  he  cried,  "  Here 
and  his  brothers'  heads  and  went  very  softly  to  are  our  young  wags.  Let  us  to  work  at  once.'" 
the  bed  where  the  little  ogresses  were  sleeping  ;      So   saying,  he   immediately  cut  the  throats  of  his' 

seven  daughters, 
and  then  wiping 
his  knife  with 
satisfaction,  went 
back  to  bed  again. 
As  soon  as  Hop- 
o'-m  y-T  h  u  m  b 
heard  the  ogre 
snoring,  he  woke 
his  brothers,  and 
bade  them  dress 
themselves  quick- 
ly and  follow 
him.  They  went 
down  softly  into 
the  garden  and 
jumped  over  the 
wall.  They  ran 
all  the  rest  of 
the  night  in  fear 
and  trembling, 
not  knowing 
whither  t  h  e  y 
should  flee. 

The  ogre,  on 
awaking  in  the 
morning,  said  to 
his  wife,  "  Get 
up-stairs  and 
dress  the  little 
rogues  you  took 
in  last  night." 
She     was     much 


then  he  removed 
their  golden 
crowns  and  put 
on  their  heads  the 
night-caps,  after 
which  he  put  the 
crowns  on  his 
brothers'  heads 
and  his  own,  and 
crept  into  bed 
again.  Matters 
turned  out  just  as 
he  had  expected. 
The  ogre  grew 
impatient  and 
could  not  wait  for 
morning  to  come. 
He  jumped  out  of 
bed,  and  seizing 
his  great  knife, 
said, — 

"Let  us  go  and 
see  how  our  young 
rogues  are  now ; 
we  won't  make 
two  bites  at  a 
cherry."  So  he 
stole  on  tiptoe  up 
to  the  chamber, 
and  came  to  the 
bed  where  the 
little  boys  lay, 
w  h  o  were  all 
asleep  except  Hop-o'-my-Thumb.  He  was  dread- 
fully frightened  when  the  ogre  placed  his  hand 
upon  his  head  to  feel  it,  as  he  had  in  turn  felt 
those  of  all  his  brothers.  The  ogre,  who  felt  the 
golden  crowns,  was  puzzled. 

"  Truly,"  said  he,"  I  was  about  to  do  a  pretty 
job.     I  must   have   drank   too  much   last  night. 
10 


Tke  Giditt  O^re  m  his  Seven,  Lea.bueBoots. 
pur.sm.u<s.  Ko|j o'myTkiunb  &Ais  Brotkrs,wbhidei»tciCave^. 


astonished  at  the  kindness  of  her  husband,  not 
suspecting  the  sort  of  dressing  he  meant,  and 
supposing  he  had  ordered  her  to  go  and  put  their 
clothes  on  them.  She  went  up-stairs  quickly, 
and  there  she  saw  their  seven  daughters  all  dead 
in  their  beds.  She  fainted  away  at  the  sight,  and 
the   ogre,  waiting    and  wondering   why  his   wife 


74 


THE  BOOK  OF   WONDERS. 


did  not  come,  went  up-stairs  to  see  what  was  the 
matter. 

"  Ha !  what  have  I  done !  "  he  exclaimed. 
"  But  these  wretches  shall  pay  for  it  speedily." 
He  threw  a  basin  of  water  in  his  wife's  face  to 
revive  her  and  said,  "  Quick  !  get  me  my  seven- 
league  boots  that  I  may  go  and  catch  them !  " 
He  set  out,  and  after  running  in  every  direction 
came  at  last  upon  the  track  of  the  poor  children, 
who  were  not  above  a  hundred  yards  from  their 
father's  house.  They  saw  the  ogre  striding  from 
bill  to  hill,  and  stepping  over  rivers  as  easily  as 
if  they  were  brooks.  Hop-o'-my-Thumb  discover- 
ing a  hollow  rock  close  by  where  they  were,  bade 
his  brothers  hide  in  it,  while  he  crept  in  after- 
ward and  kept  watch  at  the  entrance.  The  ogre 
by  this  time  was  very  tired,  for  seven-league  boots 
are  fatiguing  to  the  wearer,  and  sat  down  to  rest 
upon  the  very  rock  in  which  the  little  boys  had 
hidden  themselves.  There  be  fell  sound  asleep, 
and  began  to  snore  so  dreadfully  that  the  children 
were  quite  as  frightened  as  when  they  were  in  his 
house. 

Hop-o'-my-Thumb  whispered  to  his  brothers  to 
run  quickly  into  their  house  and  not  be  uneasy 
about  him.  They  did  as  he  told  them,  and  were 
soon  in  the  wood-cutter's  home.  Then  Hop-o'-my- 
Thumb,  when  he  saw  them  safely  housed,  stole  up 
to  the  ogre,  pulled  off  his  boots,  and  got  into  them 


himself.  The  boots,  to  fit  the  Ogre,  were  very 
large  and  very  long,  but  being  fairy  boots  they 
had  the  knack  of  exactly  fitting  every  leg  they 
were  put  on,  so  they  were  just  the  right  size  for 
Hop-o'-my-Thumb.  He  went  straight  to  the 
ogre's  house,  where  he  found  the  ogre's  wife 
weeping  bitterly  over  her  daughters. 

"  Your  husband,"  said  he,  "  is  in  great  danger, 
for  he  has  been  seized  by  a  band  of  robbers  who 
threaten  to  kill  him  if  he  does  not  give  them  all 
his  gold  and  silver.  At  the  moment  they  had 
their  daggers  at  his  throat,  he  discovered  me,  and 
begged  me  to  come  and  tell  you  the  plight  he  was 
in,  and  to  give  me  all  the  money  he  had,  else  they 
would  kill  him  without  mercy.  He  bade  me  wear 
his  seven-league  boots,  which  you  see  I  have  on, 
that  I  might  make  haste,  and  that  you  might 
know  I  was  not  imposing  on  you." 

The  good  woman,  very  much  alarmed,  imme- 
diately gave  him  all  the  money  there  was  in  the 
house,  for  the  ogre  was  a  good  husband  to  her  in 
spite  of  his  temper  and  his  fondness  for  little  boys. 
So  Hop-o'-my-Thumb,  laden  with  treasures,  hast- 
ened back  to  his  father's  house,  where  they  lived 
ever  after  happily  together.  As  for  the  ogre,  he 
had  gi'own  so  heavy  that  he  could  not  get  about 
without  his  seven-league  boots,  so  there  he  lay  in 
the  sun  and  the  crows  came  after  he  died  and 
picked  all  the  skin  off  his  bones. 


A    FEW    SOXGS. 


LITTLE   BIRDIE. 

What  does  little  birdie  say- 
In  her  uest  at  peep  of  day  ? 

"  Let  me  fly,"  says  little  birdie, 

"  Mother,  let  me  fly  away."  — 

fi  Birdie,  rest  a  little  longer, 
Till  the  little  wings  are  stronger." 
So  she  rests  a  little  longer, 
Then  she  flies  away. 

What  does  little  baby  say 

In  her  bed  at  peep  of  day  ? 

Baby  says,  like  little  birdie, 
"  Let  me  rise,  and  fly  away."  — 
"  Baby,  sleep  a  little  longer, 

Till  the  little  limbs  are  stronger. 

If  she  sleeps  a  little  longer, 

Baby  too  shall  fly  away." 

Alfred  Tennyson. 


THE   LAMB. 

Little  lamb,  who  made  thee  ? 

Dost  thou  know  who  made  thee, 
Gave  thee  life,  and  made  thee  feed 
By  the  stream  and  o'er  the  mead  ? 
Gave  inee  clothing  of  delight,  — 
Softest  clothing,  woolly,  bright  ? 
Gave  thee  such  a  tender  voice, 
Making  all  the  vales  rejoice  ? 

Little  lamb,  who  made  thee  ? 

Dost  thou  know  who  made  thee  ? 

Little  lamb,  I  '11  tell  thee  ; 

Little  lamb,  I  '11  tell  thee  : 
He  is  called  by  thy  name, 
For  He  calls  Himself  a  lamb. 


He  is  meek,  and  He  is  mild ; 
He  became  a  little  child  : 
I  a  child,  and  thou  a  lamb, 
We  are  called  by  His  name. 

Little  lamb,  God  bless  thee  ! 

Little  lamb,  God  bless  thee  ! 

William  Blake. 

THE    CHILD'S   DESIRE. 

I  think,  as  I  read  that  sweet  story  of  old, 

When  Jesus  was  here  among  men, 
How  He  called  little  children  as  lambs  to  His  fold, 

I  should  like  to  have  been  with  them  then. 
I  wish  that  His  hands  had  been  placed  on  my  head, 

That  His  arms  had  been  thrown  around  me, 
And  that  I  might  have  seen  His  kind  look  when  He 
said, 

"  Let  the  little  ones  come  unto  me." 

But  still  to  His  footstool  in  prayer  I  may  go, 

And  ask  for  a  share  in  His  love  ; 
And  if  I  thus  earnestly  seek  Him  below, 

I  shall  see  Him  and  hear  Him  above, 
In  that  beautiful  place  He  has  gone  to  prepare 

For  all  that  are  washed  and  forgiven  ; 
And  many  dear  children  are  gathering  there, 

"  For  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

Jemima  Luke. 


THE    LITTLE    DOVES. 

High  on  the  top  of  an  old  pine-tree 
Broods  a  mother-dove  with  her  young  ones  three. 
Warm  over  them  is  her  soft,  downy  breast, 
And  they  sing  so  sweetly  in  their  nest. 
"  Coo,"  say  the  little  ones,  "  Coo,"  says  she, 
All  in  their  nest  on  the  old  pine-tree. 


76 


A  FEW  SONGS. 


Soundly  they  sleep  through  the  moonshiny  night, 
Each  young  one  covered  and  tucked  in  tight ; 
Morn  wakes  them  up  with  the  first  blush  of  light, 
And  they  sing  to  each  other  with  all  their  might. 
"  Coo,"  say  the  little  ones,  "  Coo,"  says  she. 
All  in  their  nest  on  the  old  pine-tre& 


Where  the  purple  violet  grows, 
Where  the  bubbling  water  flows, 
Where  the  grass  is  fresh  and  fine, 
Pretty  cow,  go  there  and  dine. 

Jane  Taylor 


When  in  the  nest  they  are  all  left  alone, 

While  their  mother  far  for  their  dinner  has  flown, 

Quiet  and  gentle  they  all  remain, 

Till  their  mother  they  see  come  home  again. 

Then  "  Coo,"  say  the  little  ones,  "  Coo,"  says  she, 

All  in  their  nest  on  the  old  pine-tree, 

When  they  are  fed  by  their  tender  mother, 

One  never  will  push  nor  crowd  another  : 

Each  opens  widely  his  own  little  bill, 

And  he  patiently  waits,  and  gets  his  fill. 

Then,  "  Coo,"  say  the  little  ones,  "  Coo,"  says  she, 

All  in  their  nest  on  the  old  pine-tree. 

Wisely  the  mother  begins  by  and  by 

To  make  her  young  ones  learn  to  fly  ; 

Just  for  a  little  way  over  the  brink, 

Then  back  to  the  nest  as  quick  as  a  wink. 

And  •'  Coo,"  say  the  little  ones,  "  Coo,"  says  she, 

All  in  their  nest  on  the  old  pine-tree. 

Fast  grow  the  young  ones,  day  and  night, 

Till  their  wings  are  plumed  for  a  longer  flight ; 

Till  unto  them  at  the  last  draws  nigh 

The  time  when  they  all  must  say  "  Good-by." 

Then  "  Coo,"  say  the  little  ones,  "  Coo,"  says  she, 

And  away  they  fly  from  the  old  pine-tree. 

Carols,  Hymns,  and  Songs. 


PRETTY   COW. 

Thank  you,  pretty  cow,  that  made 
Pleasant  milk  to  soak  my  bread, 
Every  day  and  every  night, 
Warm,  and  fresh,  and  sweet,  and  white. 


TWINKLE,   TWINKLE. 


Twinkle,  twinkle,  little  star 
How  I  wonder  what  you  are ! 
Up  above  the  world  so  high, 
Like  a  diamond  in  the  sky. 


When  the  glorious  sun  is  set, 
"spf     When  the  grass  with  dew  is  wet, 
Then  you  show  your  little  light, 
Twinkle,  twinkle,  all  the  night. 

In  the  dark-blue  sky  you  keep, 
And  often  through  my  curtains  peep ; 
For  you  never  shut  your  eye 
Till  the  sun  is  in  the  sky. 

As  your  bright  and  tiny  spark 
Lights  the  traveler  in  the  dark, 
Though  I  know  not  what  you  are, 
Twinkle,  twinkle,  little  star ! 


WILLIE   WINKIE. 


Do  not  chew  the  hemlock  rank, 
Growing  on  the  weedy  bank ; 
But  the  yellow  cowslips  eat, 
That  will  make  it  very  sweet. 


Wee  Willie  Winkie  rins  through  the  town, 

Up  stairs  and  doon  stairs,  in  his  nicht  gown, 

Tirlin'  at  the  window,  cryin'  at  the  lock, 

Are  the  weans  in  their  bed?  —  for  it's  now  ten  o'clock. 


GOOD-NIGHT  AND    GOOD-MORNING. 


77 


Hey,  Willie  Winkie !  are  ye  comin'  ben  ? 

The  cat's  singin'  gay  thrums  to  the  sleepin'  hen, 

The   doug's    speldered   on  the   floor,  and   disna   gie  a 

cheep ; 
But  here 's  a  waukrife  laddie  that  winna  fa'  asleep. 

Onything   but   sleep,    ye    rogue !  —  glowerin'   like    the 

moon, 
Rattlin'  in  an  aim  jug  wi'  an  aim  spoon, 
Rumblin',  tumblin'  roun'  about,  crawin'  like  a  cock, 
Skirlin'  like  a  kenua  what —  waukeriu'  sleepin'  folk. 

Hey,  Willie  Winkie  !   the  wean's  in  a  creel ! 
Waumblin'  aff  a  bodie's  knee,  like  a  vera  eel, 
Ruggin'  at  the  cat's  lug,  and  ravellin'  a'  her  thrums  : 
Hey,  Willie  Winkie!  —  See,  there  he  comes! 

Weary  is  the  mither  that  has  a  storie  wean, 
A  wee  stumpie  stonesie,  that  canna  rin  his  lane, 
That  has  a  battle  aye  wi'  sleep  before  he  '11  close  an  ee ; 
But  a  kiss  frae  aff  his  rosy  lips  gies  strength  anew  to 
me. 

William  Miller. 


Rattling  in  an  iron  jug 

With  an  iron  spoon, 

Rumbling,  tumbling  all  about, 

Crowing  like  a  cock, 

Screaming  like  I  don't  know  what, 

Waking  sleeping  folk. 

:'  Hey  !  Willie  Winkie, 
Can't  you  keep  him  still  ? 
Wriggling  off  a  body's  knee 
Like  a  very  eel, 
Pulling  at  the  cat's  ear, 
As  she  drowsy  hums, — 
Heigh,  Willie  Winkie, 
See  !  there  he  comes  ! " 

Wearied  is  the  mother 
That  has  a  restless  wean, 
A  wee,  stumpie  bairnie 
Heard  whene'er  he  's  seen  — 
That  has  a  battle  aye  with  sleep 
Before  he  '11  close  an  e'e  ; 
But  a  kiss  from  off  his  rosy  lips 
Gives  strength  anew  to  me. 


THE    SAME,   WITH   THE    SCOTTICISMS 
CHANGED. 

Wee  Willie  Winkie 
Runs  through  the  town, 
Up  stairs  and  down  stairs 
In  his  night  gown. 
Tapping  at  the  window, 
Crying  at  the  lock, 
*'  Are  the  weans  in  their  bed, 
For  it's  now  ten  o'clock?" 

"  Hey  !  Willie  Winkie, 
Are  you  coming  then  ? 
The  cat 's  singing  Purrie 
'io  the  sleeping  hen, 
The  dog  is  lying  on  the  floor, 
And  does  not  even  peep  ; 
But  here's  a  wakeful  laddie 
That  will  not  fall  asleep." 

Anything  but  sleep,  you  rogue ! 
Glowring  like  the  moon! 


GOOD-NIGHT   AND    GOOD-MORNING. 

A  fair  little  girl  sat  under  a  tree, 

Sewing  as  long  as  her  eyes  could  see ; 

Then  smoothed  her  work,  and  folded  it  right, 

And  said,  "  Dear  work,  good-night !  good-night!  " 

Such  a  number  of  rooks  came  over  her  head, 

Crying,  "  Caw  !  caw !  "  on  their  way  to  bed  ; 

She  said,  as  she  watched  their  curious  flight, 

"  Little  black  things,  good-night !  good-night ! '" 

The  horses  neighed,  and  the  oxen  lowed, 
The  sheep's  "  Bleat !   bleat !  "  came  over  the  road, 
All  seeming  to  say,  with  a  quiet  delight, 
"  Good  little  girl,  good-night !  good-night !  " 

She  did  not  say  to  the  sun  "  Good-night!  " 
Though  she  saw  him  there,  like  a  ball  of  light ; 
For  she  knew  he  had  God's  time  to  keep 
All. over  the  world,  and  never  could  sleep. 


78 


A  FEW  SONGS. 


The  tall  pink  foxglove  bowed  his  head, 
The  violets  curtsied,  and  went  to  bed ; 
And  good  little  Lucy  tied  up  her  hair, 
And  said,  on  her  knees,  her  favorite  prayer. 

And,  while  on  her  pillow  she  softly  lay, 
She  knew  nothing  more  till  again  it  was  day, 
And  all  things  said  to  the  beautiful  sun, 
'  Good-morning  !  good-morning !  our  work  is  begun ! " 
Richard  Monkton  Milnes. 


And  I  will  sing  a  lullaby, 
Rock  them,  rock  them,  lullaby. 

Thomas  Dekke 

CRADLE    SONG. 

Hush,  my  babe,  lie  still  and  slumber : 

Holy  angels  guard  thy  bed  ; 
Heavenly  blessings  without  number, 

Gently  falling  on  thy  head. 


GENTLE   JESUS,    MEEK   AND   MILD. 

Gentle  Jesus,  meek  and  mild, 
Look  upon  a  little  child  ; 
Pity  my  simplicity, 
Suffer  me  to  come  to  Thee. 

Fain  I  would  to  Thee  be  brought ; 
Gracious  God,  forbid  it  not: 
In  the  kingdom  of  Thy  grace 
Give  a  little  child  a  place. 

Oh,  supply  my  every  want, 
Feed  the  young  and  tender  plant ; 
Day  and  night  my  keeper  be, 
Every  moment  watch  o'er  me. 


LULLABY. 

Golden  slumbers  kiss  your  eyes, 
Smiles  awake  when  you  do  rise ; 
Sleep,  pretty  wantons  ;  do  not  cry, 
And  I  will  sing  a  lullaby, 
Rock  them,  rock  them,  lullaby. 

Care  is  heavy,  therefore  sleep  you  ; 
You  are  care,  and  care  must  keep  you ; 
Sleep,  pretty  wantons ;  do  not  cry, 


Sleep,  my  babe,  thy  food  and  raiment, 
House  and  home,  thy  friends  provide: 

All  without  thy  care  or  payment, 
All  thy  wants  are  well  supplied. 

See  the  lovely  babe  a-dressing ; 

Lovely  infant,  how  He  smiled  ! 
When  He  wept,  the  mother's  blessing 

Soothed  and  hushed  the  Holy  Child. 

Lo,  He  slumbers  in  the  manger, 

Where  the  horned  oxen  fed  ! 
Peace,  my  darling  ;  here 's  no  danger  ; 

There  's  no  oxen  near  thy  bed. 

'T  was  to  save  thee,  child,  from  dying, 
Save  my  dear  from  sin  and  shame, 

'Twas  to  lead  thee  home  to  heaven, 
That  thy  blest  Redeemer  came. 

Mayst  thou  live  to  know  and  fear  Him, 
Trust  and  love  Him  all  thy  days  ; 

Then  go  dwell  forever  near  Him. 
See  His  face,  and  sing  His  praise. 

I  could  give  thee  thousand  kisses, 

Hoping  what  I  most  desire  ; 
Not  a  mother's  fondest  wishes 

Can  to  greater  joys  aspire. 

Isaac  Watts. 


THE   BOOK   OF   POPULAR  TALES. 


CINDERELLA;   OR,   THE   GLASS   SLIPPER. 


There  was  once  an  honest  gentleman  who  was 
left  a  widower  with  one  little  daughter,  the  image 
of  her  mother,  beautiful  in  face  and  lovely  in 
temper.  He  thought  it  well  to  marry  again,  for 
he  was  lonely  and  he  wished  for  some  one  who 
should  take  care  of  his  child.  But  though  his 
second  wife  was  a  handsome  woman  she  was  very 
haughty,  and  she  had  two  daughters  by  a  former 
marriage,  who  were  as  proud  and  disagreeable  as 
herself.  The  lady  appeared  very  well  before  the 
wedding,  but  no  sooner  was  that  over  than  she 
began  to  show  her  evil  temper.  She  could  not 
bear  her  step-daughter,  who  was  so  amiable  that 
her  own  ill-natured  children  seemed  more  dis- 
agreeable than  before,  and  she  compelled  the  poor 
girl  to  do  all  the  drudgery  of  the  household.  It 
was  she  who  washed  the  dishes,  and  scrubbed 
down  the  stairs,  and  polished  the  floors  in  my 
lady's  chamber,  and  in  those  of  the  two  pert 
misses,  her  daughters  ;  and  while  the  latter  slept 
on  good  feather-beds  in  elegant  rooms  furnished 
with  full-length  looking-glasses  in  which  they 
could  admire  themselves  all  day  long,  their  sister 
lay  in  a  wretched  garret  on  an  old  straw  mattress. 
Yet  the  poor  thing  bore  this  ill  treatment  very 
meekly,  and  did  not  dare  complain  to  her  father, 
for  he  was  so  blind  to  his  wife's  faults  that  he 
would  only  have  scolded  the  child. 

When  her  work  was  done,  she  used  to  sit  in  the 
chimney-corner  amongst  the  cinders,  so  that  the 
two  sisters  gave  her  the  nickname  of  Cinderella, 
or,  the  cinder-wench ;  yet,  for  all  her  shabby 
clothes,  Cinderella  was  a  hundred  times  prettier 
than  they,  let  them  be  dressed  ever  so  magnifi- 
cently. 


It  happened  that  the  king's  son  gave  a  ball  to 
which  he  invited  all  the  rich  and  the  grand  ;  and 
as  our  two  young  ladies  made  a  great  figure  in 
the  world,  they  were  to  be  at  the  ball,  and  per- 
haps would  dance  with  the  prince.  So  they  were 
at  once  very  busy  choosing  what  head-dress  and 
which  gown  would  be  the  most  becoming.  Here 
was  fresh  work  for  poor  Cinderella  ;  for  it  was 
she,  forsooth,  who  was  to  starch  and  get  up  their 
ruffles,  and  iron  all  their  fine  linen  ;  and  they 
talked  of  nothing  but  their  fine  clothes  all  day 
long.  "  I,"  said  the  elder,  "  shall  put  on  my 
red  velvet  dress,  with  my  point-lace  trimmings." 
"And  I,"  said  the  younger  sister,  "shall  wear 
my  ordinary  petticoat,  but  shall  set  it  off  with  my 
gold  brocaded  train  and  my  circlet  of  diamonds, 
and  what  can  be  finer  than  that  ?  "  They  sent 
for  a  clever  tire-woman,  for  they  were  to  have 
double  rows  of  quilling  on  their  caps,  and  they 
bought  a  quantity  of  elegant  ribbons  and  bows. 
They  called  in  Cinderella,  to  take  her  advice,  as 
she  had  such  good  taste  ;  and  Cinderella  not  only 
advised  them  well,  but  offered  to  dress  their  hail-, 
which  they  were  pleased  to  accept.  While  she 
was  thus  busied,  the  sisters  said  to  her,  "  And 
pray,  Cinderella,  would  you  like  to  go  to  the 
ball  ?  "  "  Nay,  you  are  mocking  me,"  replied 
the  poor  girl ;  "  it  is  not  for  such  as  I  to  go  to 
balls."  "True  enough,"  rejoined  they;  "folks 
would  laugh  to  see  a  cinder-wench  at  a  court 
ball." 

Any  other  but  Cinderella  would  have  dressed 
their  hair  awry  to  spite  them  for  their  rudeness  ; 
but  she  was  so  good-natured  that  she  went  on  and 
dressed  them  more  becomingly  than  ever  they  had 


80 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


been  in  their  lives  before.  The  two  sisters  were 
so  delighted  that  they  scarcely  ate  a  morsel  for  a 
couple  of  days.  And  besides,  it  was  not  easy  to 
eat  much,  for  they  were  laced  tight,  to  make  their 
waists  as  slender  as  possible ;  indeed,  more  than 
a  dozen  stay-laces  were  broken  in  the  attempt. 
But  they  were  perfectly  contented  to  spend 
their  whole  time  before  a  looking-glass, 
where  they  nodded  their  plumes,  and 
turned  and  turned  to  see  how  they 
looked  behind. 

The    long  -  wished  -  for    evening 
came    at   last,    and    off    they  set. 
Cinderella's    eyes    folio  wet 
them  as    long    as    she    could, 
and  then  she  sat  down  and 
began  to  weep.     Her  god- 
mother now  appeared, 
and  seeing  her  in  tears    ^ 
inquired  //?!r§Eill 

what  was      ,- 
the  mat- 
ter.    "I    £ 


j  sxawy  ~^i  wish 

'^J  I  wish," 
began 
the  poor  girl,  but  her  voice 
was  choked  with  tears.  "  You 
wish  that  you  could  go  to 
the  ball,"  interrupted  her 
godmother,  who  was  a  fairy. 
"  Indeed  I  do  !  "  said  Cin- 
%  - ;  V  8b||  derella,  with  a  sigh.  "  Well, 
then,  if  you  will  be  a  good 
girl,  you  shall  go,"  said  her  godmother.  "  Run 
quick  and  fetch  me  a  pumpkin  from  the  garden." 
Cinderella  flew  to  gather  the  finest  pumpkin  she 
could  find,  though  she  could  not  understand  how  it 
could  possibly  help  her  to  go  to  the  ball.  But  her 
godmother,  scooping  it  quite  hollow,  touched  it 
with  her  wand,  when  it  was  immediately  changed 


into  a  gilt  coach.  She  then  went  to  the  mouse-trap, 
where  she  found  six  live  mice,  and  bidding  Cinder- 
ella let  them  out  one  by  one,  she  changed  each 
mouse  into  a  fine  dapple  gray  horse  by  a  stroke 
of  her  wand.  But  what  was  she  to  do  for  a  coach- 
man ?  Cinderella  proposed  to  look  for  a  rat  in  the 
rat-trap.  "  That 's  a  good  thought," 
quoth  her  godmother  ;  "  so  go  and 
see."  Back  came  Cinderella  with  the 
rat-trap,  in  which  were  three  large 
rats.  The  fairy  chose  one  that  had 
a  tremendous  pair  of  whiskers,  and 
forthwith  changed  him  into  a  coach- 
man with  the  finest  mustachios  ever 
seen. 

"  Now,"  said   she,     "  go   into  the 
garden,    and    bring    me    six   lizards, 
which  you  will  find  behind  the  water- 
ing-pot."      These    were    no    sooner 
brought,  than,  lo  !    with   a  touch  of 
the  wand  they  were  turned  into  six 
footmen,  with  laced  liveries,  who  got 
up  behind  the   coach  just   as  natui-- 
ally  as  if  they  had  done  nothing  else 
all  their  lives.     The   Fairy  then  said 
to  Cinderella  :     "  Now  here    is  your 
coach  and   six,   your    coachman   and 
your  footmen,  all   to  take   you   to  the  ball  ;  are 
you    not  pleased?"     "But   must   I   go   in   these 
dirty    clothes  ? "    said    Cinderella,   timidly.     Her 
godmother  smiled  and  just  touched  her  with  her 
wand,  when  her  shabby  clothes  were  changed  to  a 
dress  of    gold  and  silver  tissue,  all    decked  with 
precious  stones.     Then  she  put  upon  her  feet  the 
prettiest    pair  of    glass    slippers  ever  seen.     Cin- 
derella now  got    into    the   carriage,  after  having 
been  warned  by  her  godmother  upon  no  account 
to  prolong  her  stay  beyond  midnight,  for  if  she 
should  remain  a  moment  longer  at  the  ball  her 
coach  would  again  become  a  pumpkin,  her  horses 
mice,    her    footmen    lizards,   while    her    beautiful 
clothes  would    become  the    shabby  gown  of   the 
poor  girl  that  sat  among  the  cinders.     Cinderella 
promised  she  would  not  fail  to  leave  the  ball  be- 
fore midnight,  and  set  off  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight. 


CINDERELLA;    OR,    THE    GLASS  SLIPPER. 


81 


When  she  Arrived  it  was  in  such  state  that  the 
king's  son,  hearing  that  some  great  princess,  un- 
known at  court,  had  just  appeared,  went  to  hand 
her  out  of  her  carriage,  and  brought  her  into  the 
hall  where  the  company  was  assembled.  The  mo- 
ment she  appeared  all  voices  were  hushed,  the 
violins  ceased  playing,  and  the  dancing  stopped 
short,  so  great  was  the  sensation  produced  by  the 
stranger's  beauty.  A  confused  murmur  of  ad- 
miration fluttered  through  the  crowd,  and  each 
was  fain  to  exclaim,  "  How  surpassingly  lovely 
she  is  !  "  Even  the  king,  old  as  he  was,  could  not 
forbear  admiring  her  like  the  rest,  and  whispered 
to  the  queen  that  she  was  certainly  the  fairest 
and    comeliest  woman    he  had   seen  for    many  a 


and  stretch  herself,  and  rub  her  eyes  and  saying, 
"  How  late  you  are !  "  just  as  if  she  had  been 
waked  up  out  of  a  nap,  though,  one  may  readily 
believe,  she  had  never  felt  less  disposed  to  sleep 
in  her  life.  "  If  you  had  been  to  the  ball,"  said 
one  of  the  sisters,  "  you  would  not  have  thought 
it  late.  There  came  the  most  beautiful  princess 
that  ever  was  seen,  who  loaded  us  with  polite  at- 
tentions, and  gave  us  oranges  and  citrons." 

Cinderella  inquired  the  name  of  the  princess. 
But  they  replied  that  nobody  knew  her  name,  and 
that  the  king's  son  was  in  great  trouble  about  her, 
and  would  give  the  world  to  know  who  she  could 
be.  "  Is  she,  then,  so  very  beautiful  ?  "  said  Cin- 
derella, smiling;.     "  Ah  !  how  I  should  like  to  see 


long  day.     As  for  the  ladies,  they  were  all  busy      her  !     Oh,  do,  my  Lady  Javotte,  lend  me  the  yel- 


examining  her  head-dress  and  her  clothes,  in  order 
to  get  similar  ones  the  very  next  day,  if,  indeed, 
they  could  meet  with  stuffs  of  such  rich  patterns, 
and  find  work-women  clever  enough  to  make  them 

Tip. 

After  leading  her  to  the  place  to  which  her 
rank  seemed  to  entitle  her,  the  king's  son  re- 
quested her  hand  for  the  next  dance,  when  she 
displayed  so  much  grace  that  her  beauty  was 
heightened,  and  people  said  they  had  not  praised 
her  half  enough  before.  An  elegant  supper  was 
brought  in,  but  the  young  prince  was  so  taken  up 
with  gazing  at  the  fair  stranger,  that  he  did  not 
touch  a  morsel.  Cinderella  went  and  sat  by  her 
sisters,  sharing  with  them  the  oranges  and  citrons 
the  prince  had  offered  her,  much  to  their  surjDiise 
and  delight,  for  they  felt  highly  flattered,  never 
dreaming  who  it  really  was. 

When  Cinderella  heard  the  clock  strike  three 
quarters  past  eleven,  she  made  a  low  courtesy  to 
the  whole  assembly,  and  retired  in  haste.  On 
reaching  home,  she  found  her  godmother,  and 
after  thanking  her  for  the  delight  she  had  enjoyed 
she  ventured  to  express  a  wish  to  return  to  the 
ball  on  the  following  evening,  as  the  prince  had 
requested  her  to  do.  She  was  still  eagerly  telling 
her  godmother  all  that  had  happened  at  court, 
when  her  two  sisters  knocked  at  the  door.  Cin- 
derella went  and  let  them  in,  pretending  to  yawn 
11 


low  dress  you  'wear  every  day,  that  I  may  go  to 
the  ball  and  have  a  peep  at  this  wonderful  prin- 
cess." "  A  likely  story,  indeed  !  "  cried  Javotte, 
tossing  her  head  disdainfully,  "  that  I  should  lend 
my  clothes  to  a  dirty  cinder-wench  like  you !  " 
Cinderella  expected  to  be  refused,  and  was  not 
sorry  for  it,  as  she  would  have  been  very  much 
puzzled  wdiat  to  do  had  her  sister  really  lent  her 
the  dress  she  begged  to  have. 

On  the  following  evening  the  sisters  again  went 
to  the  court  ball,  and  so  did  Cinderella,  dressed 
even  more  magnificently  than  before.  The  king's 
son  never  once  left  her  side,  and  spent  his  whole 
time  in  waiting  upon  her.  He  talked  so  charm- 
ingly, and  whispered  so  many  delicate  speeches, 
that  the  young  lady  was  nothing  loath  to  listen  to 
him  ;  she  forgot  all  else,  she  forgot  her  godmoth- 
er's warning.  Eleven  o'clock  came,  but  she  did 
not  notice  the  striking ;  the  half-hour  struck,  but 
the  prince  grew  more  delightful,  and  Cinderella 
could  hear  nothing  else  ;  the  last  quarter  —  but 
still  Cinderella  sat  by  the  prince.  Then  the  great 
clock  sounded  the  midnight  stroke  ;  up  sprang 
Cinderella  and  like  a  startled  fawn  fled  from  the 
palace.  The  prince  started  to  follow  her,  but  she 
was  too  swift  for  him  ;  only,  as  she  flew  she 
dropped  one  of  her  glass  slippers,  which  he  picked 
up  very  eagerly.  The  last  stroke  died  away  as 
Cinderella  reached  the   great    staircase    that    led 


82 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


from  the  palace.  In  a  twinkling  the 
gay  lady  was  gone,  and  only  a  shab- 
by cinder-wench  went  running  down 
the  steps.  The  splendid  coach  and 
six,  driver  and  footmen,  had  van- 
ished ;  only  a  pumpkin  lay  on  the 
ground,  and  a  rat,  six  mice,  and  six 
lizards  scampered  off.  Cinderella 
reached  home,  quite  out  of  breath ; 
but  of  all  her  magnificence  nothing 
remained  save  a  little  glass  slipper, 
the  fellow  to  the  one  she  had  lost. 
The  sentinels  at  the  palace-gate  were 
closely  questioned  as  to  whether  they 
had  not  seen  a  princess  coming  out; 
but  they  answered  they  had  seen  no 
one  except  a  shabbily-dressed  girl, 
who  appeared  to  be  a  peasant  rather  than  a  young 
lady. 

When  the  two  sisters  returned  from  the  ball, 
Cinderella  asked  them  whether  they  had  been 
well  entertained,  and  whether  the  beautiful  lady 
was  there  ?  They  replied  that  she  was  ;  but  that 
she  had  run  away  as  soon  as  midnight  had  struck, 
and  so  quickly  as  to  drop  one  of  her  dainty  glass 
slippers,  which  the  king's  son  had  picked  up,  and 
was  looking  at  most  fondly  during  the  remainder 
of  the  ball ;  indeed,  it  seemed  beyond  a  doubt  that 
he  was  deeply  in  love  with  the  beautiful  creature 
to  whom  it  belonged. 

They  spoke  truly  enough  ;  for,  a  few  days  aft- 
erwards, the  king's  son  caused  a  proclamation  to 
be  made,  by  sound  of  trumpet,  all  over  the  king- 
dom, that  he  would  marry  her  whose  foot  should 
be  found  to  fit  the  slipper  exactly.  So  the  slipper 
was  first  tried  on  by  all  the  princesses ;  then  by 
all  the  duchesses  ;  and  next  by  all  the  persons  be- 
longing to  the  court ;  but  in  vain.  Then  it  was 
carried  to  all  the  fine  houses,  and  it  came  at  last 
to  the  two  sisters,  who  tried  with  all  their  might 
to  force  their  feet  into  the  fairy-like  slipper,  but 
with  no  better  success.  Cinderella,  who  was 
present,  now  laughed,  and  said,  "  Suppose  I  were 
to  try  ? "  Her  sisters  ridiculed  such  an  idea  ; 
but  the  gentleman  who  was  appointed  to  try  the 


Bra? 


slipper  looked  atten- 
tively at  Cinderella, 
and  perceiving  how 
beautiful  she  was,  said 
that  it  was  but  fair 
she  should  do  so,  as  he 
had  orders  to  try  it  on 
every  young  maiden  in 
the  kingdom.  So  Cin- 
derella sat  down,  and 
put  her  foot  on  a  stool 
to  have  the  slipper 
tried  on,  while  her 
sisters  looked  on  con- 
temptuously ;    but   no 

sooner  did  she  put  her  little  foot  to  the  slipper, 
than  she  drew  it  on,  and  it  fitted  like  wax.  The 
sisters  stood  amazed  ;  but  their  astonishment  in- 
creased tenfold  when  Cinderella  drew  the  fellow- 
slipper  out  of  her  pocket,  and  put  that  on.  Her 
godmother  then  made  her  appearance,  and  touch- 
ing Cinderella's  clothes  with  her  wand,  made  their. 
once  more  the  robes  of  a  princess,  but  even  more 
splendid  than  those  which  she  had  worn  at  the 
ball. 

Her  two  sisters  now  recognized  her  for  the  beau- 
tiful stranger  they  had  seen,  and,  falling  at  her 
feet,  implored  her  forgiveness  for  their  unworthy 


HANS  IN  LUCK. 


83 


treatment,  and  all   the  insults    they  had  heaped 
upon  her  head.  Cin- 
derella raised  them, 


saying, 
braced 


as  she  em- 
them,  that 
she  not  only  forgave 
thetn  with  all  her 
heart,  but  wished 
that  they  might  al- 
ways love  her.  The 
gentleman  in  wait- 
ing led  her  to  the 
palace  of  the  young- 
prince,  who  was 
overjoj'ed  at  discov- 


ering the  beautiful  maiden,  and  thought  her  more 

lovely  than  ever. 

So  they  were  mar- 
ried, and  Cinderella, 
who  was  as  good  as 
she  was  beautiful, 
and  wished  every 
one  about  her  to  be 
happy,  allowed  her 
sisters  to  lodge  in 
the  palace,  and  gave 
them  in  m arriage, 
that  same  day,  to 
two  lords  belonging 
to  the  court. 


HANS   IN   LUCK. 


Hans  had  served  his  master  seven  years,  and 
at  last  said  to  him,  "  Master,  my  time  is  up,  I 
should  like  to  go  home  and  see  my  mother ;  so 
give  me  my  wages."  And  the  master  said,  "You 
have  been  a  faithful  and  good  servant,  so  your  pay 
shall  be  handsome."  Then  he  gave  him  a  piece  of 
silver  that  was  as  big  as  his  head. 

Hans  took  out  his  pocket-handkerchief,  put  the 
piece  of  silver  into  it,  threw  it  over  his  shoulder, 
and  jogged  off  homewards.  As  he  went  lazily  on, 
dragging  one  foot  after  another,  a  man  came  in 
sight,  trotting  along  gayly  on  a  capital  horse. 
"  Ah  !  "  said  Hans  aloud,  "  what  a  fine  thing  it  is 
to  ride  on  horseback !  there  he  sits  as  if  he  was  at 
home  in  his  chair ;  he  trips  against  no  stones, 
spares  his  shoes,  and  yet  gets  on  he  hardly  knows 
how."  The  horseman  heard  this,  and  said,  "  Well, 
Hans,  why  do  you  go  on  foot  then  ?  "  "  Ah  !  " 
said  he,  "  I  have  this  load  to  carry;  to  be  sure  it 
is  silver,  but  it  is  so  heavy  that  I  can't  hold  up  my 
head,  and  it  hurts  my  shoulder  sadly."  "  What 
do  you  say  to  changing?  "  said  the  horseman  :  "  I 
will  give  you  my  horse,  and  you  shall  give  me  the 
silver."  "  With  all  my  heart,"  said  Hans  :  "  but 
I  tell  you  one  thing,  —  you  '11  have  a  weary  task 
to  drag  it  along."  The  horseman  got  off,  took  the 
silver,  helped  Hans  up,   put   the   bridle   into  his 


hand,  and  said,  "  When  you  want  to  go  very  fast, 
you  must  smack  your  lips  loud,  and  cry  '  Jip.'  " 

Hans  was  delighted  as  he  sat  on  the  horse,  and 
rode  merrily  on.  After  a  time  he  thought  he 
should  like  to  go  a  little  faster,  so  he  smacked  his 
lips  and  cried  "  Jip."  Away  went  the  horse  full 
gallop  ;  and  before  Hans  knew  what  he  was  about 
he  was  thrown  off,  and  lay  in  a  ditch  by  the  road- 
side ;  and  his  horse  would  have  run  away,  if  a 
shepherd  who  was  coming  by,  driving  a  cow,  had 
not  stopped  it.  Hans  soon  came  to  himself,  and 
got  upon  his  legs  again.  He  was  sadly  vexed,  and 
said  to  the  shepherd,  "  This  riding  is  no  joke  when 
a  man  gets  on  a  beast  like  this,  that  stumbles  and 
flings  him  off  as  if  he  would  break  his  neck.  How- 
ever,  I  am  off  now  once  for  all :  I  like  your  cow  a 
great  deal  better ;  one  can  walk  along  at  one's 
leisure  behind  her,  and  have  milk,  butter,  and 
cheese  every  day  into  the  bargain.  What  would 
I  give  to  have  such  a  cow!"  "Well,"  said  the 
shepherd,  "  if  you  are  so  fond  of  her,  I  will  change 
my  cow  for  your  horse."  "  Done  !  "  said  Hans, 
merrily.  The  shepherd  jumped  upon  the  horse 
and  away  he  rode. 

Hans  drove  off  his  cow  quietly,  and  thought  his 
bargain  a  very  lucky  one.  "  If  I  have  only  a  piece 
of  bread  (and  I  certainly  shall  be  able  to  get  that), 


84 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


I  can,  whenever  I  like,  eat  my  butter  and  cheese 
with  it ;  and  when  I  am  thirsty  I  can  milk  my 
cow  and  drink  the  milk :  what  can  I  wish  for 
more  ?  "  When  he  came  to  an  inn,  he  halted,  ate 
all  his  bread,  and  gave  away  his  last  penny  for  a 
glass  of  beer;  then  he  drove  his  cow  towards  his 
mother's  village ;  and  the  heat  grew  greater  as 
noon  came  on,  till  at  last  he  found  himself  on  a 
wide  heath  that  would  take  him  more  than  an 
hour  to  cross,  and  he  began  to  be  so  hot  and 
parched  that  his  tongue  clave  to  the  roof  of  his 
mouth.  "  I  can  find  a  cure  for  this,"  thought  he, 
"  now  will  I  milk  my  cow  and  quench  my  thirst;  " 
so  he  tied  her  to  the  stump  of  "a  tree,  and  held  his 
leathern  cap  to  milk  into ;  but  not  a  drop  was  to 
be  had. 

While  he  was  trying  his  luck  and  managing  the 
matter  very  clumsily,  the  uneasy  beast  gave  him 
a  kick  on  the  head  that  knocked  him  down,  and 
there  he  lay  a  long  while  senseless.  Luckily  a 
butcher  soon  came  by  driving  a  pig  in  a  wheel- 
barrow. "  What  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  "  said 
the  butcher,  as  he  helped  him  up.  Hans  told  him 
what  had  happened,  and  the  butcher  gave  him  a 
flask,  saying,  "  There,  drink  and  refresh  yourself  ; 
your  cow  will  give  you  no  milk  ;  she  is  an  old  beast, 
good  for  nothing  but  the  slaughter-house."  "  Alas, 
alas!"  said  Hans,  "who  would  have  thought  it? 
If  I  kill  her,  what  would  she  be  good  for  ?  I  hate 
cow-beef,  it  is  not  tender  enough  for  me.  If  it 
were  a  pig  now,  one  could  do  something  with  it ;  it 
would  at  any  rate  make  some  sausages."  "Well," 
said  the  butcher,  "  to  please  you  I  '11  change,  and 
give  you  the  pig  for  the  cow."  "  Heaven  reward 
you  for  your  kindness  !  "  said  Hans,  as  he  gave  the 
butcher  the  cow,  and  took  the  pig  off  the  wheel- 
barrow, and  drove  it  along,  holding  it  by  the 
string  that  was  tied  to  its  leg. 

So  on  he  jogged,  and  all  seemed  now  to  go  right 
with  him  ;  he  had  met  with  some  misfortunes,  to 
be  sure,  but  he  was  now  well  repaid  for  all.  The 
next  person  he  met  was  a  countryman  carrying  a 
fine  white  goose  under  his  arm.  The  countryman 
stopped  to  ask  what  o'clock  it  was ;  and  Hans  told 
him  all  his  luck,  and  how  he  had  made  so  many 


good  bargains.  The  countryman  said  he  was  go- 
ing to  take  the  goose  to  a  christening.  "  Feel," 
said  he,  "  how  heavy  it  is,  and  yet  it  is  only  eight 
weeks  old.  Whoever  roasts  and  eats  it  may  cut 
plenty  of  fat  off  it,  it  has  lived  so  well ! " 
"  You  're  right,''  said  Hans  as  he  weighed  it  in  his 
hand  ;  "  but  my  pig  is  no  trifle."  Meantime  the 
countryman  began  to  look  grave,  and  shook  his 
head.  "  Hark  ye,"  said  he,  "  my  good  friend ; 
your  pig  may  get  you  into  a  scrape ;  in  the  village 
I  just  came  from  the  squire  has  had  a  pig  stolen 
out  of  his  stye.  I  was  dreadfully  afraid,  when  I 
saw  you,  that  you  had  got  the  squire's  pig ;  it  will 
be  a  bad  job  if  they  catch  you :  the  least  they  '11 
do  will  be  to  throw  you  into  the  horse  pond." 

Poor  Hans  was  sadly  frightened.  "  Good  man," 
cried  he,  "  pray  get  me  out  of  this  scrape ;  you 
know  this  country  better  than  I,  take  my  pig  and 
give  me  the  goose."  "  I  ought  to  have  something 
into  the  bargain,"  said  the  countryman;  "how- 
ever, I  will  not  bear  hard  upon  you,  as  you  are  in 
trouble."  Then  he  took  the  string  in  his  hand, 
and  drove  off  the  pig  by  a  side  path  ;  while  Hans 
went  on  the  way  homewards  free  from  care. 
"After  all,"  thought  he,  "I  have  the  best  of  the 
bargain:  first  there  will  be  a  capital  roast;  then 
the  fat  will  find  me  in  goose-grease  for  six  months  ; 
and  there  are  all  the  beautiful  white  feathers ;  I 
will  put  them  into  my  pillow,  and  then  I  am 
sure  I  shall  sleep  soundly  without  rocking.  How 
happy  my  mother  will  be  !  " 

As  he  came  to  the  last  village,  he  saw  a  scissors- 
grinder,  with  his  wheel,  working  away,  and  sing- 


"  O'er  hill  and  o'er  dale  so  happy  I  roam, 
Work  light  and  live  well,  all  the  world  is  my  home ; 
Who  so  blythe,  so  merry  as  I  ?  " 

Hans  stood  looking  for  a  while,  and  at  last  said, 
"  You  must  be  well  off,  master  grinder,  you  seem 
so  happy  at  your  work."  "Yes,"  said  the  other, 
"  mine  is  a  golden  trade ;  a  good  grinder  never 
puts  his  hand  in  his  pocket  without  finding  money 
in  it ;  —  but  where  did  you  get  that  beautiful 
goose ?  "  "I  did  not  buy  it,  but  changed  a  pig  for 
it."     "And  where  did   you    get  the    pig?"     "I 


THE  SLEEPING  BEAUTY  IN  THE    WOOD. 


85 


gave  a  cow  for  it."  "  And  the  cow  ?  "  "I  gave  a 
horse  for  it."  "And  the  horse?"  "I  gave  a 
piece  of  silver  as  big  as  my  head  for  that."  "  And 
the  silver  ?  "  "  Oh  !  I  worked  bard  for  that  seven 
long  years."  "  You  have  thriven  well  in  the  world 
hitherto,"  said  the  grinder  ;  "  now  if  you  could  find 
money  in  your  pocket  whenever  you  put  your  band 
into  it,  your  fortune  would  be  made."  "  Very 
true:  but  how  is  that  to  be  managed?"  "You 
must  turn  grinder  like  me,"  said  the  other,  "  you 
only  want  a  grindstone ;  the  rest  will  come  of  it- 
self. Here  is  one  that  is  a  little  the  worse  for 
wear  ;  I  would  not  ask  more  than  the  value  of  your 
goose  for  it;  —  will  you  buy?"  "  How  can  you 
ask  such  a  question?"  replied  Hans;  "I  should 
be  the  happiest  man  in  the  world  if  I  could  have 
money  whenever  I  put  my  hand  in  my  pocket; 
what  could  I  want  more ;  there  's  the  goose  ! " 
"Now,"  said  the  grinder,  as  he  gave  him  a  com- 
mon rough  stone  that  lay  by  his  side,  "this  is  a 
most  capital  stone  ;  do  but  manage  it  cleverly, 
and  you  can  make  an  old  nail  cut  with  it." 

Hans  took  the  stone  and  went   off  with   a  light 


heart :  his  eyes  sparkled  for  joy,  and  he  said  to 
himself,  "I  must  have  been  born  in  a  lucky  hour; 
everything  that  I  want  or  wish  for  comes  to  me 
of  itself." 

Meantime  he  began  to  be  tired,  for  he  had  been 
traveling  ever  since  daybreak  ;  he  was  hungry, 
too,  for  he  had  given  away  his  last  penny  in  Iris 
joy  at  getting  the  cow.  At  last  he  could  go  no 
farther,  and  the  stone  tired  him  terribly ;  he 
dragged  himself  to  the  side  of  a  pond,  that  he 
might  drink  some  water  and  i-est  a  while  ;  so  he 
laid  the  stone  carefully  by  his  side  on  the  bank  : 
but  as  he  stooped  down  to  drink,  he  forgot  it, 
pushed  it  a  little,  and  down  it  went  plump  into 
the  pond.  For  a  while  he  watched  it  sinking  in 
the  deep  clear  water,  then  sprang  up  for  joy,  and 
again  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  thanked  heaven 
with  tears  in  his  eyes  for  its  kindness  in  taking 
away  his  only  plague,  the  ugly  heavy  stone. 
"  How  happy  am  I !  "  cried  he  :  "  no  mortal  was 
ever  so  lucky  as  I  am."  Then  up  he  got  with  a 
light  and  merry  heart,  and  walked  on  free  from 
all  his  troubles,  till  he  reached  his  mother's  house. 


THE   SLEEPING   BEAUTY   IN   THE   WOOD. 


Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  king  and  a  queen 
who  grieved  sorely  that  they  had  no  children. 
When  at  last  the  queen  gave  birth  to  a  daughter 
the  king  was  so  overjoyed  that  he  gave  a  great 
christening  feast,  the  like  of  which  had  never  be- 
fore been  known.  He  asked  all  the  fairies  in  the 
land  —  there  were  seven  all  told — to  stand  god- 
mothers to  the  little  princess,  hoping  that  each 
might  give  her  a  gift,  and  so  she  should  have  all 
imaginable  perfections. 

After  the  christening,  all  the  company  returned 
to  the  palace  where  a  great  feast  had  been  spread 
for  the  fairy  godmothers.  Before  each  was  set  a 
magnificent  plate,  with  a  gold  knife  and  a  gold 
fork  studded  with  diamonds  and  rubies.  Just  as 
they  were  seating  themselves,  however,  there  en- 
tered an  old  fairy  who  had  not  been  invited  be- 
cause more  than  fifty  years  ago  she  had  shut  her- 


self up  in  a  tower  and  it  was  supposed  that  she 
was  either  dead  or  enchanted. 

The  king  ordered  a  cover  to  be  laid  for  her,  but 
it  could  not  be  a  massive  gold  one  like  the  others, 
for  only  seven  had  been  ordered  made.  The  old 
fairy  thought  herself  ill-used  and  muttered  be- 
tween her  teeth.  One  of  the  young  fairies,  over- 
hearing her,  and  fancying  she  might  work  some 
mischief  to  the  little  baby,  went  and  hid  herself 
behind  the  hangings  in  the  hall,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  have  the  last  word  and  undo  any  harm  the  old 
fairy  might  wish  to  work.  The  fairies  now  be- 
gan to  endow  the  princess.  The  youngest,  for  her 
gift,  decreed  that  she  should  be  the  most  beauti- 
ful person  in  the  world  ;  the  next  that  she  should 
have  the  mind  of  an  angel  ;  the  third  that  she 
should  be  perfectly  graceful ;  the  fourth  that  she 
should  dance   admirably  well ;  the  fifth,  that  she 


86 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


should  sing  like  a  nightingale  ;  the  sixth,  that  she 
should  play  charmingly  upon  every  musical  instru- 
ment. The  turn  of  the  old  fairy  had  now  come, 
and  she  declared,  while  her  head  shook  with  mal- 
ice, that  the  princess  should  pierce  her  hand  with 
a  spindle  and  die  of  the  wound.  This  dreadful 
fate  threw  all  the  company  into  tears  of  dismay, 
when  the  young  fairy  who  had  hidden  herself 
came  forward  and  said  :  — 


"  Be  of  good  cheer,  king  and  queen ;  your  daugh- 
ter shall  not  so  die.  It  is  true  I  cannot  entirely 
undo  what  my  elder  has  done.  The  princess  will 
pierce  her  hand  with  a  spindle,  but,  instead  of 
dying,  she  will  only  fall  into  a  deep  sleep.  The 
sleep  will  last  a  hundred  years,  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  a  king's  son  will  come  to  wake  her." 

The  king,  in  hopes  of  preventing  what  the  old 
fairy  had  foretold,  immediately  issued  an  edict  by 


which  he  forbade  all  persons  in  his  dominion  from 
spinning  or  even  having  spindles  in  their  houses 
under  pain  of  instant  death. 

Now  fifteen  years  after  the  princess  was  born 
she  was  with  the  king  and  queen  at  one  of  their 
castles,  and  as  she  was  running  about  by  herself 
she  came  to  a  little  chamber  at  the  top  of  a  tower, 
and  there  sat  an  honest  old  woman  spinning,  for 
she  had  never  heard  of  the  king's  edict. 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  "  asked  the  princess. 

"  I  am  spinning,  my  fair  child,"  said  the  old 
woman,  who  did  not  know  her. 

"  How  pretty  it  is !  "  exclaimed  the  pi'incess. 
"  How  do  you  do  it  ?  Give  it  to  me  that  I  may 
see  if  I  can  do  it."  She  had  no  sooner  taken  up 
the  spindle,  than,  being  hasty  and  careless,  she 
pierced  her  hand  with  the  point  of  it,  and  fainted 
away.  The  old  woman,  in  great  alarm,  called  for 
help.  People  came  running  in  from  all  sides  ;  they 
threw  water  in  the  princess's  face  and  did  all  they 
could  to  restore  her,  but  nothing  would  bring  her 
to.  ~  The  king,  who  had  heard  the  noise  and  con- 
fusion, came  up  also,  and  remembering  what  the 
fairy  had  said,  he  had  the  princess  carried  to  the 
finest  apartment  and  laid  upon  a  richly  embroid- 
ered bed.  She  lay  there  in  all  her  loveliness,  for 
the  swoon  had  not  made  her  pale  ;  her  lips  were 
cherry-ripe  and  her  cheeks  ruddy  and  fair;  her 
eyes  were  closed,  but  they  could  hear  her  breath- 
ing quietly  ;  she  could  not  be  dead.  The  king 
looked  sorrowfully  upon  her.  He  knew  that  she 
would  not  awake  for  a  hundred  years. 

The  good  fairy  who  had  saved  her  life  and 
turned  her  death  into  sleep  was  in  the  kingdom 
of  Mataquin,  twelve  thousand  leagues  away,  when 
this  happened,  but  she  learned  of  it  from  a  dwarf 
who  had  a  pair  of  seven-league  boots,  and  instantly 
set  out  for  the  castle,  where  she  arrived  in  an  hour, 
drawn  by  dragons  in  a  fiery  chariot.  The  king 
came  forward  to  receive  her  and  showed  his  grief. 
The  good  fairy  was  very  wise  and  saw  that  the 
princess  when  she  woke  would  find  herself  all 
alone  in  that  great  castle  and  everything  about 
her  would  be  strange.  So  this  is  what  she  did. 
She  touched  with  her  wand  everybody  that  was 


THE  SLEEPING  BEAUTY  IN   THE    WOOD. 


87 


in  the  castle,  except  the  king  and 
queen.  She  touched  the  govern- 
esses, maids  of  honor,  women  of 
the  bed-chamber,  gentlemen,  offi- 
cers, stewards,  cooks,  scullions, 
boys,  guards,  porters,  pages,  foot- 
men ;  she  touched  the  horses  in  the 
stable  with  their  grooms,  the  great 
mastiffs  in  the  court-yard,  and  even 
little  Pouste,  the  tiny  lap-dog  of 
the  princess  that  was  on  the  bed 
beside  her.  As  soon  as  she  had 
touched  them  they  all  fell  asleep, 
not  to  wake  again  until  the  time 
arrived  for  their  mistress  to  do 
so,  when  they  would  be  ready  to  wait  upon  her. 
Even  the  spits  before  the  fire,  laden  with  par- 
tridges and  pheasants,  went  to  sleep,  and  the  fire 
itself  went  to  sleep  also. 

It  was  the  work  of  a  moment.  The  kins;  and 
queen  kissed  their  daughter  farewell  and  left  the 
castle,  issuing  a  proclamation  that  no  person  what- 
soever was  to  approach  it.  That  was  needless, 
for  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  there  had  grown  up 
about  it  a  wood  so  thick  and  filled  with  thorns 
that  nothing  could  get  at  the  castle,  and  the  castle 
top  itself  could  only  be  seen  from  a  great  dis- 
tance. 

A  hundred  years  went  by,  and  the  kingdom 
was  in  the  hands  of  another  royal  family.  The 
son  of  the  king  was  hunting  one  day  when  he 
discovered  the  towers  of  the  castle  above  the  tops 
of  the  trees,  and  asked  what  castle  that  was.  All 
manner  of  answers  were  given  to  him.  One  said 
it  was  an  enchanted  castle,  another  that  witches 
lived  there,  but  most  believed  that  it  was  occupied 
by  a  great  ogre  which  carried  thither  all  the  chil- 
dren he  could  catch  and  ate  them  up  one  at  a 
time,  for  nobody  could  get  at  him  through  the 
wood.  The  prince  did  not  know  what  to  believe, 
when  finally  an  old  peasant  said,  — 

"  Prince,  it  is  more  than  fifty  years  since  I 
heard  my  father  say  that  there  was  in  that  castle 
the  most  beautiful  princess  that  ever  was  seen  ; 
that  she  was   to  sleep  for  a  hundred  years,  and  to 


be  awakened  at  last  by  the 
king's  son,  who  was  to  marry 
her." 

The  young  prince  at  these 
words  felt  himself  on  fire.  He 
had  not  a  moment's  doubt  that 
he  was  destined  to  this  great 
adventure,  and  full  of  ardor  he 
determined  at  once  to  set  out 
for  the  castle.  Scarcely  had 
he  come  to  the  wood  when  all 
the  trees  and  thorns  which  had 
made  such  an  impenetrable 
thicket  opened  on  one  side  and 
the  other  to  offer  him  a  path. 
He  walked  toward  the  castle, 
which  appeared  now  at  the  end 
of  a  long  avenue,  but  when  he 
turned  to  look  for  his  followers 
not  one  was  to  be  seen ;  the 
woods  had  closed  instantly 
upon  him  as  he  had  passed 
through.  He  was  entirely  alone,  and  utter  silence 
was  about  him.  He  entered  a  large  fore-court 
and  stood  still  with  amazement  and  awe.  On 
every  side  were  stretched  the  bodies  of  men  and 
animals  apparently  lifeless.  But  the  faces  of  the 
men  were  rosy,  and  the  goblets  by  them  had  a  few 
drops  of  wine  left.  The  men  had  plainly  fallen 
asleep.     His  steps  resounded   as  he  passed    over 


88 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


the  marble  pavement  and  up  the  marble  staircase. 
He  entered  the  guard-room ;  there  the  guards 
stood  drawn  up  in  line  with  carbines  at  their 
shoulders,  but  they  were  sound  asleep.  He  passed 
through  one  apartment  after  another,  where  were 
ladies  and  gentlemen  asleep  in  their  chairs  or 
standing.  He  entered  a  chamber  covered  with 
gold,  and  saw  on  a  bed,  the  curtains  of  which  were 
drawn,  the  most  lovely  sight  he  had  ever  looked 
upon,  —  a  princess,  who  appeared  to  be  about  fif- 
teen or  sixteen,  and  so  fair  that  she  seemed  to 
belong  to  another  world.  He  drew  near,  trem- 
bling and  wondering,  and  knelt  beside  her.  Her 
hand  lay  upon  her  breast,  and  he  touched  his  lips 
to  it.  At  that  moment,  the  enchantment  being 
ended,  the  princess  awoke,  and,  looking  drowsily 
and  tenderly  at  the  young  man,  said  :  — 

"  Have  you  come,  my  prince  ?     I  have  waited 
long  for  you."     The  prince  was  overjoyed  at  the 
words,    and  at   the    tender    voice    and  look,    and 
scarcely  knew  how  to  speak.     But  he  managed  to 
assure  her  of  his  love,   and  they  soon  forgot  all 
else   as   they  talked    and  talked. 
They  talked   for  four  hours,  and 
had  not  then   said  half  that  was 
in  their  heads  to  say. 

Meanwhile  all  the  rest  of  the 
people  in  the  castle  had  been 
wakened  at  the  same  moment  as 


the  princess,  and  they  were  now  ex 
tremely  hungry.  The  lady-in-wait- 
ing became  very  impatient,  and  at 
length  announced  to  the  princess 
that  they  all  waited  for  her.  Then 
the  prince  took  the  princess  by 
the  hand ;  she  was  dressed  in 
great  splendor,  but  he  did  not  hint 
that  she  looked  as  he  had  seen 
pictures  of  his  great-grandmother 
look  ;  he  thought  her  all  the  more 
charming  for  that.  They  passed 
into  a  hall  of  mirrors,  where  they 
supped,  attended  by  the  officers  of 
the  princess.  The  violins  and  haut- 
boys played  old  but  excellent  pieces  of  music,  and 
after  supper,  to  lose  no  time,  the  grand  almoner 
married  the  royal  lovers  in  the  chapel  of  the  cas- 
tle. 

When  they  left  the  castle  the  next  day  to  re- 
turn to  the  prince's  home, 
they  were  followed  by  all  the 
retinue  of  the  princess.  They 
marched  down  the  long  ave- 
nue, and  the  wood  opened 
again  to  let  them  pass.  Out- 
side they  met  the  prince's  fol- 
lowers, who  were  overjoyed  to 
see  their  master.  He  turned 
to  show  them  the  castle,  but 
behold  !  there  was  no  castle  to 
be  seen,  and  no  wood  :  castle 
and  wood  had  vanished,  but 
the  prince  and  princess  went 
gayly  away,  and  when  the  old 
king  and  queen  died  they 
reigned  in  their  stead. 


JACK   THE    GIANT-KILLER. 


89 


JACK   THE   GIANT-KILLER. 


N  the  reign  of  King  Ar- 
thur, and  in  the  county 
of  Cornwall,  near  to  the 
Land's  End  of  England, 
there  lived  a  wealthy 
farmer,  who  had  an  only 
son,  named  Jack.  He 
was  brisk,  and  of  a  ready 
wit,  so  that  whatever  he 
could  not  perform  by  force  and  strength  he  ac- 
complished by  ingenious  wit  and  policy.  Never 
was  any  person  heard  of  that  could  worst  him,  and 
he  very  often  baffled  even  the  learned  by  his  sharp 
and  ready  inventions. 

In  those  days  the  Mount  of  Cornwall  was  kept 
by  a  huge  and  monstrous  giant,  eighteen  feet  in 
height,  about  three  yards  in  compass,  and  of  a 
fierce  and  grim  countenance,  the  terror  of  all  the 
neighboring  towns  and  villages.  He  inhabited  a 
cave  in  the  middle  of  the  Mount,  and  he  was  such 
a  selfish  monster  that  he  would  not  suffer  any  one 
to  live  near  him.  He  fed  on  other  men's  cattle, 
which  often  became  his  prey,  for  whensoever  he 
wanted  food  he  would  wade  over  to  the  main-land, 
where  he  would  furnish  himself  with  whatever 
came  in  his  way.  The  people,  at  his  coming,  for- 
sook their  homes.  Then  would  he  seize  on  their 
cattle,  making  nothing  of  carrying  half-a-dozen 
oxen  on  his  back  at  a  time  ;  and  as  for  their  sheep 
and  hogs,  he  would  tie  them  round  his  waist  like 
a  bunch  of  bandoleers.  This  course  he  had  fol- 
lowed for  many  years,  so  that  a  great  part  of  the 
country  was  made  poor  by  his  robberies. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  Jack,  happen- 
ing one  day  to  be  present  at  the  town-hall,  where 
the  governors  were  consulting  about  the  giant, 
had  the  curiosity  to  ask  what  reward  would  be 
given  to  the  person  who  should  destroy  him.  The 
giant's  treasure  was  declared  as  the  recompense, 
and  Jack  at  once  undertook  the  task. 

In  order  to  effect  his  purpose,  he  furnished  him- 


self with  a  horn,  shovel,  and  pickaxe,  and  went 
over  to  the  Mount  in  the  beginning  of  a  dark  Win- 
ter's  evening,  when  he  fell  to  work,  and  before 
morning  had  dug  a  pit  twenty-two  feet  deep,  and 
nearly  as  broad,  covering  it  over  with  long  sticks 
and  straw.  Then  strewing  a  little  mould  upon  it, 
it  appeared  like  plain  ground.  This  done,  Jack 
placed  himself  on  the  side  of  the  pit  which  was 
farthest  from  the  giant's  lodging,  and,  just  at 
break  of  day,  he  put  the  horn  to  his  mouth  and 
blew  with  all  his  might.  Although  Jack  was  a 
little  fellow,  he  managed  to  make  noise  enough  to 
awake  the  giant,  who  rushed  roaring  from  his  cave, 
crying  out,  "  You  incorrigible  villain  !  are  you 
come  here  to  disturb  my  rest  ?  you  shall  pay 
dearly  for  this.  I  will  take  you  whole  and  broil 
you  for  my  breakfast."  He  had  no  sooner  uttered 
this  cruel  threat  than  he  tumbled  into  the  pit,  and 
his  heavy  fall  made  the  foundation  of  the  Mount 
shake. 

"  O  Giant !  "  said  Jack,  "  where  are  you  now  ? 
Oh,  faith,  you  are  gotten  now  into  Lob's  Pound,1 
where  I  will  surely  plague  you  for  your  threaten- 
ing words.  What  do  you  think  now  of  broiling 
me  for  your  breakfast  ?  Will  no  other  diet  serve 
you  but  poor  Jack  ?  " 

Thus  did  little  Jack  tantalize  the  big  giant,  as 
a  cat  does  a  mouse,  when  she  knows  it  cannot  es- 
cape, and  when  he  had  tired  of  that  amusement  he 
gave  him  a  heavy  blow  with  his  pickaxe  on  the 
very  crown  of  his  head,  which  tumbled  him  down 
and  killed  him  on  the  spot.  When  Jack  saw  he 
was  dead,  he  filled  up  the  pit  with  earth,  and  went 
to  search  the  cave,  where  he  found  much  treas- 
ure. 

Now  when  the  magistrates  who  employed  Jack 
heard  that  the  work  was  done,  they  sent  for  him, 
declaring  that  he  should  henceforth  be  termed 
Jack  the  Giant-killer,  and  gave  him  a  sword  and 
embroidered  belt,  on  the  latter  of  which  these 
words  were  inscribed  in  letters  of  gold  :  — 


12 


1  An  old  jocular  term  for  a  prison,  or  any  place  of  confinement. 


90 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


"  Here's  the  right  valiant  Cornish  man 
Who  slew  the  giant  Cormoran." 

The  news  of  Jack's  victory  soon  spread  over 
all  the  West  of  England,  so  that  another  giant, 
named  Blunderbore,  hearing  of  it,  vowed  to  be  re- 
venged on  the  little  hero,  if  ever  it  was  his  fortune 
to  light  on  him.  This  giant  was  lord  of  an  en- 
chanted castle,  situated  in  the  rnidst  of  a  lonesome 
wood.  Now  Jack,  about  four  months  after  his 
last  exploit,  walking  near  this  castle,  in  his  jour- 
ney towards  Wales,  being  weary,  seated  himself 
near  a  pleasant  fountain  in  the  wood,  and  pres- 
ently fell  asleep.  The  giant,  coming  there  for 
water,  found  him,  and  by  the  lines  upon  his  belt 
knew  him  to  be  Jack ;  so,  without  any  words,  he 
took  him  upon  his  shoulder  and  carried  him  to- 
wards his  enchanted  castle. 

Now,  as  they  passed  through  a  thicket,  the  rust- 
ling of  the  boughs  awakened  Jack,  who  was  uncom- 
fortably surprised  to  find  himself  in  the  clutches 
of  the  giant.  His  terror  was  not  lessened  when, 
on  entering  the  castle,  he  saw  the  courtyard 
strewed  with  human  bones,  the  giant  telling  him 
his  own  bones  would  erelong  be  added  to  the  pile. 
This  said,  the  giant  locked  poor  Jack  in  an  upper 
chamber,  leaving  him  there  while  he  went  to  fetch 
another  giant,  living  in  the  same  wood,  to  keep 
him  company  in  the  destruction  of  their  enemy. 
While  he  was  gone,  dreadful  shrieks  and  lamen- 
tations affrighted  Jack,  especially  a  voice  which 
continually  cried :  — 

"  Do  what  you  can  to  get  away, 
Or  you  '11  become  the  giant's  prey  ; 
He's  gone  to  fetch  his  brother,  who 
Will  likewise  kill  and  torture  you." 

This  dreadful  warning  almost  distracted  poor 
Jack,  who,  going  to  the  window  and  opening  a 
casement,  saw  afar  off  the  two  giants  coming  to- 
wards the  castle. 

"Now,"  quoth  Jack  to  himself,  "my  death  or 
my  deliverance  is  at  hand." 

Now  the  giants  of  those  days,  although  very  pow- 
erful, were  really  very  stupid  fellows,  and  readily 
conquered  by  stratagem,  even  of  the  humblest  kind. 
There  happened  to  be  in  the  room  where  Jack  was 


confined  two  strong  cords,  at  the  ends  of  which  he 
made  strong  nooses,  and  as  the  giants  were  un- 
locking the  iron  gate  of  the  castle  he  threw  the 
ropes  over  each  of  their  heads,  and  then,  before  the 
giants  knew  what  he  was  about,  drew  the  other 
ends  across  a  beam,  and,  pulling  with  all  his  might, 
throttled  them.  Then  sliding  down  the  rope,  he 
came  to  the  heads  of  the  giants,  and,  as  they  could 
not  defend  themselves,  he  easily  dispatched  them 
with  his  sword.  Jack  next  took  a  great  bunch  of 
keys  from  the  pocket  of  Blunderbore,  and  went 
into  the  castle  again.  He  made  a  strict  search 
through  all  the  rooms  and  in  them  he  found  three 
ladies  tied  up  by  the  hair  of  their  heads  and  al- 
most starved  to  death.  It  was  they  who  had 
warned  him.  He  set  them  free,  gave  them  the 
keys  of  the  castle,  and  proceeded  on  his  journey  to 
Wales. 

Jack  would  take  no  money,  and  having  but  lit- 
tle of  his  own  left,  was  obliged  to  make  the  best 
of  his  way  by  traveling  as  hard  as  he  could.  At 
length,  losing  his  road,  he  was  belated,  and  could 
not  get  to  any  place  of  entertainment  until,  com- 
ing to  a  lonesome  valley,  he  found  a  large  house, 
and  by  reason  of  his  present  necessity  took  cour- 
age to  knock  at  the  gate.  But  what  was  his  as- 
tonishment when  there  came  forth  a  monstrous 
giant,  with  two  heads !  yet  he  did  not  appear  so 
fiery  as  the  others  were,  for  he  was  a  Welsh  giant, 
and  what  he  did  was  by  private  and  secret  malice 
under  the  false  show  of  friendship. 

Jack,  having  unfolded  his  condition  to  the  giant, 
was  shown  into  a  bedroom,  where  in  the  dead  of 
night  he  heard  the  giant  in  another  room  saying 
to  himself  these  words  :  — 

"  Though  here  you  lodge  with  me  this  night, 
You  shall  not  see  the  morning  light ; 
My  club  shall  dash  your  brains  out  quite." 

"  Say'st  thou  so  ?  "  quoth  Jack  ;  "  that  is  like 
one  of  your  Welsh  tricks,  yet  I  hope  to  be  cun- 
ning enough  for  you."  He  immediately  got  out 
of  bed,  and,  feeling  about  in  the  dark,  found  a 
thick  billet  of  wood,  which  he  laid  in  the  bed  in 
his  stead,  and  hid  himself  in  a  dark  corner  of  the 
room.     Shortly  after  in    came    the  Welsh  giant, 


JACK   THE   GIANT-KILLER. 


91 


who  thoroughly  pummeled  the  billet  with  his 
club,  thinking,  naturally  enough,  he  had  broken 
every  bone  in  Jack's  skin.  The  next  morning, 
however,  to  the  inexpressible  surprise  of  the  giant, 
Jack  came  down-stairs  as  if  nothing  had  happened, 
and  gave  him  thanks  for  his  night's  lodging. 

"How  have  you  rested?"  quoth  the  giant; 
"  did  you  not  feel  anything  in  the  night  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Jack  ;  "  nothing  but  a  rat  that  gave 
me  two  or  three  flaps  with  her  tail." 

Concealing  his  amazement  as  well  as  he  could, 
the  giant  took  Jack  in  to  breakfast,  and  placed 
upon  the  table  for  himself  and  his  guest  two 
bowls,  each  containing  four  gallons  of  hasty-pud- 
ding. 

Jack  was  unwilling  that  the  giant  should  sup- 
pose him  unable  to  eat  it  all,  and  accordingly 
placed  a  large  leather  bag  under  his  loose  coat, 
in  such  a  position  that,  without  being  perceived, 
he  could  put  in  it  all  the  pudding  which  he  could 
not  eat. 

Breakfast  over,  Jack  excited  the  giant's  curi- 
osity by  offering  to  show  him  an  extraordinary 
sleight  of  hand  ;  so,  taking  a  knife,  lie  ripped  the 
leather  bag  and  out  came  all  the  hasty-pudding 
upon  the  ground. 

The  giant,  unwilling  to  be  beaten,  cried  out  in 
true  Welsh,  "  Odds  splutters !  hur  can  do  that 
trick  hurself !  "  He  took  the  knife,  and  ripping 
himself  open,  immediately  fell  down  dead. 

Thus  Jack  outwitted  the  Welsh  giant  and  pro- 
ceeded on  his  journey. 

A  few  days  after,  he  met  with  King  Arthur's 
only  son,  who  had  got  his  father's  leave  to  travel 
into  Wales  to  deliver  a  beautiful  lady  from  the 
power  of  a  wicked  magician,  by  whom  she  was 
held  in  enchantment.  When  Jack  found  that  the 
young  prince  had  no  servants  with  him  he  begged 
leave  to  attend  him  ;  and  the  prince  at  once  agreed 
to  this,  and  gave  Jack  many  thanks  for  his  kind- 
ness. 

King  Arthur's  son  was  a  handsome,  polite,  and 
brave  knight,  and  so  good-natured  that  he  gave 
money  to  everybody  he  met.  At  length  he  gave 
his  last  penny  to  an  old  woman,  and   then,  turn- 


ing to  Jack,  said,  "  How  shall  we   be  able  to  get 
food  for  ourselves  the  rest  of  our  journey  ?  " 

"  Leave  that  to  me,"  said  Jack.  "  I  warrant 
you  we  shall  never  want." 

Night  now  came  on,  and  the  prince  began  to 
grow  uneasy  at  thinking  where  they  should  lodge. 

"  Master,"  said  Jack,  "  we  shall  do  well  enough, 
for  I  have  an  uncle  who  lives  within  two  miles  of 
this  place  ;  he  is  a  huge  and  monstrous  giant,  with 
three  heads  ;  he  will  fight  five  hundred  men  in 
armor,  and  make  them  flee  before  him." 

"Alas  !  "  quoth  the  prince,  "  what  shall  we  do 
then  ?  He  '11  certainly  chop  us  up  at  one  mouth- 
ful ;  najr,  we  are  scarce  enough  to  fill  his  hollow 
tooth." 

"  It  is  no  matter  for  that,"  quoth  Jack  ;  "  I 
myself  will  go  before  and  prepare  the  way  for 
you.     Tarrj'  here  and  wait  till  I  return." 

Jack  now  rode  off  at  full  speed,  and  coming  to 
the  gate  of  the  castle  he  knocked  so  loud  that  the 
hills  resounded  like  thunder.  The  giant,  terribly 
vexed,  roared  out,  "  Who  's  there  ?  " 

He  was  answered,  "  No  one  but  your  poor 
Cousin  Jack." 

Quoth  he,  "  What  news,  Cousin  Jack  ?  " 

"  Dear  uncle,"  said  Jack,  "  I  have  heavy 
news." 

"  Pooh  !  "  said  the  giant,  "  what  heavy  news 
can  come  to  me?  I  am  a  giant  with  three  heads, 
and  besides  thou  knowest  I  can  fight  five  hundred 
men  in  armor,  and  make  them  fly  like  chaff  be- 
fore the  wind." 

"  Oh,  but,"  quoth  Jack,  "  here 's  the  prince 
coming  with  a  thousand  men  in  armor  to  kill  you, 
and  to  destroy  all  that  you  have." 

"  O  Cousin  Jack,"  said  the  giant,  "  this  is  heavy 
news  indeed  !  But  I  have  a  large  cellar  under- 
ground, where  I  will  immediately  run  and  hide 
myself,  and  you  shall  lock,  bolt,  and  bar  me  in, 
and  keep  the  keys  till  the  prince  is  gone." 

Now  Jack  barred  the  giant  fast,  and  fetching  his 
master  to  the  castle,  they  feasted  and  made  them- 
selves merry  whilst  the  poor  giant  lay  trembling 
in  the  vault.  Early  in  the  morning  Jack  gave  the 
king's  son  gold  and  silver  out  of  the  giant's  treas- 


92 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


ure,  and  sent  him  three  miles  forward  on  his  jour- 
ney. Then  Jack  returned  to  let  his  uncle  out  of 
the  hole,  who  asked  what  he  should  give  him  for 
saving  his  castle. 

"  Why,"  quoth  Jack,  "  I  desire  nothing  but  the 
old  coat  and  cap,  together  with  the  old  rusty 
sword  and  shoes  which  you  keep  at  your  bed's 
head." 

Quoth  the  giant,  "  Thou  shalt  have  them,  and 
pray  keep  them  for  my  sake,  for  they  are  things 
of  excellent  use.  The  coat  will  keep  you  invisible, 
the  cap  will  give  you  knowledge,  the  sword  will 
cut  through  anything,  and  the  shoes  are  of  ex- 
traordinary swiftness ;  so  take  them  with  all  my 
heart." 

Jack  was  delighted  witli  these  useful  presents, 
and  coming  up  with  the  king's  son  they  soon  ar- 
rived at  the 
dwelling  of  the 
beautiful  lady 
who  was  under 
the  power  of  a 
wicked  magician. 
She,  finding  the 
prince  to  be  a 
suitor,  made  a 
noble  feast  for  him.  When  it  was  ended  she  rose, 
and,  wiping  her  mouth  with  a  fine  handkerchief, 
said,  "  My  lord,  you  must  show  me  this  handker- 
chief to-morrow  morning,  or  lose  your  head."  She 
then  put  the  handkerchief  in  her  bosom  and  left 
the  room. 

The  prince  went  to  bed  in  great  sorrow,  but 
Jack  put  on  his  cap  of  knowledge,  which  told  him 
that  the  lady  was  forced  to  meet  the  wicked  ma- 
gician every  night  in  the  middle  of  the  forest. 
Jack  immediately  put  on  his  coat  of  darkness 
and  his  shoes  of  swiftness,  and  was  there  before 
her. 

When  the  lady  came  she  gave  the  handkerchief 
to  the  magician,  who  laid  it  upon  a  shelf,  whence 
Jack  took  it,  and  brought  it  to  his  master,  who 
showed  it  to  the  lady  the  next  day,  and  so  saved 
his  life.  The  next  evening  at  supper  she  saluted 
the  prince,  telling  him  he  must  show  her  the  lips 


to-morrow  morning  that  she  kissed  last  this  night, 
or  lose  his  head.     He  replied,  — 

"  If  you  kiss  none  but  mine,  I  will." 
"That  is  neither  here  nor  there,"  said  she,  "if 
you  do  not,  death  is  your  portion  !  "     At  midnight 
she  went  as  before,  and  was  angry  with  the  ma- 
gician for  letting  the  handkerchief  go. 

"  But  now,"  quoth  she,  "  I  will  be  too  hard  for 
the  prince,  for  I  will  kiss  thee,  and  he  is  to  show 
me  thy  lips."  She  did  so,  and  Jack,  who  was 
standing  by,  cut  off  the  magician's  bead  and 
brought  it  under  his  invisible  coat  to  bin  master, 
who  showed  it  to  the  lad}',  which  broke  the  en- 
chantment, and  restored  her  to  her  former  good- 
ness. She  was  married  to  the  prince  on  the  next 
day,  and  they  soon  after  went  back  with  joy  to 
the    court  of   King  Arthur,    where   Jack,   for   his 

good  services, 
was  created  one 
of  the  Knights 
of  the  Round 
Table. 

As  Jack  had 
been  so  lucky  in 
all  his  advent- 
ures he  resolved 
not  to  be  idle  for  the  future,  but  still  to  do  what 
services  lie  could  for  the  honor  of  the  king  and 
the  nation.  He  therefore  humbly  besought  the 
king  to  furnish  him  with  a  horse  and  money,  that 
he  might  travel  in  search  of  new  adventures. 
"  For,"  said  he  to  the  king,  "  there  are  many 
giants  yet  living  in  the  remote  part  of  Wales,  to 
the  unspeakable  damage  of  your  niHJesty's  sub- 
jects ;  wherefore,  may  it  please  you  to  favor  me, 
I  do  not  doubt  but  speedily  to  rid  your  realm  of 
these  giants  and  monsters  in  human  shape." 

Now,  when  the  king  heard  this  offer,  and  began 
to  think  of  the  cruel  deeds  of  these  bloodthirsty 
giants  and  savage  monsters,  he  gave  Jack  every- 
thing proper  for  such  a  journey.  After  this,  Jack 
took  leave  of  the  king,  the  prince,  and  all  the 
knights,  and  set  off,  taking  with  him  his  magical 
cap,  sword,  shoes,  and  coat,  the  better  to  perform 
the  dangerous  enterprises  which  lay  before  him. 


JACK   THE    GIANT-KILLER. 


93 


He  went  along  over  hills  and  mountains ;  and  on 
the  third  day  he  came  to  a  wide  forest,  when,  on  a 
sadden,  he  heard  dreadful  shrieks  and  cries;  and, 
forcing  his  way  through  the  trees,  saw  a  monstrous 
giant  dragging  along,  by  the  hair  of  their  heads,  a 
vorthy  knight  and  his  beautiful  lady,  with  as 
much  ease  as  if  they  had  been  a  pair  of  gloves. 
Their  tears  and  cries  melted  the  heart  of  honest 
Jack;  he  alighted  from  his  horse,  and,  tying  him 
to  an  oak-tree,  put  on  his  invisible  coat,  under 
which  he  carried  his  sword  of  sharpness. 

When  he  came  up  to  the  giant  he  made  several 
strokes  at  him,  and  succeeded,  after  considerable 
trouble,  in  dispatching  the  monster,  whose  dying 
groans  were  so  terrible  that  they  made  the  whole 
wood  ring  again.  The  courteous  knight  and  his  fair 
lady  were  overpowered  with  gratitude,  and,  after 
returning  Jack  their  best  thanks,  invited  him  to 
their  house,  there  to  recruit  his  strength  and  to 
receive  a  further  reward.  Jack,  however,  declared 
that  he  would  not  rest  until  he  had  found  out  the 
giant's  abode. 

The  knight,  on  hearing  this,  grew  very  sorrow- 
ful, and  replied  :  "  Noble  stranger,  it  is  too  much 
to  run  a  second  hazard  ;  this  monster  lived  in  a 
den  under  yonder  mountain  with  a  brother  of  his, 
more  fierce  and  cruel  than  himself ;  therefore,  if 
you  should  go  thither  and  perish  in  the  attempt,  it 
would  be  a  heart-breaking  thing  to  me  and  my 
lady ;  so  let  me  persuade  you  to  go  back  with  us, 
and  desist  from  any  farther  pursuit." 

"  Nay,"  answered  Jack ;  "  if  there  be  another, 
even  if  there  were  twenty,  I  would  shed  the  last 
drop  of  blood  in  my  body  before  one  of  them 
should  escape.  When  I  have  finished  this  task,  I 
will  come  and  pay  my  respects  to  you." 

So  when  they  had  told  him  where  to  find  them 
again,  he  got  on  his  horse  and  went  after  the  dead 
giant's  brother. 

Jack  had  not  ridden  a  mile  and  a  half  before  he 
came  in  sight  of  the  mouth  of  the  cave  ;  and,  near 
the  entrance  of  it,  he  saw  the  other  giant,  sitting 
on  a  huge  block  of  timber,  with  a  knotted  iron 
club  by  his  side,  waiting  for  his  brother's  return 
with  his  prey.    His  eyes  looked  like  flames  of  fire, 


his  face  was  grim  and  ugly,  and  his  cheeks  were 
like  two  flitches  of  bacon  ;  the  bristles  of  his  beard 
seemed  to  be  thick  rods  of  iron  wire ;  and  his  long 
locks  of  hair  hung  down  upon  his  broad  shoulders 
like  curling  snakes  or  hissing  adders.  Jack  alighted 
from  his  horse,  and  putting  on  the  invisible  coat 
drew  near  the  giant  and  said,  softly,  "  Oh  !  are  you 
there?  It  will  not  be  long  ere  I  shall  take  you 
fast  by  the  beard." 

The  giant  all  this  while  could  not  see  him,  by 
reason  of  his  invisible  coat  ;  so  Jack  came  quite 
close  to  him,  and  struck  a  blow  at  his  head  with 
his  sword  ;  but  missing  his  aim,  he  cut  off  the  nose 
of  the  giant  instead.  The  giant  rolled  his  glaring 
eyes  round  on  every  side,  but  could  not  see  who 
had  given  him  the  blow  ;  so  he  took  up  his  iron 
club  and  began  to  lay  about  him  so  desperately, 
that  even  Jack  was  frightened,  but  soon  dispatched 
him.  After  this  Jack  cut  off  the  giant's  head,  and 
sent  it,  with  the  head  of  his  brother,  to  King  Ar- 
thur, by  a  wagoner  whom  he  had  hired  for  that 
purpose,  who  gave  an  account  of  all  Jack's  won- 
derful proceedings. 

The  redoubtable  Jack  next  proceeded  to  search 
the  giants'  cave  for  their  treasure.  He  passed 
through  many  turnings  and  windings,  which  led 
him  to  a  great  room  paved  with  freestone  ;  at  the 
other  end  of  this  was  a  boiling  caldron,  and  on 
the  right  hand  stood  a  large  table,  at  which  the 
giants  usually  dined.  He  then  came  to  a  window 
secured  with  iron  bars,  through  which  he  saw 
many  wretched  captives,  who  cried  out,  when  they 
saw  Jack  :  "  Alas  !  alas !  young  man,  are  you 
come  to  be  one  among  us  poor  wretches  in  this 
horrid  den  ?  " 

v-  I  hope,"  said  Jack,  "  you  will  not  tarry  here 
long ;  but  pray  tell  me  what  is  the  meaning  of 
your  being  here  at  all  ?  " 

"Alas!"  said  one  poor  old  man,  "  I  will  tell 
you,  sir.  We  are  persons  that  have  been  taken 
by  the  giants  who  hold  this  cave,  and  are  kept  till 
they  choose  to  have  a  feast ;  then  the  fattest  of  us 
is  to  be  killed,  and  cooked  to  please  their  taste.  It 
is  not  long  since  they  took  three  for  the  same  pur- 
pose." 


94 


THE  BOOK  OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


"  Well,"  said  Jack,  "I  have  given  them  such  a 
dinner  that  it  will  be  long  enough  before  they 
have  any  more." 

The  captives  were  amazed  at  his  words. 

"  You  may  believe  me,"  said  Jack,  "  for  I  have 
killed  them  both  with  the  edge  of  this  sword,  and 
have  sent  their  heads  in  a  wagon  to  the  court  of 
King  Arthur,  as  marks  of  my  glorious  victory." 

To  show  that  what  he  said  was  true,  he  un- 
locked the  gate  and  set  the  captives  all  free.  Then 
he  led  them  to  the  great  room,  placed  them  round 
the  table,  and  put  before  them  two  quarters  of 
beef,  with  bread  and  wine,  upon  which  they 
feasted  their  fill.  When  supper  was  over,  they 
searched  the  giants'  coffers,  and  Jack  divided 
among  them  all  the  treasures.  The  next  morning 
they  set  off  to  their  homes,  and  Jack  to  the  house 
of  the  knight,  whom  he  had  left  with  his  lady  not 
long  before. 

It  was  about  sunrise  when  Jack  mounted  his 
horse  to  go  on  his  way,  and  he  came  about  noon 
to  the  knight's  house,  where  he  was  received  with 
the  greatest  joy  by  the  thankful  knight  and  his 
lady,  who,  in  honor  of  Jack,  gave  a  grand  feast, 
which  lasted  many  days,  all  the  nobles  and  gentry 
in  the  neighborhood  being  invited  to  it.  When  the 
company  were  assembled  the  knight  related  Jack's 
adventures,  and  gave  him  a  fine  ring,  on  which 
Avas  engraved  the  picture  of  the  giant  dragging 
the  distressed  knight  and  his  lady,  with  this  motto 
round  it :  — 

"  We  were  in  sad  distress  you  see, 

Under  the  giant's  fierce  command ; 
But  gained  our  lives  and  liberty 
By  valiant  Jack's  victorious  hand." 

In  the  midst  of  the  festivities  arrived  a  messen- 
ger with  the  dismal  news  that  Thunderdell,  a  sav- 
age giant  with  two  heads,  having  heard  of  the 
death  of  his  two  kinsmen,  was  come  from  the 
north  to  take  his  revenge  on  Jack  ;  and  was  al- 
ready within  a  mile  of  the  house,  the  country  peo- 
ple flying  before  him  in  all  directions.  At  this 
news  the  very  boldest  of  the  guests  trembled ;  but 
Jack  drew  his  sword,  and  said,  "  Let  him  come ; 
I  have  a  tooth-pick  for  him.    Pray,  ladies  and  gen- 


tlemen, walk  into  the  garden,  and  you  shall  soon 
behold  the  giant's  defeat  and  death." 

To  this  they  all  agreed,  and  heartily  wished 
him  success  in  his  dangerous  attempt. 

The  knight's  house  or  castle  stood  on  an  island 
surrounded  by  a  moat,  thirty  feet  deep  and  twenty 
feet  wide,  passable  by  a  drawbridge.  Jack  set 
men  to  work  to  cut  the  bridge  on  both  sides,  al- 
most to  the  middle,  and  then  dressed  himself  in 
his  invisible  coat,  and  went  against  the  giant  with 
his  well-tried  sword.  As  he  came  close  to  hin>. 
though  the  giant  could  not  see  him  for  his  invisi- 
ble coat,  yet  he  found  some  danger  was  near 
which  made  him  cry  out :  — 

"  Fi,  fee,  fo,  fum, 
I  smell  the  blood  of  an  Englishman ; 
Be  lie  alive,  or  be  he  dead, 
I  '11  grind  his  bones  to  make  me  bread." 

"  Say  you  so  ?  "  said  Jack ;  "  then  you  are  a. 
monstrous  miller,  indeed  !  " 

"  Art  thou,"  cried  the  giant,  "the  villain  who 
killed  my  kinsmen  ?  Then  I  will  tear  thee  with 
my  teeth,  and  grind  thy  bones  to  powdei-." 

"  You  must  catch  me  first,"  said  Jack ;  so 
putting  aside  his  invisible  coat  that  the  giant 
might  see  him,  and  putting  on  his  wonderful  shoes 
he.  began  to  run,  the  giant  following  him  like  a 
walking  castle,  till  the  earth  shook  at  every  step. 

Jack  led  him  round  and  round  the  walls  of  the 
house,  that  the  company  might  see  the  monster ; 
but  at  last,  to  end  the  matter,  he  ran  over  the 
drawbridge,  the  giant  going  after  him  with  his 
club  ;  but  when  he  came  to  the  middle,  where  the 
bridge  had  been  cut  on  both  sides,  the  giant's 
great  weight  made  it  break,  and  he  tumbled  into 
the  water,  where  he  rolled  about  like  a  vast  whale. 
Jack  now  stood  by  the  side  of  the  moat  and 
laughed  at  him,  saying,  "  I  think  you  told  me  you 
would  grind  my  bones  to  powder  ;  when  will  you 
begin  ?  " 

After  he  had  teased  him  sufficiently,  Jack  got 
a  cart-rope,  cast  it  over  the  giant,  and  by  the  help 
of  a  team  of  horses  dragged  him  out  of  the  moat, 
cut  off  his  heads ;  and  sent  them  both  to  King 
Arthur. 


JACK   THE    GIANT-KILLER. 


96 


After  staying  with  the  knight  for  some  time 
Jack  grew  weary  of  such  an  idle  life,  and  set  out 
again  in  search  of  another  giant,  the  last  whose 


head  he  was  to  chop  off.  He  went  over  hills  and 
dales  without  meeting  any,  till  he  came  to  the  foot 
of  a  very  high  mountain.  Here  he  knocked  at  the 
door  of  a  small  and  lonely  house,  and  an  old  man, 
with  a  head  as  white  as  snow,  let  him  in. 

"Good  father,"  said  Jack,  "can  you  lodge  a 
traveler  who  has  lost  his  way  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  hermit,  "  I  can,  if  you  will  ac- 
cept such  fare  as  my  poor  house  affords." 

Jack  entered,  and  the  old  man  set  before  him 
some  bread  and  fruit  for  his  supper.  When  Jack 
had  eaten  as  much  as  he  chose  the  old  man,  who 
knew  more  than  Jack  suspected,  said :  "My  son,  I 
know  you  are  a  famous  conqueror  of  giants ;  now, 
at  the  top  of  this  mountain  is  an  enchanted  castle, 
kept  by  a  giant  named  Galligantus,  who,  by  the 
help  of  a  conjuror,  gets  many  knights  into  his 
castle,  where  he  changes  them  into  sundry  shapes 
and  forms.  Above  all,  I  lament  a  duke's  daughter 
whom  they  took  from  her  father's  garden,  and 
brought  hither  through  the  air  in  a  chariot  drawn 
by  fiery  dragons,  and  turned  her  into  the  shape 
of  a  deer.  Many  knights  have  tried  to  break 
the  enchantment  and  deliver  her,  yet  none  have 
been  able  to  do  it,  by  reason  of  two  fiery  griffins 


who  guard  the  gate  of  the  castle,  and  destroy  all 
who  come  nigh ;  but,  as  you,  my  son,  have  an  in- 
visible coat,  you  may  pass  by  them  without  being 
seen ;  and  on  the  gates  of  the  castle  you  will  find 
engraven  in  large  characters  by  what  means  the 
enchantment  may  be  broken." 

In  the  morning  as  soon  as  it  was  daylight  he 
put  on  his  invisible  coat,  and  got  ready  for  the  en- 
terprise. When  he  had  reached  the  top  of  the 
mountain  he  saw  the  fiery  griffins ;  but  being  in- 
visible he  passed  them  without  the  slightest  dan- 
ger. When  he  had  reached  the  castle-gate  he 
found  a  golden  trumpet,  under  which  were  writ- 
ten in  large  characters  these  lines  :  — 

"  Whoever  doth  this  trumpet  blow 
Shall  soon  the  giant  overthrow  ; 
And  break  the  black  enchantment  straight, 
So  all  shall  be  in  happy  state." 

As  soon  as  Jack  had  read  this  he  seized  the 
trumpet,  and  blew  a  shrill  blast,  which  made  the 
gates  fly  open,  and  the  very  castle  itself  tremble. 
The  giant  and  the  conjuror  now  knew  that  their 
wicked  course  was  at  an  end,  and  they  stood  biting 
their  thumbs  and  shaking  with  fear.  Jack,  stand- 
ing at  the  giant's  elbow,  with  his  wonderful  sword 
cut  off  his  head,  and  the  conjuror,  seeing  this, 
mounted  into  the  air  and  was  carried  away  in  a 
whirlwind  and  never  heard  of  more.  All  the  knights 
and  beautiful  ladies,  who  had  been  changed  into 
birds  and  beasts,  returned  to  their  proper  shapes. 
The  castle  vanished  away  like  smoke,  and  the  head 
of  the  giant  Galligantus  was  sent  to  King  Arthur. 
The  knights  and  ladies  rested  that  night  at  the  old 
man's  hermitage,  and  next  day  they  set  out  for 
the  court.  Jack  then  went  up  to  the  king,  and 
gave  his  majesty  an  account  of  all  his  fierce  bat- 
tles. Jack's  fame  had  spread  through  the  whole 
country;  and  at  the  king's  desire  the  duke  gave 
him  his  daughter  in  marriage,  to  the  joy  of  all 
the  kingdom.  After  this,  the  king  gave  him  a 
large  estate,  on  which  he  and  his  lady  lived  the 
rest  of  their  days  in  joy  and  content. 


96 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


TOM    THUMB. 


There  was  once  a  poor  woodman  sitting  by 
the  fire  in  his  cottage,  and  his  wife  sat  by  his  side 
spinning.  "  How  lonely  it  is,"  said  he,  "  for  you 
and  me  to  sit  here  by  ourselves  without  any  chil- 
dren to  play  about  and  amuse  us,  while  other  peo- 
ple seem  so  happy  and  merry  with  their  chil- 
dren !  "  "  What  you  say  is  very  true,"  said  the 
wife,  sighing  and  turning  round  her  wheel  ;  "  how 
happy  should  I  be  if  I  had  but  one  child  !  and 
if  it  were  ever  so  small,  nay,  if  it  were  no  bigger 
than  my  thumb,  I  should  be  very  happy,  and  love 
it  dearly."  Now  it  came  to  pass  that  this  good 
woman's  wish  was  fulfilled  just  as  she  desired  ; 
for,  some  time  afterwards,  she  had  a  little  boy 
who  was  quite  healthy  and  strong,  but  not  much 
bigger  than  her  thumb.  So  they  said,  "  Well,  we 
cannot  say  we  have  not  got  what  we  wished  for, 
and,  little  as  he  is,  we  will  love  him  dearly  ; " 
and  they  called  him  Tom  Thumb. 

They  gave  him  plenty  of  food,  yet  he  never 
grew  bigger,  but  remained  just  the  same  size  as 
when  he  was  born  ;  still  his  eyes  were  sharp  and 
sparkling,  and  he  soon  showed  himself  to  be  a 
clever  little  fellow,  who  always  knew  well  what 
he  was  about.  One  day,  as  the  woodman  was 
getting  ready  to  go  into  the  wood  to  cut  fuel,  he 
said,  "  I  wish  I  had  some  one  to  bring  the  cart 
after  me,  for  I  want  to  make  haste."  "  O  fa- 
ther !  "  cried  Tom,  "  I  will  take  care  of  that ;  the 
cart  shall  be  in  the  wood  by  the  time  you  want 
it."  Then  the  woodman  laughed,  and  said,  "  How 
can  that  be?  you  cannot  i-each  up  to  the  horse's 
bridle."  "Never  mind  that,  father,"  said  Tom: 
"  if  my  mother  will  only  harness  the  horse,  I  will 
get  into  his  ear,  and  tell  him  which  way  to  go." 
"  Well,"  said  the  father,  "  we  will  try  for  once." 

When  the  time  came,  the  mother  harnessed  the 
horse  to  the  cart,  and  put  Tom  into  his  ear ;  and 
as  he  sat  there,  the  little  man  told  the  beast  how 
to  go,  crying  out,  "  Go  on,"  and  "  Stop,"  as  he 
wanted ;  so  the  horse  went  on  just  as  if  the  wood- 
man had  driven  it  himself  into  the  wood.    It  hap- 


pened that,  as  the  horse  was  going  a  little  too  fast; 
and  Tom  was  calling  out  "  Gently  !  gently  !  "  twc 
strangers  came  up.  "  What  an  odd  thing  that 
is  !  "  said  one,  "  there  is  a  cart  going  along,  and 
I  hear  a  carter  talking  to  the  horse,  but  can  see 
no  one.  "  That  is  strange,"  said  the  other  ;  "let 
us  follow  the  cart  and  see  where  it  goes."  So 
they  went  on  into  the  wood,  till  at  last  they  came 
to  the  place  where  the  woodman  was.  Then  Tom 
Thumb,  seeing  his  father,  cried  out,  "  See,  father, 
here  I  am,  with  the  cart,  all  right  and  safe  ;  now 
take  me  down."  So  his  father  took  hold  of  the 
horse  with  one  hand,  and  with  the  other  took  his 
son  out  of  the  ear;  then  he  put  him  down  upon 
a  straw,  where  he  sat  as  merry  as  you  please. 
The  two  strangers  were  all  this  time  looking  on, 
and  did  not  know  what  to  say  for  wonder.  At 
last  one  took  the  other  aside  and  said,  "  That  lit- 
tle urchin  will  make  our  fortune  if  we  can  get 
him,  and  carry  him  about  from  town  to  town  as  a 
show:  we  must  buy  him."  So  they  went  to  the 
woodman  and  asked  him  what  he  would  take  for 
the  little  man  :  "  He  will  be  better  off,"  said  they, 
"  with  us  than  with  you."  "  I  won't  sell  him  at 
all,"  said  the  father,  ,u  my  own  flesh  and  blood  is 
dearer  to  me  than  all  the  silver  and  gold  in  the 
world."  But  Tom,  hearing  of  the  bargain  they 
wanted  to  make,  crept  up  his  father's  coat  to  his 
shoulder,  and  whispered  in  his  ear,  "  Take  the 
money,  father,  and  let  them  have  me  ;  I  '11  soon 
come  back  to  you." 

So  the  woodman  at  last  agreed  to  sell  Tom  to 
the  strangers  for  a  large  piece  of  gold.  "  Where 
do  you  like  to  sit  ?  "  said  one  of  them.  "  Ob, 
put  me  on  the  rim  of  your  hat,  that  will  be  a  nice 
gallery  for  me ;  I  can  walk  about  there,  and  see 
the  country  as  we  go  along."  So  they  did  as  he 
wished  ;  and  when  Tom  had  taken  leave  of  his 
father,  they  took  him  away  with  them.  They 
journeyed  on  till  it  began  to  be  dusky,  and  then 
the  little  man  said,  "  Let  me  get  down,  I  'm 
tired."     So  the  man  took  off  his  hat  and  set  him 


TOM  THUMB. 


97 


down  on  a  clod  of  earth  in  a  plowed  field  by  the 
side  of  the  road.  But  Tom  ran  about  amongst 
the  furrow;;,  and  at  last  slipped  into  an  old  mouse- 
hole.  "  Good  night,  masters,"  said  he,  "I'm  off! 
mind  and  look  sharp  after  me  the  next  time." 
They  ran  directly  to  the  place,  and  poked  the  ends 
of  their  sticks  into  the  mouse-hole,  but  all  in 
vain  ;  Tom  only  crawled  farther  and  farther  in, 
and  at  last  it  became  quite  dark,  so  that  they  were 
obliged  to  go  their  way  without  their  prize,  as 
sulky  as  you  please. 

When  Tom  found  they  were  gone,  he  came  out 
of  his  hiding-place.  "  What  dangerous  walking 
it  is,"  said  he,  "in  this  ploughed  field  !  If  I  were 
to  fall  from  one  of  these  great  clods  I  should 
certainly  break  my  neck."  At  last,  by  good  luck, 
he  found  a  large  empty  snail-shell.  "  This  is 
lucky,"  said  he,  "  I  can  sleep  here  very  well,"  and 
in  he  crept.  Just  as  he  was  falling  asleep  he 
heard  two  men  passing,  and  one  said  to  the  other, 
"  How  shall  we  manage  to  steal  that  rich  parson's 
silver  and  gold  ?  "  "  I  '11  tell  you,"  cried  Tom. 
"  What  noise  was  that  ?  "  said  the  thief,  fright- 
ened, "  I  am  sure  I  heard  some  one  speak." 
They  stood  still  listening,  and  Tom  said,  "  Take 
me  with  you,  and  I  '11  soon  show  you  how  to  get 
the  parson's  money."  "  But  where  are  you  ?  " 
said  they.  "Look  about  on  the  ground,"  an- 
swered he,  "  and  listen  where  the  sound  comes 
from."  At  last  the  thieves  found  him  out,  and 
lifted  him  up  in  their  hands.  "  You  little  ur- 
chin!" said  they,  "what  can  you  do  for  us?" 
"  Why  I  can  get  between  the  iron  window-bars  of 
the  parson's  house,  and  throw  you  out  whatever 
you  want."  "That's  a  good  thought,"  said  the 
thieves  ;  "  come  along,  we  shall  see  what  you  can 
do." 

When  they  came  to  the  parson's  house,  Tom 
slipped  through  the  window-bars  into  the  room, 
and  then  called  out  as  loud  as  he  could  bawl, 
"  Will  you  have  all  that  is  here  ?  "  At  this  the 
thieves  were  frightened,  and  said,  "  Softly,  softly  ! 
Speak  low,  that  you  may  not  awaken  anybody." 
But  Tom  pretended  not  to  understand  them,  and 
bawled  out  again,  "  How  much  will  you  have  ? 

13 


Shall  I  throw  it  all  out?"  Now  the  cook  lay  in 
the  next  room,  and  hearing  a  noise  she  raised 
herself  in  her  bed  and  listened.  Meantime  the 
thieves  were  frightened,  and  ran  off  to  a  little  dis- 
tance ;  but  at  last  the}7  plucked  up  courage,  and 
said,  "  The  little  urchin  is  only  trying  to  make 
fools  of  us."  So  they  came  back  and  whispered 
softly  to  him,  saying,  "  Now  let  us  have  no  more 
of  your  jokes,  but  throw  out  some  of  the  money." 
Then  Tom  called  out  as  loud  as  he  could,  "  Very 
well:  hold  your  hands,  here  it  comes."  The  cook 
heard  this  quite  plain,  so  she  sprang  out  of  bed 
and  ran  to  open  the  door.  The  thieves  ran  off  as 
if  a  wolf  was  at  their  tails  ;  and  the  maid,  having 
groped  about  and  found  nothing,  went  away  for 
a  light.  By  the  time  she  returned  Tom  had 
slipped  off  into  the  barn  ;  and  when  the  cook  had 
looked  about  and  searched  every  hole  and  corner. 
and  found  nobody,  she  went  to  bed,  thinking  she 
must  have  been  dreaming  with  her  eyes  open. 
The  little  man  crawled  about  in  the  hay-loft,  and 
at  last  found  a  glorious  place  to  finish  his  night's 
rest  in  ;  so  he  laid  himself  down,  meaning  to  sleep 
till  daylight,  and  then  find  his  way  home  to  his 
father  and  mother.  But,  alas!  how  cruelly  was 
he  disappointed  !  what  crosses  and  sorrows  happen 
in  this  world  !  The  cook  got  up  early  before  day- 
break to  feed  the  cows :  she  went  straijrht  to  the 
hay-loft,  and  carried  away  a  large  bundle  of  hay 
with  the  little  man  in  the  middle  of  it  fast  asleep. 
He  still,  however,  slept  on,  and  did  not  awake  till 
he  found  himself  in  the  mouth  of  the  cow,  who 
had  taken  him  up  with  a  mouthful  of  hay :  "  Good 
lack-a-day  !  "  said  he,  "  how  did  I  manage  to  tum- 
ble into  the  mill  ?  "  But  he  soon  found  out  where 
he  really  was,  and  was  obliged  to  have  all  his  wits 
about  him  in  order  that  he  might  not  get  between 
the  cow's  teeth,  and  so  be  crushed  to  death.  At 
last  down  he  went  into  her  stomach.  "  It  is  l-ather 
dark  here,"  said  he;  "  they  forgot  to  build  win- 
dows in  this  room  to  let  the  sun  in  ;  a  candle  would 
be  no  bad  thing." 

Though  he  made  the  best  of  his  bad  luck,  he  did 
not  like  his  quarters  at  all ;  and  the  worst  of  it 
was,  that  more  and  more  hay  was  always  coming 


98 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


down,  and  the  space  in  which  he  was  became 
smaller  and  smaller.  At  last  he  cried  out  as  loud 
as  he  could,  "  Don't  bring  me  any  more  hay ! 
Don't  bring  me  any  more  hay  !  "  The  maid  hap- 
pened to  be  just  then  milking  the  cow,  and  hear- 
ing some  one  speak  and  seeing  nobody,  and  yet 
being  quite  sure  it  was  the  same  voice  that  she 
had  heard  in  the  night,  she  was  so  frightened  that 
she  fell  off  her  stool  and  overset  the  milk-pail. 
She  ran  off  as  fast  as  she  could  to  her  master  the 
parson,  and  said,  "  Sir,  sir,  the  cow  is  talking  !  " 
But  the  parson  said,  "  Woman,  thou  art  surely 
mad!"  However,  he  went  with  her  into  the 
cow-house  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  Scarcely 
had  they  set  their  foot  on  the  threshold  when 
Tom  called  out.  "  Don't  bring  me  any  more 
hay  !  "  Then  the  parson  himself  was  frightened  ; 
and  thinking  the  cow  was  surely  bewitched,  or- 
dered that  she  should  be  killed  directly.  So  the 
cow  was  killed,  and  the  stomach,  in  which  Tom 
lay,  was  thrown  out  upon  a  dunghill. 

Tom  soon  set  himself  to  work  to  get  out,  which 
was  not  a  very  easy  task;  but  at  last,  just  as  he 
had  made  room  to  get  his  head  out,  a  new  mis- 
fortune befell  him  :  a  hungry  wolf  sprang  out, 
and  swallowed  the  whole  stomach,  with  Tom  in  it, 
at  a  single  gulp,  and  ran  away.  Tom,  however, 
was  not  disheartened ;  and  thinking  the  wolf  would 
not  dislike  having  some  chat  with  him  as  he  was 
going  along,  he  called  out,  "  My  good  friend,  I 
can  show  you  a  famous  treat."  "  Where  's  that  ?  " 
said  the  wolf.  "  In  such  and  such  a  house,"  said 
Tom,  describing  his  father's  house,  "  you  can  crawl 
through  the  drain  into  the  kitchen,  and  there  you 
will  find  cakes,  ham,  beef,  and  everything  your 
heart  can  desire."  The  wolf  did  not  want  to  be 
asked  twice;  so  that  very  night  he  went  to  the 
house  and  crawled  through  the  drain  into  the 
kitchen,  and  ate  and  drank  there  to  his  heart's 
content.     As  soon  as  he  was  satisfied  he  wanted 


to  get  away  ;  but  he  had  eaten  so  much  that  he 
could  not  get  out  the  same  way  that  he  came  in. 
This  was  just  what  Tom  had  reckoned  upon  ;  and 
he  now  began  to  set  up  a  great  shout,  making  all 
the  noise  he  could.  "  Will  you  be  quiet?  "  said  the 
wolf  :  "  you  '11  awaken  everybody  in  the  house." 
"  What 's  that  to  me  ?  "  said  the  little  man  :  "  you 
have  had  your  frolic,  now  I  've  a  mind  to  be  merry 
myself ;  "  and  he  began  again  singing  and  shout- 
ing as  loud  as  he  could. 

The  woodman  and  his  wife,  being  awakened 
by  the  noise,  peeped  through  a  crack  in  the  door  ; 
but  when  they  saw  that  the  wolf  was  there,  j'ou 
may  well  suppose  that  they  were  terribly  fright- 
ened ;  and  the  woodman  ran  for  his  axe,  and  gave 
his  wife  a  scythe.  "  Now  do  you  stay  behind," 
said  the  woodman  ;  "  and  when  I  have  knocked 
him  on  the  head,  do  you  rip  up  his  belly  for  him 
with  the  scythe."  Tom  heard  all  this,  and  said, 
"  Father,  father !  I  am  here,  the  wolf  has  swal- 
lowed me  : "  and  his  father  said,  "  Heaven  be 
praised  !  we  have  found  our  dear  child  again  ;  " 
and  he  told  his  wife  not  to  use  the  scythe,  for  fear 
she  should  hurt  him.  Then  he  aimed  a  great 
blow,  and  struck  the  wolf  on  the  head,  and  killed 
him  on  the  spot ;  and  when  he  was  dead  they  cut 
open  his  body  and  set  Tommy  free.  "  Ah  !  "  said 
the  father,  "  what  fears  we  have  had  for  you  !  " 
"  Yes,  father,"  answered  he,  "  I  have  traveled  all 
over  the  world,  since  we  parted,  in  one  way  or 
other  ;  and  now  I  am  very  glad  to  get  fresh  air 
again."  "  Why,  where  have  you  been  ?  "  said  his- 
father.  "  I  have  been  in  a  mouse-hole,  in  a  snail- 
shell,  down  a  cow's  throat,  and  in  the  wolf's  belly  ; 
and  yet  here  I  am  again  safe  and  sound."  "  Well," 
said  they,  "  we  will  not  sell  you  again  for  all  the 
riches  in  the  world."  So  they  hugged  and  kissed 
their  dear  little  son,  and  gave  him  plenty  to  eat 
and  drink,  and  fetched  new  clothes  for  him,  for 
his  old  ones  were  quite  spoiled  on  his  journey- 


PUSS  IN  BOOTS. 


99 


PUSS   IN   BOOTS. 


There  was  once  a  miller,  -who,  at  his  death,  had 
nothing  to  leave  to  his  three  children  but  his  mill,  his 
ass,  and  his  cat ;  so  he  called  in  no  lawyer,  and  made 
no  will.  The  eldest  son  took  the  mill ;  the  second  the 
ass;  while  the  youngest  had  nothing  but  the  cat,  who 
seemed  more  likely  to  prove  a  burden  than  a  boon  to 
his  new  master.  The  poor  fellow  was  quite  downcast 
and  said  to  himself :  "  My  brothers,  by  putting  their 
goods  together,  will  be  able  to  earn  an  honest  liveli- 
hood ;  but  as  for  myself,  when  I  shall  have  eaten 
my  cat,  and  sold  his  skin,  what  is  there  left  ?  then 
I  shall  die  of  hunger." 

The  cat,  who  was  sitting  on 
the  window-seat,  overheard  these 
words,  without  seeming  to  do  so, 
and,  looking  up,  said  to  him 
with  a  very  serious,  sober  air.  — 
"  Na}%  dear  master,  do  not  be 
downcast  at  your  future  pros- 
pects. Only  give  me  a  bag,  and 
get  me  a  pair  of  boots  made,  such 
as  other  folks  wear,  so  that  I 
may  stride  through  the  bram- 
bles, and  you  will  soon  see  that 
you  have  a  better  bargain  than  you  think  for." 

Although  the  cat's  new  master  did  not  put 
much  faith  in  these  promises,  yet  he  had  seen  him 
perform  so  many  clever  tricks  in  catching  rats  and 
mice, — such  as  hanging  stiff  by  his  hind  legs,  to 
make  believe  he  were  dead,  and  concealing  him- 
self in  the  meal-tub,  as  if  he  were  nowhere  about, 
—  that  he  did  not  quite  despair  of  his  helping  him 
to  better  his  fortunes.  Besides,  he  knew  not  what 
else  to  do,  and  there  was  no  harm  in  trying  this. 

As  soon  as  the  cat  was  provided  with  what  he 
asked  for,  he  drew  on  his  boots,  and,  slinging  the 
bag  round  his  neck,  took  hold  of  the  two  strings 
with  his  fore-paws,  and  set  off  for  a  warren  that 
he  knew  of,  plentifully  stocked  with  rabbits.  He 
filled  his  bag  with  bran  and  sow-thistles,  and  then 
stretched  himself  out  as  stiff  as  though  he  had 
been    dead,    waiting   patiently    till    some   simple 


young  rabbit,  unused  to 
worldly  snares  and  wiles, 
should    see   the    dainty 
feast  and  never  think  of 
the  cat.    He  had  scarcely 
lain  a  few  moments  in  am- 
bush before  a  thoughtless 
young  rabbit  caught  at 
the  bait,  and  went  head- 
Ions  into  the  bag,  where- 
upon  the  cat  drew  the  strings,  and  immediately 
strangled  the  foolish  creature.     The  cat  was  vastly 
proud  of  his  victory,  and  immediately  went  to  the 
palace  and  asked  to  speak  to  the  king.     He  was 
shown  into  the  king's  cabinet,  when  he  bowed  re- 
spectfully to  his  majesty,  and  said,  "  Sire,  this  is  a 
rabbit  from  the  warren  of  the  Marquis  of  Carabas 
(such  was  the  title  the  cat  took  it  into  his  head  to 
bestow  on  his   master),  which    he  desired  me  to 
present  to  your  majesty." 

"  Tell  your  master  that  I  am  obliged  by  his 
courtesy,  and  that  I  accept  his  present  with  much 
pleasure,"  replied  the  king,  looking  graciously  at 
him. 

Another  time  the  cat  went  and  concealed  him- 
self in  a  cornfield,  and  held  his  bag  open  as  before, 
and,  very  shortly  after,  two  partridges  were  lured 
into  the  trap,  when  he  drew  the  strings  and  made 


100 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


them  both  prisoners.  He  then 
•went  and  presented  them  to  the 
king,  as  he  had  done  the  rabbit. 
The  king  received  the  partridges 
very  graciously,  and  ordered  the 
messenger  to  be  rewarded  for  his 
trouble. 

For  two  or  three  months,  Puss 
continued   to    carry  game   every 
now  and    then   to  the    king,    al- 
ways presenting  it  in  the  name 
of    his   master,    the   Marquis   of 
Carabas,   who  he  said  was  a  fa- 
mous sportsman.    At  last  he  happened  to  hear 
that  the  king  was  going  to  take  a  drive  on  the 
banks  of  the  river,  in  company  with  his  daugh- 
ter, who  was  the  most  beautiful  princess  in  the 
world ;  and  he  said  to  his  master,  "  If  you  will 
but  follow  my  advice,  your  fortune  is  as  good  as 
made.     You  need  only  go  and  bathe  in  the  river 
at  the  spot  that  I  shall  point  out,  and  leave  the 
rest  to  me." 

The  Marquis  of  Carabas  did  as  his  cat  advised 
him,  though  it  was  too  much  for  him  to  say  what 
it  was  all  coming  to.  Just  as  he  was  bathing,  the 
king  came  driving  past,  when  Puss  began  to  bawl 
out  as  loud  as  he  could,  "Help!  help!  the  Mar- 
quis of  Carabas  is  drowning!     Save  him  !  " 

On  hearing  this,  the  king  looked  out  of  the  car- 
riage-window, and,  recognizing  the  cat  who  had  so 
frequently  brought  him  game,  ordered  his  body- 
guards to  fly  to  the  assistance  of  my  Lord  Marquis 
of  Carabas. 

While  the  poor  marquis  was  being  fished  out  of 
the  river,  Puss  stepped  up  to  the  royal  carriage, 
and  informed  his  majesty,  that,  during  the  time 
his  master  was  bathing,  some  robbers  had  stolen 
his  clothes,  although  he  had  cried  out  "  Stop 
thief  !  "  with  all  his  might.  The  rogue  had  really 
only  hidden  them  under  a  large  stone.  The  king 
immediately  ordered  the  gentlemen  of  his  ward- 
robe to  go  and  fetch  one  of  his  most  sumptuous 
presses  for  the  Marquis  of  Carabas. 

When  the  marquis,  who  was  a  well-grown,  hand- 
some young  fellow,  came  forth  gayly  dressed,  he 


looked  so  ele- 
gant that  the 
king  took  him 

for  a  very  fine  gentleman,  and 
said  the  politest  things  in  the 
world  to  him,  while  the  prin- 
cess was  so  struck  with  his  ap- 
pearance, that  my  Lord  Mar- 
quis of  Carabas  had  scarcely 
made  his  obeisance  to  her, 
and  looked  at  her  once  or 
twice  with  a  very  tender  air, 
before  she  fell  over  head  and 
ears  in  love  with  him. 

The  king  insisted  on  his 
getting  into  the  carriage  and 
taking  a  drive  with  them. 
Puss,  highly  delighted  at  the  !2S^ 

turn  things  were  taking,  and 

determined  that  all  should  turn  out  in  the  very 
best  way,  now  ran  on  before,  and  having  reached 
a  meadow  where  some  peasants  were  mowing  the 
grass,  he  thus  accosted  them  :  "  I  say,  good  folks, 
if  you  do  not  tell  the  king,  when  he  comes  this 
way,  that  the  field  you  are  mowing  belongs  to  the 
Marquis  of  Carabas,  you  shall  all  be  chopped  as 
fine  as  mince-meat." 


PUSS  IN  BOOTS. 


101 


When  the  carriage  came  by,  the  king  put  his 
head  out,  and  asked  the  mowers  whose  good  grass- 
land that  was.  "  It  belongs  to  the  Marquis  of  Ca- 
rabas,  please  your  majesty,"  said  they  in  a  breath, 
for  the  cat's  threats  had  frightened  them  mightily. 

"  Upon  my  word,  marquis,"  observed  the  king, 
"  that  is  o.  fine  estate  of  yours." 

"  Yes,  sire,"  replied  the  marquis,  with  an  easy 
air,  "it  yields  me  a  tolerable  income  every  year." 

Puss,  who  continued  to  run  on  before  the  car- 
riage, presently  came  up  to  some  reapers.  "  I  say, 
you  reapers,"  cried  he,  "  mind  you  tell  the  king 
that  all  this  corn  belongs  to  the  Marquis  of  Cara- 
bas  or  else  you  shall,  every  one  of  you,  be  chopped 
into  mince-meat." 

The  king  passed  by  a  moment  after,  and  in- 
quired to  whom  those  cornfields  belonged. 

"  To  the  Marquis  of  Carabas,  please  your  maj- 
esty," replied  the  reapers. 

"  Faith,  it  pleases  our  majesty  right  well  to  see 
our  beloved  marquis  is  so  wealthy  ! "  quoth  the 
king. 

Puss  kept  still  running  on  before  the  carriage, 
and  repeating  the  same  instructions  to  all  the  la- 
borers he  met,  and  the  king  was  astounded  at  the 
vast  jjossessions  of  the  Marquis,  of  Carabas,  and 
kept  congratulating  him,  while  the  new-made  no- 
bleman received  each  fresh  compliment  more 
lightly  than  the  last,  so  that  one  could  see  he  was 
really  a  marquis,  and  a  very  grand  one  too. 

At  length  Puss  reached  a  magnificent  castle  be- 
longing to  an  ogre,  who  was  immensely  rich,  since 
all  the  lands  the  king  had  been  riding  through 
were  a  portion  of  his  estate.  Puss  having  inquired 
what  sort  of  a  person  the  ogre  might  be,  and  what 
he  was  able  to  do,  sent  in  a  message  asking  leave 
to  speak  with  him,  adding  that  he  was  unwilling 
to  pass  so  near  his  castle  without  paying  his  re- 
spects to  him. 

The  ogre  received  him  as  civilly  as  it  is  in  the 
nature  of  an  ogre  to  do,  and  bade  him  rest  him- 
self. "  I  have  been  told,"  said  Puss,  "  that  you  have 
the  power  of  transforming  yourself  into  all  sorts 
of  animals,  such,  for  instance,  as  a  lion,  or  an  ele- 
phant."    "  So  I  have,"  replied  the  ogre,  sharply ; 


"  do  you  disbelieve  it  ?  then  look,  and  you  shall 
see  me  become  a  lion  at  once." 


When  Puss  saw  a  lion  before  him,  he  was  seized 
with  such  a  fright  that  he  scrambled  up  to  the 
roof,  although  it  was  no  easy  job,  owing  to  his 
boots,  which  were  not  intended  for  walking  in  a 
gutter  and  over  tiles. 

At  last  perceiving  that  the  ogre  had  returned  to 
his  natural  shape,  Puss  came  down  again,  and  con- 
fessed he  had  been  exceedingly  frightened. 

"  But  I  have  also  been  told,"  said  Puss,  "  only  I 
really  cannot  believe  it,  that  you  likewise  possess 
the  power  of  taking  the  shape  of  the  smallest  ani- 
mals, and  that,  for  instance,  you  could  change 
yourself  into  a  rat  or  a  mouse  ;  but  that  is  really 
too  much  to  believe;   it  is  quite  impossible." 

"  Impossible,  indeed  !  "  quoth  the  ogre,  now  put 
upon  his  mettle ;  "  you  shall  see  !  " 


102 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


So  saying,  he  immediately  took  on  the  shape  of 
a  mouse,  and  began  frisking  about  the  floor,  when 
Puss  pounced  -  - 

upon  him,  gave 
him  one  shake, 
and  that  was  the 
end  of  the  ogre. 

By  this  time 
the  king  had 
reached  the  gates 
of  the  ogre's 
magn  iScent  cas- 
1 1  e,  and  e  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to 
enter  so  splen- 
did a  building. 
Puss  bearing  the  rumbling  of  the  carriage  across 
the  drawbridge,  now  ran  out  to  meet  the  king, 
saying,  "  Your  majesty  is  welcome  to  the  Mar- 
quis of  Carabas's  castle." 

"  What !  my  lord  marquis,"  exclaimed  the 
king,  "  does  this  castle  likewise  belong  to  you  ? 
Really,  I  never  saw  anything  more  splendid  than 
the  courtyard  and  the  surrounding  buildings;  pray 
let  us  see  if  the  inside  be  equal  to  the  outside." 

The  marquis  gracefully  handed  out  the  princess, 
and,  following  the  king,  they  mounted  a  flight  of 
steps,  and  were  ushered  by  Puss,  who  danced  be- 
fore them,  into  a  vast  hall,  where  they  found  an 


elegant  feast  spread.     Some  of  the  ogre's  friends 
were  to  have  visited  him  that  day,  but  the  news 

went  about  that 
the  king  had 
come,  and  so 
they  dared  not 
go.  The  king 
was  positively 
delighted,  the 
castle  was  so 
magnificent  and 
the  Marquis  of 
Carabas  such  an 
excellent  young 
man  ;  the  prin- 
cess, too,  was  ev- 
idently already  in  love  with  him  so  ;  after  drink- 
ing five  or  six  glasses  of  wine,  his  majesty  hemmed 
and  said,  — 

"  You  have  only  to  say  the  word,  my  lord  mar- 
quis, to  become  the  son-in-law  of  your  sover- 
eign." 

The  marquis  bowed  and  looked  at  the  princess, 
and  that  very  same  day  they  were  married,  and 
the  old  king  gave  them  his  blessing.  Puss,  who 
had  brought  it  all  about,  looked  on  mightily 
pleased,  and  ever  after  lived  there  a  great  lord, 
and  hunted  mice  for  mere  sport,  just  when  he 
pleased. 


LITTLE  RED  RIDING-HOOD. 


103 


LITTLE   RED    RIDING-HOOD. 


Once 
upon      a 
time    there 
lived    in    a 
certain   vil- 
age  a  little 
country 
JS^    g  i  r  1,     the 
-/ff.;/'W     prettiest 
creature  ever  seen.      Her  mother 
was    very  fond    of  her    and   her 
grandmother  doted  on  her  even 
more.     This  good  old  woman  had 
made  for  her  a  little  red  riding- 
hood,  which  became  the  girl  so  extremely  well  that 
everybody  called  her  Little  Red  Riding-Hood. 

One  day  her  mother,  having  made  some  cus- 
tards, said  to  her,  "  Go,  my  dear,  and  see  how 
thy  grandmamma  does,  for  I  hear  she  has  been 
very  ill  ;  carry  her  a  custard  and  a  little  pot  of 
butter."  Little  Red  Riding-Hood  set  out  at  once 
to  go  to  her  grandmother,  who  lived  in  another 
village.  As  she  was  going  through  the  wood  she 
met  Gaffer  Wolf,  who  had  a  very  great  mind  to 
eat  her  up,  but  durst  not  because  of  some  fagot- 
makers  hard  by  in  the  forest. 


and  hear  a  wolf  talk,  said  to  him, 
"  I  am  going  to  see  my  grand- 
mamma, and  carry  her  a  custard 
and  a  little  pot  of  butter  from  my 
mother." 

"Does  she  live  far  off?"  asked 
the  wolf. 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Little  Red  Rid- 
ing-Hood ;  "  it  is  beyond  that  mill 
you  see  there,  at  the  first  house  in 
the  village." 

"  Well,"  said  the  wolf  ;  "  and  I 
will  go  and  see  her  too.     I  will  go 
this  way,  and  go  you  that,  and  we 
shall  see  who  will  be  there  soonest." 

The  wolf  began  to  run  as  fast  as  he  could,  tak- 
ing  the  nearest  way  ;  and  the  little  girl  went  by 
that  farthest  about,  diverting  herself  in  gathering 
nuts,  running  after  butterflies,  and  making  nose- 
gays of  such  little  flowers  as  she  met  with.  The 
wolf  was  not  long  before  he  got  to  the  old  woman's 
house.  He  knocked  at  the  door  —  tap,  tap. 
"  Who  is  there  ?  " 

"  Your  grandchild,  Little  Red  Riding-Hood," 
replied  the  wolf,  counterfeiting  her  voice;  "who 
has  brought  you  a  custard  and  a  little  pot  of  but- 
ter sent  you  by  my  mamma." 

The  good  grandmother,  who  was  in  bed  because 
she  was  ill,  cried  out :  — 

"  Pull  the  bobbin,  and  the  latch  will  go  up." 
The  wolf  pulled  the  bobbin,  and  the  door  opened, 
and  in  jumped  the  wolf,  who  fell  upon  the  good 
woman  and  ate  her  up  in  a  moment,  as  he  had 
not  tasted  food  for  three  days.  He  then  shut  the 
door,  and  got  into  the  grandmother's  bed,  expect- 
ing Little  Red  Riding-Hood,  who  came  some  time 
after,  and  knocked  at  the  door  —  tap,  tap. 
"  Who  is  there  ?  " 

Little  Red  Riding-Hood,  hearing  the  big  voice 
of  the  wolf,  was  at  first  afraid,  but,  believing  her 


He  asked  her  whither  she  was  going.    The  poor     grandmother    had    a   cold,    and    was    hoarse,    an- 
child,  who  did  not  know  it  was  dangerous  to  stay      swered :  — 


104 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


"  It  is  your  grandchild,  Little  Red  Rid- 
ing-Hood, who  has  brought  you  a  custard 
and  a  little  pot  of  butter  which  mamma 
sends  you." 

The  wolf  cried  out  to  her,  softening  his 
voice  as  much  as  he  could,  "  Pull  the  bob- 
bin, and  the  latch  will  go  up."    Little  Red 
Riding-Hood 
pulled    the    bob- 
bin, and  the  door 
opened. 

The  wolf,  see- 
ing her  come  in, 
said  to  her,  hid- 
ing himself  under  Wl 
the  bedclothes, 
"Put  the  custard 
and  the  little  pot 
of  butter  upon 
the  stool,  and 
come  and  lie 
down  by  me." 

Little  Red  Rid- 
ing-Hood undressed  herself  and  got  into  bed, 
where  being  greatly  amazed  to  see  how  her  grand- 
mother looked  in  her  night-clothes,  said  to  her  :  — 

"  Grandmamma,    what   great   arms    you    have 
got!" 


"  That  is  the 
better  to  hug 
thee,  my  dear." 

"  Grandmam- 
ma, what  great 
legs  you  have 
got!" 

"  That  is  to 
run  the  better, 
my  child." 

'•  Grandmam- 
ma, what  great 
ears  you  have 
got ! " 

"  That  is  tc 
hear  the  better, 
my  child." 

li  Grandmam- 
ma, what   great 
eyes     you    have 
got !  " 
"  It  is  to  see  the  better,  my  child." 
"  Grandmamma,    what   great   teeth    you    have 
got!" 

"  That  is  to  eat  thee  up." 

And,  saying  these  words,  this  wicked  wolf  fell 
upon  poor  Little  Red  Riding-Hood,  and  ate  her 
all  up. 


BEAUTY  AND   THE   BEAST. 


There  was  once  a  rich  merchant  who  had  six 
children,  three  sons  and  three  daughters;  and  he 
loved  them  more  than  he  loved  all  his  riches,  so 
that  he  was  always  seeking  to  make  them  happy 
and  wise.  The  daughters  were  extremely  pretty, 
but  the  youngest  was  more  than  pretty,  she  was 
beautiful ;  and  as  every  one  called  her  Little 
Beauty  when  she  was  a  child,  and  she  became 
more  lovely  each  year,  the  name  grew  up  with 
her,  so  that  she  had  no  other  but  just — Beauty. 
Now  Beauty  was  as  good  as  she  was  beautiful, 
but  her  elder  sisters  were  ill-natured  and  jealous 
of   her,  and    could   not  bear   to    hear   her    called 


Beauty.  They  were  very  proud,  too,  of  their 
father's  riches,  and  put  on  great  airs  and  would 
not  condescend  to  visit  other  merchants'  daugh- 
ters, but  were  always  dangling  after  persons  of 
quality,  and  going  to  plays  and  grand  balls; 
they  laughed  at  Beauty,  who  lived  quietly  at 
home  with  her  father.  The  father  was  so  rich 
that  many  great  merchants  wished  to  marry 
his  daughters,  but  the  two  eldest  always  said 
that  they  could  never  think  of  marrying  any- 
body below  a  duke  or  at  the  least  an  earl ;  as 
for  Beauty,  she  thanked  her  lovers  for  think- 
ing so    well    of    her,    but   as    she    was    still  very 


BEAUTY  AND    THE  BEAST. 


105 


young  she  wished  to  live  a  few  years  longer  with 
her  father. 

But  suddenly  it  fell  that  the  merchant  lost  all 
his  great  wealth  ;  nothing  remained  save  one  small 
house  in  the  country,  and  there  the  poor  man  told 
his  children  they  must  all  now  go  and  earn  their 
daily  living.  The  two  eldest  daughters  said  that 
they  were  not  going,  for  they  had  plenty  of  lovers 
in  town  who  would  be  glad  enough  to  marry  them, 
though  they  had  lost  their  fortune.  But  they 
were  greatly  mistaken  in  this,  for  their  lovers 
would  not  even  look  at  them  now,  and  jeered  at 
them  in  their  trouble  because  they  had  been  so  odi- 
ously proud.  Yet  everybody  pitied  poor  Beauty, 
and  several  gentlemen  who  loved  her,  begged  her 
still  to  let  them  marry  her,  though  she  had  not  a 
penny ;  Beauty  refused,  and  said  she  could  not 
leave  her  father  now  that  trouble  had  come  upon 
him. 

So  the  family  went  to  live  in  the  small  house  in 
the  country,  where  the  merchant  and  his  three 
sons  plowed  and  sowed  the  fields,  and  worked 
all  day  in  the  garden ;  and  Beauty  rose  at  four 
o'clock  every  morning,  put  the  house  in  order,  and 
got  breakfast  for  the  whole  family.  It  was  very 
hard  at  first,  and  no  one  helped  her ;  but  every 
day  it  grew  easier  to  work,  and  Beauty  waxed 
healthier  and  rosier.  When  her  work  was  done, 
she  would  read,  or  play  on  the  harpsichord,  or  sit 
at  her  spinning-wheel,  singing  as  she  spun.  As 
for  her  two  sisters,  they  were  idle  and  miserable, 
and  perfectly  helpless ;  they  never  got  up  till  ten 
o'clock,  and  then  they  spent  the  day  moping  and 
fretting  because  they  no  longer  had  fine  clothes  to 
wear,  and  could  not  go  to  fine  parties  to  be  ad- 
mired. They  sneered  at  Beauty,  and  said  she  was 
nothing  but  a  servant-girl  after  all,  to  like  that 
way  of  living ;  but  Beauty  lived  on  cheerfully. 

They  had  been  in  the  counti-y  about  a  year, 
when  the  merchant  received  a  letter  which  brought 
the  news  that  a  ship  laden  with  rich  goods  belong- 
ing to  him,  and  which  was  thought  to  be  lost,  had 
just  come  into  port.  At  this  the  two  eldest  sisters 
were  half  wild  with  joy,  for  now  they  could  soon 
leave  the  farm-house  and  go  back  to  the  gay  city  ; 

14 


and  when  their  father  was  about  leaving  for  the 
port,  to  settle  his  business  there,  they  begged  for 
all  manner  of  fine  clothes  and  trinkets,  which  he 
was  to  bring  with  him.  Then  the  merchant  asked 
Beauty,  — 

"  And  what  shall  I  bring  you,  Beauty  ? "  for 
Beauty  had  yet  asked  for  nothing. 

"  Why,  since  yon  ask  me,  dear  father,"  said  she, 
"  I  should  like  you  to  bring  me  a  rose,  for  none 
grow  in  these  parts."  Now  it  was  not  that  Beauty 
wished  so  very  much  for  a  rose,  but  she  did  not 
like  to  seem  to  blame  her  sisters,  or  to  appear  bet- 
ter than  they,  by  saying  that  she  did  not  wish  for 
anything. 

The  good  man  set  off,  but  when  he  reached  the 
port  he  was  obliged  to  go  to  law  about  the  cargo, 
and  it  ended  in  his  turning  back  poorer  than  when 
he  left  his  home.  He  set  out  to  return  to  the 
farm-house  ;  when  he  was  within  thirty  miles  of 
home,  he  came  to  a  large  forest  through  which  he 
must  pass.  The  snow  began  to  fall  and  covered 
the  path ;  the  night  closed  in,  and  it  grew  so  dark 
and  so  cold  that  the  poor  man  gave  himself  up  as 
lost.  He  could  not  see  the  way,  and  he  was  faint. 
with  cold  and  hunger;  when,  all  of  a  sudden,  he- 
saw  a  light,  at  the  end  of  a  long  avenue  of  trees. 
He  turned  into  the  avenue  and  rode  until  he  came 
to  the  end  of  it ;  and  there  was  a  splendid  palace, 
yet  not  a  soul  could  he  see  at  the  windows  which 
were  blazing  with  light,  or  by  the  doors  or  in  the 
courtyai'd.  His  horse,  seeing  a  stable  door  open, 
walked  in,  and  finding  a  crib  full  of  hay  and  oats, 
the  poor  jaded  beast  fell  to  eating  heartily.  The 
merchant  left  him  in  the  stall  and  entei-ed  the  pal- 
ace ;  but,  though  he  found  nobody,  and  nobody 
came  out  to  him,  there  was  a  fire  blazing,  and  a 
table  spread  with  the  richest  viands  and  set  for 
one  person.  Being  wet  to  the  skin,  he  went  to- 
ward the  fire  to  dry  himself,  saying,  — 

"  I  hope  the  master  of  the  house  or  his  servants 
will  excuse  the  liberty  I  am  taking,  for  no  doubt 
they  will  soon  make  their  appearance." 

He  waited,  but  no  one  came.  The  clock  struck 
eleven  ;  and  then,  faint  for  want  of  food,  he  went 
to  the  table  and  ate  a  chicken,  yet  all  the  while 


106 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


in  a  great  fright ;  he  took  several  glasses  of  wine 
also ;  and  being  now  satisfied,  he  felt  more  cour- 
age and  looked  about  him.  The  clock  struck 
twelve,  and  he  left  the  hall  through  an  open  door 
and  passed  through  several  splendid  rooms  till  he 
came  to  one  with  a  comfortabie  bed ;  and  now, 
being  excessively  tired,  he  took  off  his  clothes  and 
got  into  it. 

The  merchant  did  not  wake  till  ten  o'clock  on 
the  following  morning,  when  he  was  surprised  to 
find  a  new  suit  of  clothes  instead  of  his  own,  which 
had  been  quite  ruined.  He  now  began  to  believe 
that  the  palace  belonged  to  some  good  fairy,  and 
was  sure  of  it  when  he  looked  out  of  the  window 
and  saw  that  the  snow  had  given  place  to  lovely 
gardens  with  flowery  arbors.  Returning  to  the 
great  hall,  where  he  had  supped,  he  found  the  ta- 
ble prepared  for  his  breakfast.  He  sat  down  with- 
out hesitation  to  this  meal,  and  when  he  had  fin- 
ished he  went  to  look  after  his  horse.  The  way 
led  under  a  bower  of  roses ;  and  remembering 
Beauty's  request,  he  plucked  a  bunch  to  take 
home.  No  sooner  had  he  done  this  than  he  heard 
a  frightful  roar,  and  saw  such  a  horrible  Beast 
stalking  up  to  him  that  he  was  ready  to  faint  with 
fear. 

"  Ungrateful  wretch  !  "  cried  the  Beast  in  a  ter- 
rific voice;  "I  saved  your  life  by  admitting  you 
into  my  palace,  and  you  reward  me  by  stealing 
my  roses,  which  I  love  beyond  everything !  You 
shall  pay  the  forfeit  with  your  life's  blood  !  "  The 
poor  merchant  threw  himself  on  his  knees  before 
the  Beast,  saying, — 

"  Forgive  me,  my  lord.  I  did  not  know  I  was 
offending  you  ;  I  only  wanted  to  pluck  a  rose  for 
one  of  my  daughters,  who  had  asked  me  to  bring 
one  home  to  her.  I  pray  you,  do  not  kill  me,  my 
lord." 

"  I  am  not  a  lord,  but  a  Beast,"  answered  the 
monster.  "  I  hate  flattery,  and  you  will  not  whee- 
dle me  with  any  fine  speeches  ;  but  as  you  say  you 
have  daughters,  I  will  forgive  you,  provided  one  of 
them  comes  willingly  to  die  in  your  stead ;  but 
swear  that,  should  they  refuse,  you  -will  return  in 
three  months."     The  merchant  had  not  the  most 


distant  intention  of  suffering  any  of  his  daughters 
to  die  for  him  ;  but  wishing  to  see  his  children 
once  more  before  he  died,  he  swore  to  return  ;  and 
the  Beast  dismissed  him,  telling  him  he  need  not 
go  empty-handed,  but  that  he  might  go  back  to 
the  room  where  he  had  slept,  and  there  he  would 
find  a  large  chest  which  he  was  at  liberty  to  fill 
with  whatever  he  fancied  in  the  palace,  and  that  it 
would  be  sent  after  him  to  his  home.  The  mer- 
chant, comforting  himself  with  the  thought  that  at 
least  he  should  leave  his  children  provided  for,  re- 
turned to  his  room  and  found  the  chest  as  Beast 
had  said,  with  heaps  of  gold  pieces  about  the  floor. 
He  filled  the  chest  with  the  gold,  and  left  sadly  for 
his  home.  He  held  the  roses  in  his  hand,  and  as 
the  children  came  to  meet  him,  he  gave  them  to 
his  youngest  daughter,  saying,  — 

"Take  them,  Beauty;  you  little  think  how  dear 
they  have  cost  your  poor  father ; "  and  then  he 
told  all  that  had  befallen  him  since  he  left  his 
home. 

The  two  eldest  sisters  then  began  to  lament 
loudly,  and  to  rail  at  Beauty  because  she  had 
been  the  cause  of  their  father's  death.  She  so 
wise,  indeed  !  if  she  had  been  content  to  ask  for 
dresses,  as  they  had,  all  would  have  been  well ; 
and  now  the  hard-hearted  thing  had  not  even  a 
tear  for  the  mischief  she  had  done  !  But  Beauty 
replied  quietly  that  it  were  of  little  use  to  weep, 
for  she  had  resolved  within  herself  to  go  and  die 
in  her  father's  stead. 

"No,  no!"  cried  the  three  brothers  at  once; 
"  we  will  go  and  seek  this  monster,  and  either  he 
or  we  shall  perish." 

But  the  merchant  told  them  they  did  not  know 
this  Beast.  He  was  more  mighty  than  they  could 
imagine,  and  it  would  be  vain  attempting  to  resist 
his  will.  Their  duty  it  was  to  live  and  protect 
their  sisters,  for,  as  for  himself,  he  would  go  back 
to  the  Beast,  as  he  had  promised,  and  sacrifice  the 
few  remaining  years  which  he  could  expect  to  en- 
joy;  and  saying  this,  he  left  his  children  and  went 
to  his  room  for  the  night.  There,  to  his  surprise, 
for  he  had  quite  forgotten  the  Beast's  promise,  he 
found  the  chest  with  the  gold  in  it,  which  he  had 


BEAUTY  AND    THE  BEAST. 


107 


packed  in  the  Beast's  palace ;  but  he  determined 
to  say  nothing  about  this  at  present  to  his  eldest 
daughters,  for  he  knew  they  would  at  once  pester 
him  to  return  to  town. 

Beauty  was  firm  in  her  resolve,  and  when  the 
three  months  were  over,  she  made  ready  to  go 
with  her  father.  As  they  set  out  on  the  journey, 
the  family  gathered  about  and  wept  over  her,  — 
her  father  and  brothers  shedding  real  tears,  but 
the  two  heartless  sisters  pretended  ones;  for  they 
rubbed  their  eyes  beforehand  with  an  onion,  to 
make  it  seem  as  if  they  had  cried  a  great  deal. 
The  horse  took  the  right  road  of  his  own  accord, 
and,  on  reaching  the  palace,  which  was  illumi- 
nated as  before,  he  went  at  once  into  the  stable, 
while  the  father  and  daughter  entered  the  great 
hall,  and  found  the  table  spread  for  two  persons 
with  most  dainty  fare.  After  supper  there  was  a 
tremendous  noise,  and  the  Beast  entered.  Beauty 
shuddered,  and  when  he  asked  her  whether  she 
had  come  of  her  own  will,  she  could  not  help 
trembling  as  she  faltered  out  "  Yes." 

"  Then  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  your  kindness," 
growled  the  Beast ;  and  turning  to  the  father,  he 
added,  "  As  for  you,  get  you  gone  to-morrow,  and 
never  let  me  see  you  here  again.  Good-night, 
Beauty." 

"  Good-night,  Beast,"  said  she  ;  and  Beast  walked 
off.  The  merchant  again  fell  to  entreating  his 
daughter  to  leave  him  there,  while  she  should  re- 
turn to  her  home  ;  but  when  the  morrow  came 
she  prevailed  on  him  to  set  out,  he  thinking,  the 
Beast  will  after  all  relent ;  surely  he  will  not  harm 
Beauty. 

When  her  father  was  gone,  Beauty  could  not 
help  shedding  a  few  tears ;  but  soon  she  dried 
her  eyes  and  began  walking  about  the  various 
rooms  of  the  palace,  and  came  to  her  surprise  to  a 
door  upon  which  was  written,  "  Beauty's  Room." 
Opening  it  hastily,  she  found  herself  in  a  splen- 
didly furnished  chamber,  where  were  a  multitude 
of  books,  a  harpsichord,  and  much  music.  "  It 
cannot  be,"  she  thought,  "  that  I  have  only  a  day 
to  live,  else  such  pleasure  would  not  have  been 
provided  for  me."    Her  surprise  increased  on  open- 


ing one  of  the  books  and  seeing  written  in  golden 
letters, —  Your  wishes  and  commands  shall  he 
obeyed  I  you  are  here  the  queen  over  everything ! 
"  Alas  !  "  she  thought,  "  my  wish  would  be  to  see 
what  my  poor  father  is  now  about."  No  sooner 
had  she  spoken  this  wish  to  herself,  than,  casting 
her  eyes  upon  a  large  looking-glass,  she  saw  in  it 
her  father's  arrival  at  home.  Her  sisters  came 
out  to  meet  him  ;  they  tried  to  look  sorrowful, 
but  it  was  plain  enough  they  were  highly  de- 
lighted that  he  should  return  without  Beauty. 
The  vision  lasted  but  a  moment  ;  then  it  disap- 
peared, and  Beauty  turned  away,  grateful  to  the 
Beast  for  fulfilling  her  wish. 

At  noon  she  found  dinner  ready  for  her,  and 
all  the  while  beautiful  music  was  played ;  but 
though  she  heard  the  music  she  saw  nobody.  At 
night  the  Beast  came  and  asked  leave  to  sup  with 
her,  which  of  course  she  could  not  refuse,  though 
she  trembled  from  head  to  foot.  Presently  he  in- 
quired whether  she  did  not  think  him  very  ugly  ? 
"  Yes,"  said  Beauty,  "  for  I  cannot  tell  a  lie ; 
but  I  think  you  very  good."  Then  the  supper 
went  on,  pleasantly  enough,  and  Beauty  had  half 
recovered  from  her  alarm,  when  he  suddenly  asked 
her,  — 

"  Beauty,  will  you  marry  me  ?  " 
Though  in  great  alarm,  she  faltered  out,  — 
"  No,  Beast ;  "  when  he  sighed  so  as  to  shake 
the  whole  house  ;  and,  saying  in  a  sorrowful  tone, 
"  Good-night,  Beauty,"  left  the  room,  to  her  great 
relief,  though  she  could  not  help  pitying  him 
from  her  soul. 

Beauty  lived  in  this  manner  for  three  months. 
The  Beast  came  to  supper  every  night,  and  by 
decrees,  as  she  <rrew  accustomed  to  his  ugliness, 
she  learned  to  mind  it  less,  and  to  think  more  of 
his  many  amiable  qualities.  The  only  thing  that 
pained  her  was,  that  lie  never  failed  to  ask  her 
each  night  if  she  would  marry  him,  and  when,  at 
last,  she  answered  that  she  had  the  greatest  friend- 
ship though  no  love  for  him,  he  begged  her  at 
least  to  promise  never  to  leave  him.  Now  that 
very  morning  Beauty  had  seen  in  her  glass  that 
her  father  lay  sick  with  grief,  supposing  her  to  be 


108 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


dead  ;  her  sisters  were  married,  her  brothers  were 
gone  for  soldiers,  and  so  she  told  the  Beast,  and 
weeping  said  she  should  die  if  he  refused  her  leave 
to  go  once  more 
and  see  her  fa- 
ther. 

"No,"  said 
the  Beast,  "  I 
will  not  refuse 
you,  for  I  would 
much  rather 
your  poor  Beast 
should  die  of 
grief  for  your 
absence ;  so  you 
may  go."  But 
Beauty  prom- 
ised to  return 
in  a  week  ;  and 
the  Beast  tell- 
ing her  that  she 
need  only  lay 
her  ring  on  her 
toilet-table  be- 
fore she  went  to 
bed,  when  she 
meant  to  return, 
bade  her  good- 
night as  usual, 
and  left  her. 

The  next 
morning  Beau- 
ty awoke  to  find 
herself  in  her 
father's  cottage, 
and  so  rejoiced 
was  he  to  see 
her  alive  that 
his  sickness  left 
him  quickly. 
He  sent  for  her 
sisters,  who  came  and  brought  their  husbands  ;  but 
they  were  not  living  very  happily  with  them,  for 
one  was  so  vain  of  his  person  that  he  thought  noth- 
ing of  his  wife,  and  the  other  so  sharp-tongued 


that  he  was  playing  off  his  wit  all  day  long  on 
everybody  around  him,  and  most  of  ah  on  his  own 
wife.    The  sisters  were  so  jealous  on  finding  Beauty 

grandly  dressed 
and  hearing  how 
kind  the  Beast 
had  been  to  her, 
that  they  laid  a 
plan  for  delay- 
ing her  return 
beyond  the  time 
which  she  had 
promised,  in 
hopes  that  the 
Beast  would  be 
so  angry  as  to 
devour  her.  Ac- 
cordingly, when 
the  week  was 
over  they  made 
such  an  ado 
about  her  leav- 
ing, and  pro- 
fessed to  be  so 
grieved,  that 
Beauty  agreed 
to  stay  another 
week,  though 
she  felt  some 
misgivings. 

On  the  night 
of  the  tenth  day, 
when  her  sisters 
had  been  feast- 
ing her  and  pre- 
tending great 
affection,  she 
dreamt  that  she 
saw  poor  Beast 
lying  half  dead 
on  the  grass  in 
the  palace  garden  ;  and  waking  all  in  tears,  she 
got  out  of  bed,  laid  her  ring  on  the  table,  and 
then  went  to  bed  again  where  she  soon  fell  asleep. 
When  she  awoke,  she  was  relieved  to  find  her- 


WHITTINGTON  AND  HIS    CAT. 


109 


self  once  more  in  the  palace,  and  she  waited  im- 
patiently till  supper  time,  when  she  should  see  the 
Beast.  But  the  clock  struck  nine,  and  no  Beast 
appeared. 

"  Oh,  if  I  have  killed  him  !  "  she  cried,  and  ran 
into  the  garden  toward  the  spot  she  had  dreamed 
of,  and  there  she  saw  the  poor  Beast  lying  sense- 
less on  the  grass.  She  threw  herself  upon  his 
body  in  despair ;  she  felt  his  heart  beat,  and  run- 
ning to  a  neighboring  fountain  for  water,  she  threw 
it  into  his  face.  The  Beast  opened  his  eyes  and 
said  in  a  faint  voice,  — 

"  You  forgot  your  promise,  and  I  resolved  to 
starve  myself  to  death  ;  but  since  you  are  come, 
I  shall  at  least  die  happy." 

"  No  !  you  shall  not  die,  dear  Beast,"  cried 
Beauty;  "  you  shall  live  to  be  my  husband,  for 
now  I  feel  I  really  love  you."    At  these  words  the 


whole  palace  was  suddenly  ablaze  with  light,  fire- 
works flew  in  the  air,  and  a  band  of  music  sounded. 
There  was  no  Beast,  but  in  his  place  a  very  hand- 
some prince  was  at  her  feet,  thanking  her  for  hav- 
ing broken  his  enchantment. 

"  But  where  is  my  poor  Beast  ?  "  asked  Beauty 
anxiously  ;   "  I  want  my  dear  Beast." 

"  I  was  the  Beast,"  said  the  prince.  "  A  wicked 
fairy  condemned  me  to  live  in  that  ugly  form  until 
some  good  and  beautiful  maid  should  be  found, 
so  good  as  to  love  me  in  spite  of  my  ugliness." 
Beauty,  filled  with  surprise,  took  the  prince  by 
the  hand  and  they  passed  into  the  palace.  There 
stood  Beauty's  father ;  and  the  young  pair  were 
at  once  married,  to  the  joy  of  the  prince's  subjects, 
who  had  long  mourned  his  mysterious  absence, 
and  over  whom  the  prince  and  his  beautiful  bride 
reigned  wisely  for  many  a  long  and  happy  year. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   SIR   RICHARD   WHITTINGTON   AND   HIS    CAT. 


Richard  Whittingtcot  was  supposed  to  have 
been  an  outcast,  for  he  did  not  know  his  parents, 
who  either  died,  or  had  left  him  to  the  parish  of 
Taunton  Dean,  in  Somersetshire.  As  he  grew  up, 
being  displeased  with  the  cruel  usage  of  his  nurse, 
he  ran  away  from  her  at  seven  years  of  age,  and 
traveled  about  the  country,  living  upon  the  char- 
\ty  of  well-disposed  persons,  till  he  came  to  be  a 
fine  sturdy  youth  ;  when  at  last,  being  threatened 
with  a  whipping  if  he  continued  in  that  idle  course 
of  life,  he  resolved  to  go  to  London,  having  heard 
that  the  streets  were  paved  with  gold. 

Not  knowing  the  way,  he  followed  the  carrier ; 
and  at  night,  for  the  little  services  he  did  him  in 
rubbing  his  horses,  he  got  from  him  a  supper. 
When  he  arrived  in  this  famous  city,  the  carrier, 
supposing  he  would  be  a  troublesome  hanger-on, 
told  him  plainly  he  must  leave  the  inn,  and  imme- 
diately seek  for  employment,  giving  him  a  groat. 
With  this  poor  Whittington  wandered  about,  but 
not  knowing  any  one,  and  being  in  a  tattered 
garb,  some  pitied  him  as  a  forlorn,  destitute  wretch, 
but  few  gave  him  anything. 


What  he  had  got  being  soon  spent,  his  stomach 
craved  supply  ;  but  not  having  anything  to  satisfy 
it,  he  resolved  rather  to  starve  than  steal. 

After  two  hungry  days,  and  lying  on  the  bulk- 
heads at  night,  weary  and  faint,  he  came  to  a 
merchant's  house  in  Leadenhall  Street,  where  he 
showed  many  signs  of  his  distressed  condition. 
The  ill-natured  cook  was  ready  to  kick  him  from 
the  door,  saying,  "  If  you  tarry  here,  I  will  kick 
you  into  the  kennel."  This  put  him  almost  into 
despair,  so  he  laid  himself  down  on  the  ground, 
being  unable  to  go  any  farther. 

In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Fitzwarren,  whose  house 
it  was,  came  from  the  Royal  Exchange,  and,  seeing 
him  there  in  that  condition,  demanded  what  he 
wanted,  and  sharply  told  him,  if  he  did  not  imme- 
diately depart,  he  would  cause  him  to  be  sent  to 
the  house  of  correction,  calling  him  a  lazy,  idle 
fellow. 

On  this  he  got  up,  and  after  falling  two  or  three 
times,  through  faintness  and  want  of  food,  he 
made  a  bow,  telling  him  he  was  a  poor  country 
fellow,  in    a    starving    condition,  and   that,  if    he 


110 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


might  be  put  in  a  way,  lie  would  refuse  no  labor, 
if    it    was    onlv  for   his  victuals.      This   raised  a 


Christian  compassion  in  the  merchant  towards 
him,  and  wanting  a  scullion  then,  he  immediately 
ordered  one  of  his  servants  to  take  him  in,  and 
give  him  some  food  until  orders  were  given  how 
he  should  be  employed.  And  so  he  was  feasted, 
to  his  great  refreshment. 

This  was  the  first  step  of  Providence  to  raise  him 
to  what  in  time  made  him  the  city's  glory  and  the 
nation's  wonder.  But  he  met  with  many  difficul- 
ties, for  the  servants  made  sport  of  him,  and  the 
ill-natured  cook  told  him,  "  You  are  to  come  un- 
der me  ;  so  look  sharp,  clean  the  spits  and  the 
dripping-pan,  make  the  fires,  wind  up  the  jack, 
and  nimbly  do  all  other  scullery  work  that  I  may 
set  you  about,  or  else  I  will  break  your  head  with 
my  ladle,  and  kick  you  about  like  a  foot-ball." 


This  was  cold  comfort,  but  better  than  starv- 
ing; and  what  gave  him  a  beam  of  hope  was  that 
Mistress  Alice,  his  master's  daughter,  hearing  her 
father  had  entertained  another  servant,  came  to 
see  him,  and  ordered  that  he  should  be  kindly 
used.  After  she  had  discoursed  with  him  about 
his  kindred  and  method  of  life,  and  found  his  an- 
swers ingenuous,  she  ordered  him  some  cast-off 
garments,  and  that  he  should  be  cleaned,  and  ap 
pear  like  a  servant  in  the  house. 

Then  she  went  to  her  parents,  and  gave  them 
her  opinion  of  this  stranger,  which  pleased  them 
well,  saying,  "  He  looks  like  a  serviceable  fellow 
to  do  kitchen  drudgery,  run  on  errands,  elean 
shoes,  and  do  such  other  things  as  the  rest  of  the 
servants  think  beneath  them." 

By  this  he  was  confirmed  in  his  place,  and  it 
flock  bed  prepared  in  the  garret  for  him.  These 
circumstances  pleased  him,  and  he  showed  great 
diligence  in  his  work,  rising  early  and  sitting  up 
late,  leaving  nothing  undone  that  he  could  do. 
But  being  mostly  under  the  cook-maid,  he  had  but 
sour  sauce  to  these  little  sweets  :  for  as  she  was  of 
a  morose  temper,  she  used  her  authority  beyond 
reason ;  so  that,  to  keep  in  the  family,  he  went 
with  many  a  broken  head,  bearing  it  patientfy, 
and  the  more  he  tried  with  good  words  to  dissuade 
her  from  her  cruelty,  the  more  she  insulted  him, 
and  not  only  abused  him,  but  frequently  com- 
plained against  him,  endeavoring  to  get  him 
turned  out  of  his  service.  But  Mistress  Alice, 
hearing  of  her  usage,  interposed  in  his  favor,  so 
that  she  could  not  prevail  against  him. 

This  was  not  the  only  misery  he  suffered,  for, 
lying  in  a  place  for  a  long  time  unfrequented, 
such  abundance  of  rats  and  mice  had  bred  there, 
that  they  were  almost  as  troublesome  by  night  as 
the  cook  was  by  day.  They  ran  over  his  face, 
and  disturbed  him  with  their  squeaking,  so  that 
he  knew  not  what  to  think  of  his  condition  or  how 
to  mend  it. 

After  many  disquieting  thoughts,  he  at  last 
comforted  himself  with  the  hope  that  the  cook 
might  soon  marry,  or  die,  or  quit  her  service,  and 
as  for  the  rats  and  mice,  a  cat  would  be  an  effect- 


WHITTINGTON  AND  HIS    CAT. 


Ill 


ual  remedy  against  them.  Soon  after,  a  merchant 
came  to  dinner,  and,  as  it  rained  hard,  he  stayed 
all  night.  Whittington  having  cleaned  his  shoes, 
and  brought  them  to  his  chamber-door,  received 
from  him  a  penny. 

This  stock  he  improved,  for,  going  along  the 
street  of  an  errand,  he  saw  a  woman  with  a  cat  un- 
der her  arm  ;  so  he  desired  to  know  the  price  of  it. 
The  woman  praised  it  for  a  good  mouser,  and  told 
him,  sixpence.  But  he  declaring  that  a  penny 
was  all  his  stock,  she  let  him  have  it.  He  brought 
the  cat  home,  and  kept  her  in  a  box  all  day,  lest 
the  cook  should  kill  her  if  she  came  into  the 
kitchen,  and  at  night  he  set  her  to  work  for  her 
living.  Puss  delivered  him  from  one  plague;  but 
the  other  remained,  though  not  for  many  years. 

It  was  the  custom  with  the  worthy  merchant, 
Mr.  Hugh  Fitzwarren,  that  God  might  give  a 
greater  blessing  to  his  endeavors,  to  call  his  serv- 
ants together  when  he  sent  out  a  ship,  and  cause 
every  one  to  venture  something  in  it,  to  try  their 
fortunes,  for  which  they  were  to  pay  nothing  for 
freight  or  custom. 

Now  all  but  Whittington  appeared,  and  brought 
things  according  to  their  abilities.  But  Mistress 
Alice  being  by,  and  supposing  that  poverty  made 
him  decline  coming,  ordered  him  to  be  called,  on 
which  he  made  several  excuses ;  however,  being 
constrained  to  come,  he  fell  on  his  knees,  desiring 
them  not  to  jeer  at  a  poor  simple  boy  in  expecta- 
tion that  he  was  going  to  turn  merchant,  since  all 
that  he  could  claim  as  his  own  was  but  a  poor  cat, 
which  he  had  bought  for  a  penny  that  had  been 
given  him  for  cleaning  shoes,  and  which  had  much 
befriended  him  in  keeping  off  the  rats  and  mice. 

Upon  this  Mistress  Alice  offered  to  lay  some- 
thing down  for  him  ;  but  her  father  told  her  the 
custom  was,  it  must  be  his  own  which  he  ventured, 
and  ordered  him  to  fetch  his  cat.  This  he  did, 
but  with  great  reluctance,  fancying  nothing  would 
come  of  it,  and  with  some  tears  delivered  her  to 
the  master  of  the  ship,  which  was  called  the  Uni- 
corn, and  which  fell  down  to  Blackwall  in  order 
to  proceed  on  her  voyage. 

The  cook-maid,  who  little  thought  how  advan- 


tageous Whittington's  cat  would  prove,  when  she 
did  not  scold  at  him  would  jeer  at  him  about  his 
grand  adventure,  and  led  him  such  a  life  that  he 
grew  weary  of  enduring  it.  Little  expecting  what 
ensued,  he  resolved,  rather  to  try  Dame  Fortune 
than  live  in  such  great  torment.  So,  having 
packed  up  his  bundle  over  night,  he  got  out  early 
on  All-hallows  Day,  intending  to  ramble  about  the 
country. 

But  as  he  went  through  Moorfields,  he  began  to 
have  pensive  thoughts,  and  his  resolutions  began 
to  fail.  However,  he  went  on  to  Holloway,  and 
sat  down  to  consider  the  matter,  when  on  a  sud- 
den Bow  bells  began  to  ring  a  merry  peal.  He 
listened,  fancied  they  called  him  back  from  his  in- 
tended journey,  and  promised  him  the  good  fort- 
une that  afterwards  befell  him.  He  thought  they 
sang,  — 

"  Turn  again,  Whittington, 
Lord  Mayor  of  Loudon." 

This  was  a  happy  thought  for  him,  and  it  made  so 
great  an  impression  on  him,  that  finding  it  early, 
and  that  he  might  be  at  home  before  the  family 
were  stirring,  he  delayed  not.  All  things  an- 
swered his  expectation,  for,  having  left  the  door 
ajar,  he  crept  softly  in,  and  got  to  his  usual  drudg- 
ery. 

During  this  time  the  ship  in  which  the  cat  was 
was  driven  by  contrary  winds  on  to  the  coast  of 
Barbary,  a  place  unknown  to  the  English.  Finding 
the  people  courteous,  the  master  and  factor  traded 
with  them.  Bringing  their  wares  of  sundry  sorts 
upon  the  decks,  and  opening  them,  they  suited 
them  so  well  that  the  news  was  carried  to  the 
king,  who  sent  for  patterns,  with  which  he  was  so 
pleased  that  he  sent  for  the  factor  to  his  palace. 

Their  entertainment,  according  to  custom,  was 
on  the  floor,  which  was  covered  with  carpets  inter- 
woven with  gold  and  silver,  and  on  which  they  sat 
cross-legged.  This  kind  of  table  was  no  sooner 
laid  with  various  dishes  but  the  scent  drew  to- 
gether a  great  number  of  rats  and  mice,  which  de- 
voured all  that  came  in  their  way  ;  this  much  sur- 
prised the  factor,  who  asked  the  nobles  if  these 
vermin  were  not  offensive. 


112 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


"  Oh,"  said  they,  "  very  much  so.  His  majesty 
would  give  half  his  revenue  to  be  freed  from  them  ; 
for  they  are  not  only  offensive  at  his  table,  but  his 
chamber  and  bed 
are  so  troubled 
with  them  that 
he  is  always 
watched,  for  fear 
of  mischief." 
The  factor  then 
remembering 
Whittington's 
cat,  and  rejoic- 
ing at  the  occa- 
sion, told  them 
that  he  had  an 
English  beast  in 
the  ship  which 
would  rid  all  the 
court  of  them  1 
quickly. 

The  king  was  I 
overjoyed  at  jj 
hearing  the  good  jjj 
news,  and  being  j^f 
a  n  x  io  u  s  to  be  {MB 
freed  from  those  i» 
vermin,  which  so 
much  spoiled  his  agy 
pleasure,  dis- 
turbed his  mind, 
and  made  all  his 
enjoyments  bur- 
densome, desired 
to  see  this  sur- 
prising creature, 
saying,  "  For 
such  a  thing,  I 
will  load  your 
ship  with  gold, 
diamonds,  and 
pearls."  This  large  offer  made  the  master  en- 
deavor to  enhance  the  cat's  merits.  "  She  is  the 
most  admirable  creature  in  the  world,"  he  said; 
w  and  I  cannot  spare  her,  for  she  keeps   my  ship 


clear  of  them,  otherwise  they  would  destroy  all 
my  goods."  But  his  majesty  would  take  no  de- 
nial, saying,  "  No  price  shall  part  us." 

The  cat  being 
sent  for,  and  the 
tables  being 
spread,  the  ver- 
min came  as  be- 
fore ;  then  put- 
ting her  on  the 
table,  she  fell  to 
work  at  once, 
and  killed  them 
|  in  a  trice.  Then 
2p  she  came  purring 
and  curling  up 
her  tail  to  th  e 
king  and  queen, 
as  if  she  asked  a 
reward  for  her 
service;  whilst 
IjB  they  admired 
IB  her,  protesting  it 
was  the  finest  di- 
version they  had 
ever  seen. 

The  Moorish 
king  was  so 
pleased  with  the 
cat  that  he  gave 
ten  times  more 
for  her  than  all 
the  freight  be- 
sides. The  shiy 
then  sailed  with 
a  fair  wind,  and 
arrived  safe  at 
Blackwall,  being 
the  richest  ship 
that  ever  arrived 
England. 

The  master  taking  the  cabinet  of  jewels  with  him 
on  shore,  for  they  were  too  rich  a  prize  to  be  left  on 
board,  presented  his  bill  of  lading  to  Mr.  Fitzwar- 
ren  who  praised  God  for  such  a  prosperous  voyage. 


WHITTINGTON  AND   HIS    CAT. 


113 


But  when  he  called  all  of  his  servants  to  give 
•each  his  due,  the  master  showed  him  the  cabinet 
of  pearls  and  jewels,  and  on  being  told  it  was  all 
for  Whittington's  cat,  Mr.  Fitzwarren  said,  "  God 
forbid  that  I  should  deprive  him  of  one  farthing 
of  it,"  and  so  he  sent  for  him  by  the  title  of  Mr. 
Whittington,  who  was  then  in  the  kitchen  clean- 
ing pots  and  spits.  Being  told  he  must  come  to 
his  master,  he  made  several  excuses ;  but,  being 
urged  to  go,  he  at  length  came  to  the  door,  and 
there  stood  bowing  and  scraping,  scrupling  to  en- 
ter until  the  merchant  commanded  him  in,  and  or- 
dered a  chair  to  be  immediately  set  for  him  ;  on 
which  he,  thinking  they  intended  to  make  sport  of 
him,  fell  on  his  knees,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes 
besought  them  not  to  mock  a  simple  fellow,  who 
meant  none  of  them  any  harm. 

Mr.  Fitzwarren,  raising  him  up,  said,  "  In- 
deed, Mr.  Whittington,  we  are  serious  with  you, 
for  in  estate  at  this  instant  you  are  an  abler 
man  than  myself,"  and  then  he  gave  him  the  vast 
riches,  which  amounted  to  three  hundred  thousand 
pounds. 

At  length,  being  persuaded  to  believe,  he  fell 
upon  his  knees,  and  praised  God,  who  had  vouch- 
safed to  behold  so  poor  a  creature  in  the  midst  of 
his  misery.  Then  turning  to  his  master,  he  laid 
his  riches  at  his  feet;  but  he  said,  "No,  Mr. 
Whittington  ;  God  forbid  that  I  should  take  so 
much  as  a  ducat  from  you  ;  it  may  be  a  comfort 
to  you." 

Whittington  then  turned  to  Mistress  Alice,  but 
she  also  refused  it  ;  upon  which,  bowing  low,  he 
said  to  her,  "  Madam,  whenever  you  please  to  make 
choice  of  a  husband,  I  will  make  you  the  greatest 
fortune  in  the  world."  Upon  this  he  began  to 
distribute  his  bounty  to  his  fellow-servants,  giv- 
ing even  his  mortal  enemy  the  cook  one  hundred 
pounds  for  her  portion  ;  she  saying  she  was  in  a 
passion,  he  freely  forgave  her. 

Upon  this  change  the  haberdashers,  drapers, 
tailors,  and  sempstresses  were  set  to  work  to  make 
Mr.  Whittington  fine  clothes,  and  all  things  an- 
swerable to  his  fortune.  Being  dressed,  he  ap- 
peared a  very  comely  person,  insomuch  that  Mis- 

15 


tress  Alice  began  to  lay  her  eyes  about  him.  Now, 
her  father,  seeing  this,  intended  a  match  between 
them,  looking  upon  him  to  be  a  fortunate  man. 
He  also  took  him  to  the  Royal  Exchange  to  see 
the  customs  of  the  merchants,  where  he  was  no 
sooner  known  than  they  came  to  welcome  him 
into  their  society. 

Soon  after  this  a  match  was  proposed  between 
him  and  his  master's  daughter,  when  he  excused 
himself  on  account  of  the  meanness  of  his  birth  ; 
but  that  objection  being  removed  by  his  present 
worth,  it  was  soon  agreed  on,  and  the  lord  mayor 
and  aldermen  were  invited  to  the  wedding.  After 
the  honeymoon  was  over,  his  father-in-law  asked 
him  what  employment  he  would  follow,  where 
upon  he  replied,  he  should  like  that  of  a  mer- 
chant. So  they  joined  together  in  partnership, 
and  both  grew  immensely  rich. 

Though  fortune  had  thus  bountifully  smiled  on 
the  subject  of  our  history,  he  was  far  from  being 
proud.  He  was,  on  the  contrary,  very  merry, 
which  made  his  company  and  acquaintance  courted 
hy  all.  In  a  short  time  he  was  nominated  Sheriff 
of  London,  in  the  year  1393,  Sir  John  Hadley 
then  being  lord  mayor. 

Thus  he  grew  in  riches  and  fame,  being  greatly 
beloved  by  all,  especially  the  poor,  whose  hunger 
he  always  supplied.  In  five  years'  time  he  was 
chosen  lord  mayor,  in  which  office  he  behaved 
with  such  justice  and  prudence  that  he  was  chosen 
to  the  same  office  twice  afterwards. 

In  the  last  year  he  entertained  King  Henry  V., 
after  his  conquest  of  France,  and  his  queen  at 
Guildhall,  in  such  a  very  grand  manner,  that  the 
king  was  pleased  to  say,  "  Never  prince  had  such 
a  subject,"  and  conferred  upon  him  the  honor  of 
knighthood.  At  this  entertainment  the  king  par- 
ticularly praised  the  fire,  which  was  made  of 
choice  wood,  mixed  with  mace,  cinnamon,  and  all 
other  spices.  On  which  Sir  Richard  said  he  would 
endeavor  to  make  one  still  more  agreeable  to  his 
majesty,  and  immediately  tore  and  threw  into  the 
fire  the  king's  bond  for  ten  thousand  marks  due  to 
the  company  of  mercers  ;  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred to  the  Chambers  of  London ;  two  thousand 


114 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


to  the  grocers ;  and  to  the  staplers,  goldsmiths, 
haberdashers,  vintners,  brewers,  and  bakers,  three 
thousand  marks  each. 

"  All  these,"  said  Sir  Richard,  "  with  divers 
others,  lent  for  the  payment  of  your  soldiers  in 
France,  I  have  taken  in  and  discharged,  to  the 
amount  of  sixty  thousand  pounds  sterling  ;  can 
your  majesty  wish  to  see  such  another  sight  ? " 
The  king  and  nobles  were  struck  dumb  with  sur- 
prise  at  his  wealth  and  liberality. 

Sir  Richard  spent  the  rest  of  his  days  honored 
by  the  rich  and  beloved  by  the  poor.  He  had  by 
his  wife  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  some  of 
whose  posterity  are  worthy  citizens.  He  built 
many  charitable  houses,  also  a  church  in  Vintry 
Ward,  dedicated  to  St.  Michael,  adding  to  it  a  col- 
lege, dedicated  to  St.  Mary,  with  a  yearly  allow- 
ance for  poor  scholars,  near  which  he  erected  a 
hospital,  called  God's  house,  and  well  endowed  it. 
There  he  caused  his  father-in-law  and   mother-in- 


law  to  be  buried,  and  left  room  for  himself  and 
wife  when  death  should  call  them.  He  buiit  New- 
gate, a  place  for  criminals.  He  gave  large  sums 
to  Bartholomew's  Hospital,  and  to  many  other 
charitable  uses. 

Dame  Alice,  his  wife,  died  in  the  sixty-third 
year  of  her  age,  after  which  he  would  not  marry, 
though  he  outlived  her  near  twenty  years.  In  the 
conclusion,  he  died,  and  was  buried  in  the  place 
aforesaid,  leaving  a  good  name  to  posterity  ;  and 
the  following  epitaph  was  written  on  their  tomb, 
and  continued  perfect  till  destroyed  by  the  fire  in 
London :  — 

"  Here  lies  Sir  Richard  Whittini'ton,  thrice  mayor, 
And  his  dear  wife,  a  virtuous,  loving  pair  ; 
Him  fortune  raised  to  be  beloved  and  great, 
By  the  adventure  only  of  a  cat. 
Let  none  that  read  it  uf  God's  love  despair, 
Who  trust  in  Him,  He  will  of  them  take  care  ; 
But  growing  rich,  choose  humbleness,  not  pride, 
Let  these  dead  virtuous  persons  be  your  guide." 


BLUE   BEARD. 


Oxce  upon  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  was 
very  rich.  He  had  a  fine  house  in  town  and  an- 
other in  the  country ;  in  the  houses  were  costly 
furniture  and  gold  and  silver  plate ;  when  he 
drove  out  it  was  in  a  coach  covered  with  gild- 
ing. But  for  all  that  not  a  woman  or  girl  would 
look  at  him,  he  was  so  ugly  and  terrible.  Yes, 
this  man  had  a  blue  beard.  Now  there  was  in 
the  neighborhood  a  lady  of  quality  who  had  two 
daughters,  who  were  perfectly  beautiful.  Blue 
Beard  wished  to  marry  one  of  these  and  left  it  to 
the  mother  to  say  which  she  would  give  him,  but 
neither  of  them  would  have  him,  for  they  could 
not  bear  to  marry  a  man  with  a  blue  beard,  and, 
besides,  he  had  been  married  several  times  already, 
and  no  one  knew  what  had  become  of  his  wives. 

Bine  Beard,  in  order  to  become  well  acquainted 
with  these  young  ladies,  invited  them,  their  mother, 
and  a  few  of  their  particular  friends  to  visit  his 
country  seat,  where  they  passed  an  entire  week. 
Nothing  was  thought  of  but  jaunts,  hunting  and 


fishing,  parties,  balls,  and  dinners.  Nobody  went 
to  bed  ;  the  whole  night  was  spent  in  merry-mak- 
ing. In  short,  all  went  off  so  well  that  by  the 
end  of  the  week  the  younger  daughter  began  to 
think  the  master  of  the  house  an  agreeable  man, 
and  that  his  beard  was  not  so  very  blue,  after  all. 
So  it  was  that  shortly  after  the  return  to  town  she 
was  married  to  him. 

About  a  month  afterward  Blue  Beard  told  his 
wife  that  he  was  forced  to  take  a  journey,  and 
should  be  gone  six  weeks  ;  he  had  business  of  im- 
portance to  attend  to  ;  but  she  was  to  amuse  her- 
self in  his  absence,  to  have  all  her  young  friends 
about  her,  and  to  fare  as  sumptuously  as  if  he 
were  present.  "  Here,"  he  said,  "  are  the  kevs 
of  my  two  large  store-rooms :  these  are  for  the 
chests  in  which  the  best  gold  and  silver  plate  are 
kept;  these  are  for  the  strong  boxes  in  which  I 
keep  my  money  ;  these  open  the  caskets  that  con- 
tain my  jewels ;  this  is  the  pass-key  to  all  the 
apartments.     And  this,"  he  ended,  looking  at  her 


BLUE  BEARD. 


115 


fixedly,  "  is  the  key  to  the  closet  at  the  end  of  the 
long  gallery  on  the  ground  floor.  Open  every- 
thing and  go  everywhere  except  into  that  closet, 
which  I  forbid 
you  to  ente r, 
and  I  forbid  you 
so  strictly  that 
if  you  dare  to 
open  the  door 
you  will  have 
everything  to 
dread  from  ray 
anger."  She 
promised  faith- 
fully to  obey 
him,  and  when 
he  had  em- 
braced his  obe- 
dient wife  he 
got  into  his 
coach  and  drove 
away. 

The  neigh- 
bors and  friends 
of  the  young 
bride  scarcely 
waited  for  an 
invitation,  so 
eager  were  they 
to  see  all  the 
treasures  which 
the  house  con- 
tained, for 
never  before 
had  they  dared 
to  enter  it,  being 
much  afraid  of 
the  blue  beard 
of  the  o  w  n  e  r. 
Now  they  made 
haste  to  run 
through  all  the  apartments  and  to  peep  into  all 
the  closets  to  which  they  had  entrance.  They 
went  into  the  store-rooms  and  chambers  and  ad- 
mired   the    elegance  of   the   tapestries,  the   beds, 


the  sofas,  the  cabinets,  the  tables,  the  lightstands  ; 
there  were  mirrors  so  large  that  in  them  they 
could  see  themselves  from  top  to  toe,  and  the  mir- 
rors had  frames, 
some  of  glass, 
some  of  silver 
a  n  d  s  o  me  of 
gold,  all  more 
beautiful  and 
magnificent 
than  any  they 
had  ever  before 
seen.  T  hey 
never  ceased  ex- 
claiming upon 
the  wonderful 
riches  of  this 
wonderful  man, 
and  they  looked 
with  envy  upon 
the  fortunate 
bride.  But  she 
heard  and  saw 
all  with  impa- 
tience, for  she 
could  think  of 
nothing  but  the 
closet  at  the  end 
of  the  gallery 
|  on  the  ground 
floor.  At  length 
her  curiosity  be- 
came so  great  to 
see  what  it  con- 
tained that  she 
slipped  away 
from  h  e  r 

friends,  though 
that  was  very 
rude,  and  has- 
tened down  a 
secret  staircase,  nearly  falling  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom  in  her  excitement.  She  came  to  the  door 
of  the  closet  and  stopped,  remembering  what  her 
husband  had  solemnly  said  to  her,  but  the  tempta- 


116 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


tion  was  so  strong  that  she  could  not  overcome 
it.  She  therefore  took  the  key  and  opened  with 
trembling  hand  the  door  of  the  closet. 

At  first  she  could  make  out  nothing,  for  the 
windows  were  closed  there  and  it  was  dark ;  after 
a  short  time  she  began  to  see  that  there  was  blood 
on  the  floor,  and  then  that  there  were  dead  bodies 
hung  upon  the  walls.  They  were  the  wives  of 
Blue  Beard.  She  was  ready  to  die  with  fright, 
and  the  key  of  the  closet,  which  she  had  with- 
drawn from  the  lock,  fell  from  her  hand.  She 
picked  it  up,  locked  the  door  again,  and  went  up 
to  her  chamber  to  compose  herself,  but  she  was 
too  agitated.  She  looked  at  the  key  of  the  closet, 
and  it  was  stained  with  blood.  She  wiped  it  and 
wiped  it  but  the  blood  would  not  come  off.  In 
vain  she  washed  it,  and  scrubbed  it  with  sand  and 
freestone,  the  blood  was  still  there,  for  the  key 
was  enchanted,  and  there  was  no  means  of  clean- 
ing it  completely  ;  when  the  blood  was  washed  off 
one  side  it  came  back  on  the  other. 

Blue  Beard  came  home  that  evening.  He  said 
that  he  had  received  letters  on  his  way  telling 
him  that  the  business  on  which  he  was  going  was 
already  settled.  His  wife  did  her  best  to  persuade 
him  that  she  was  delighted  at  his  early  return. 
When  morning  came  he  called  for  his  keys.  She 
gave  them  to  him,  but  her  hand  trembled.  Then 
he  said  :  — 

"  Where  is  the  key  of  the  closet  at  the  end  of 
the  long  gallery  ?  it  is  not  with  the  rest." 

"  I  must  have  left  it,"  she  replied,  "  up-stairs 
on  my  table." 

"  Then  go  at  once  and  bring  it  to  me."  She 
made  excuses  but  they  would  not  serve,  and  she 
went  and  brought  the  key.  Blue  Beard  looked 
at  it  and  asked  his  wife  :  — 

"Why  is  there  blood  on  this  key  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,"  said  the  poor  woman,  paler 
than  death. 

"  You  do  not  know  ?  "  replied  Blue  Beard.  "  I 
know.  You  wished  to  enter  the  closet.  Very 
well,  madam,  you  shall  enter  it  and  take  your 
place  among  the  ladies  whom  you  saw  there." 
She  flung  herself  at  her  husband's  feet,  weeping 


and  begging  pardon  for  having  disobeyed  him. 
Her  beauty  and  grief  would  have  melted  a  rock, 
but  Blue  Beard's  heart  was  harder  than  rock. 

"  You  must  die,  madam  ;  you  must  die  at  once." 

"  If  I  must  die,"  she  replied,  looking  up  at  him 
with  streaming  eyes,  "  give  me  a  little  time  to 
say  my  prayers." 

';  I  will  give  you  half  a  quarter  of  an  hour,"  an- 
swered Blue  Beard,  "  but  not  a  minute  more." 
As  soon  as  he  had  left  her  she  called  her  sister 
and  said,  — 

"Sister  Anne"  (for  that  was  her  name)  "go 
up,  I  pray  thee,  to  the  top  of  the  tower  and  see  if 
my  brothers  be  not  coming.  They  have  promised 
to  come  to  me  to-day ;  if  you  see  them,  sign  to 
them  to  make  haste."  Sister  Anne  mounted  to 
the  top  of  the  tower  and  the  poor  distressed  creat- 
ure called  to  her  every  few  moments,  — 

"  Anne  !  Sister  Anne  !  dost  thou  not  see  anything 
coming  ?  "  and  Sister  Anne  would  answer,  — 

"  I  see  nothing  but  the  sun  making  dust,  and 
the  grass  growing  green."  In  the  mean  time  Blue 
Beard,  with  a  great  cutlass  in  his  hand,  called  out 
from  below  to  his  wife,  — 

"  Come  down  quickly,  or  I  will  come  up  to 
thee !  " 

"  One  minute  more,"  replied  his  wife,  and  then 
in  a  low  voice,  — 

"Anne!  Sister  Anne  !  dost   thou  not   see   anj 
thing  coming?  "  and  Sister  Anne  replied, — 

"  I  see  nothing  but  the  sun  making  dust  and 
the  grass  growing  green." 

"Come  down  quickly,"  shouted  Blue  Beard, 
"  or  I  will  come  up  to  thee." 

"  I  come,"  answered  his  wife,  and  then  cried, 
"  Anne  !  Sister  Anne  !  dost  thou  not  see  anything 
coming?" 

'■  I  see,"  said  Sister  Anne,  "  a  great  cloud  of 
dust  moving  this  way." 

"  Is  it  my  brothers  ?  " 

"  Alas,  no,  sister  !  it  is  a  flock  of  sheep." 

"  Wilt  thou  not  come  down  ? "  roared  Blue 
Beard. 

"  I  am  coming  now.  Anne  !  Sister  Anne  !  dost 
thou  not  see  anything  coming  ?  " 


THE  HISTORY  OF  FORTUNATUS. 


117 


"  Yes.  I  see  two  horsemen  coming  tins  way, 
but  they  are  a  great  way  off.  God  be  praised  !  " 
she  added  in  a  moment.  "  They  are  my  brothers. 
I  am  beckoning  to  them  to  hasten." 

"  Come  down  !  "  and  Blue  Beard  roared  so 
loudly  that  the  house  shook.  The  poor  wife 
went  slowly  down-stairs,  and  when  she  came  to 
her  husband  she  threw  herself,  all  weeping  and 
with  disheveled  hair,  at  his  feet. 

"  It  is  in  vain,"  said  Blue  Beard,  "  thou  must 
die,"  and  seizing  her  hair  with  one  hand,  he  held 
his  cutlass  with  the  other  to  strike  off  her  head. 
The  poor  wife  lifted  her  weeping  eyes  up  to  him 
and  implored  him  to  give  her  one  moment  in 
which  to  collect  her  thoughts. 

"No,  no,"  said  he,  "  commend  thyself  to  God." 
He  raised  his  arm  —  at  this  moment  there  was  a 
loud  knocking  at  the  gate  and  Blue  Beard  stopped 


short.  The  gate  flew  open  and  two  horsemen 
sprang  in  and  ran  with  drawn  swords  upon  Blue 
Beard.  He  knew  them  at  once,  they  were  the 
brothers  of  his  wife,  one  was  a  dragoon,  the  other 
a  musketeer,  and  Blue  Beard  ran  to  the  house 
to  save  himself.  But  they  were  upon  him  in  a 
moment  and  before  he  could  reach  the  door  they 
had  slain  him  with  their  swords.  The  poor  wife 
was  almost  dead  herself  with  fear,  and  could 
scarcely  rise  to  embrace  her  brothers. 

It  was  found  that  Blue  Beard  had  no  heirs,  and 
so  his  young  wife  became  mistress  of  all  his  riches. 
She  spent  part  of  it  in  marrying  her  sister  Anne 
to  a  young  gentleman  whom  she  had  long  loved, 
another  part  in  buying  cajDtains'  commissions  for 
her  two  brothers,  and  with  the  rest  she  married 
herself  a  very  worthy  man,  who  made  her  forget 
her  wretchedness  with  Blue  Beard. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   FORTUNATUS. 


In  the  famous  Island  of  Cyprus  there  is  a  stately 
city  called  Famagosta,  in  which  lived  a  wealthy 
citizen  named  Theodorus.  He  being  left  young 
by  his  parents  addicted  himself  to  all  pleasure,  re- 
sorting to  the  courts  of  princes  and  spending  all 
his  wealth  in  riotous  living,  to  the  grief  of  his 
friends,  who,  thinking  to  make  him  leave  his  idle 
courses,  got  him  married  to  a  rich  citizen's  daugh- 
ter named  Gratiana. 

In  one  year  after  their  marriage  Gratiana  gave 
birth  to  a  son,  who  was  named  Fortunatus.  The- 
odorus, in  a  short  time,  began  again  to  follow  his 
old,  bad  courses,  insomuch  that  he  sold  and  mort- 
gaged his  land,  until  he  had  wasted  all  his  estate, 
so  that  he.  fell  into  extreme  poverty.  Gratiana 
was  forced  to  dress  her  meat  and  wash  her  clothes 
herself,  not  being  able  to  keep  one  servant,  or  hire 
the  meanest  assistance. 

Theodorus  and  his  wife  sitting  one  day  at  a 
poor  dinner,  he  could  hardly  refrain  from  weeping, 
which  his  son,  who  was  now  about  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  skilled  in  hunting,  hawking,  and  play- 
ing on  the  lute,  perceiving,  said,  "  Father,  what 


aileth  you  ?  for  I  observe,  when  you  look  upon 
me,  you  seem  sad.  Sir,  I  have  in  some  way  of- 
fended you." 

Theodorus  answered,  "  My  dear  son,  thou  art 
not  the  cause  of  my  grief,  but  I  myself  have  been 
the  sole  cause  of  the  pinching  poverty  we  all  feel. 
When  I  call  to  mind  the  wealth  and  honor  so 
lately  enjoyed,  and  when  I  consider  how  unable  I 
am  now  to  help  my  child,  it  is  that  which  vexes 
me." 

To  this  his  son  replied,  "  Beloved  father,  do  not 
take  immoderate  care  for  me,  for  I  am  yroung  and 
strong.  I  have  not  been  so  brought  up  but  that  I 
can  shift  for  myself.  I  will  go  abroad  and  try 
my  fortune.  I  fear  not  but  I  shall  find  work  and 
preferment." 

Soon  after,  without  the  least  ceremony,  Fortu- 
natus set  out,  with  a  hawk  on  his  hand,  and  trav- 
eled towards  the  seaside,  where  he  espied  a  galley 
of  Venice  lying  at  anchor.  He  inquired  what  ship 
she  was,  and  where  bound,  hoping  he  might  here 
find  employment.  He  was  told  the  Earl  of  Flan- 
ders was  on  board,  and  had  lost  two  of  his  men. 


118 


THE  BOOK  OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


Fortunatus,  wishing  that  he  could  be  entertained 
as  one  of  the  servants,  and  so  get  away  from  his 
native  place,  where  his  poverty  was  so  well  known, 
steps  up  to  the  earl,  and  says,  "  I  understand,  no- 
ble lord,  you  have  lost  two  of  your  men  ;  if  so  you 
please,  I  desire  to  be  received  into  your  service." 
"What  wages  do  you  ask?"  says  the  earl.  "No 
wages,"  says  Fortunatus,  "  but  to  be  rewarded  ac- 
cording to  my  deserts."  This  answer  pleased  the 
earl,  so  they  agreed,  and  sailed  to  Venice. 

The  earl  now  turned  back  and  was  joyfully  re- 
ceived by  his  subjects,  and  welcomed  by  his  neigh- 
bors, for  lie  was  a  very  affable  and  just  prince. 
Soon  after  his  return  he  married  the  Duke,  of 
Cleve's  daughter,  who  was  a  very  beautiful  lady. 
At  the  wedding,  to  which  came  several  lords, 
tournaments  were  held  before  the  ladies,  and 
though  there  were  so  many  gentlemen,  yet  none 
behaved  so  well  as  Fortunatus. 

After  the  nobles  had  finished  their  triumphs 
and  delightful  games,  the  duke  and  the  bride  and 
bridegroom  agreed  to  let  their  servants  try  their 
manhood  at  several  pastimes  for  two  jewels,  each 
worth  a  hundred  crowns.  This  made  all  the  serv- 
ants glad,  every  one  striving  to  do  his  best. 

The  Duke  of  Burgundy's  servant  won  one,  and 
Fortunatus  the  other,  which  displeased  the  other 
servants.  Upon  which  they  desired  the  duke's 
servant  to  challenge  Fortunatus  to  fight  him  be- 
fore the  ladies,  the  winner  to  have  both  jewels. 
This  challenge  he  accepted.  Coming  to  the  tilt- 
yard,  they  encountered  each  other  very  briskly, 
and  at  last  Fortunatus  hoisted  the  duke's  servant 
quite  off  his  horse,  at  spear's  length.  Whereupon 
he  obtained  the  victory,  and  got  the  jewels,  which 
increased  the  envy  of  all  the  other  servants,  but 
much  rejoiced  the  earl. 

Among  the  earl's  servants  was  a  crafty  old  fel- 
low, who  consulted  with  the  rest  of  the  servants, 
and  agreed,  for  ten  crowns,  to  make  Fortunatus 
quit  his  master's  service  of  his  own  accord.  To 
accomplish  the  affair  he  pretended  great  friend- 
ship to  Fortunatus,  treating  him,  and  praising  him 
much  for  his  great  coui-age. 

At  last  he  told  him  he  had  a  secret  to  reveal  to 


him,  which  was,  that  his  lord  having  conceived  a 
jealousy  of  his  two  chamberlains,  of  whom  Fortu- 
natus was  one,  he  had  a  design  privately  to  have 
them  whipped.  This  much  amazed  Fortunatus, 
who  desired  his  fellow-servant  to  inform  him  how 
to  convey  himself  away  ;  "  for,"  said  he,  "  I  had 
rather  wander  as  a  vagabond,  than  be  so  served.'' 
Says  Robert,  "  I  am  sorry  I  told  thee  anything, 
since  I  shall  now  lose  thy  company."  Being  re- 
solved to  go  off,  however,  he  desired  Robert  to 
conceal  his  departure,  and  mounting  his  horse  rode 
away. 

When  Fortunatus  had  ridden  ten  miles  he 
bought  another  horse,  and  returned  the  earl's, 
that  he  might  not  pursue  him  ;  but  when  the  earl 
found  he  was  gone  without  his  leave,  not  knowing 
the  cause,  he  was  offended,  and  demanded  of  the 
servants  if  they  knew  the  occasion  ;  which  they 
all  denied.  Then  he  went  to  the  ladies  and  gen- 
tlewomen, and  inquired  of  them  if  they  knew  any- 
thing of  his  departure.     And  they  answered,  No. 

Then  said  the  earl,  "  Though  the  cause  of  his 
departure  is  hidden  from  me,  yet  I  am  persuaded 
he  is  not  gone  without  some  cause,  which  I  will 
find  out,  if  it  be  possible."  When  Robert  found 
his  lord  was  so  vexed  for  the  loss  of  Fortunatus, 
he  went  and  hanged  himself,  for  fear  of  being  dis- 
covered. 

Fortunatus,  having  sent  home  his  master's 
horse,  traveled  with  all  speed  to  Calais,  where  he 
took  shipping,  and  arrived  safe  in  England.  Com- 
ing to  London,  he  met  with  some  young  Cyprus 
merchants,  his  countrymen,  who  riotously  spent 
their  money  in  gaming ;  so  that  in  about  half  a 
year's  time  their  cash  was  quite  spent.  Fortuna- 
tus, having  least,  was  soon  exhausted. 

Being  moneyless,  he  went  to  some  of  his  land- 
ladies to  borrow  three  crowns,  telling  them  he 
wanted  to  go  to  Flanders  to  fetch  four  hundred 
crowns  that  were  in  his  uncle's  hands  ;  but  he  was 
denied,  and  none  would  they  lend  him.  He  then 
desired  to  be  trusted  for  a  quart  of  wine ;  but  they 
refused,  and  bid  the  servants  fetch  him  a  pint  of 
small  beer.  He  then  took  shipping,  and  soon  ar- 
rived in  Picardy  in  France. 


THE  HISTORT  OF  FORTUNATUS. 


119 


Traveling  through  a  wood,  and  being  benighted, 
he  approached  an  old  house,  where  he  hoped  to 
find  some  relief ;  but  there  was  no  creature  in  it. 
Then,  hearing  a 
noise  among  the 
bears,  he  got  up 
into  a  tree, 
where  one  of 
them  had  climb- 
ed. For  tun  a- 
tus,  being  sur- 
prised, drew  his 
s  w  o  r  d,  and 
struck  the  bear, 
so  that  he  fell 
from  the  tree. 
The  rest  of  the 
beasts  being 
gone,  Fortuna- 
tus  came  down 
from  the  tree, 
and,  laying  his 
mouth  to  the 
wound,  sucked 
out  some  of  the 
blood,  with 
which  he  was 
refreshed,  and 
then  slept  until 
morning. 

As  soon  as 
Fortunatus 
awoke,  he  saw 
standing  before 
him  a  fair  lady, 
with  her  eyes 
muffled.  "I  be- 
seech thee,"  said 
he,  "sweet  vir- 
gin, to  assist  me, 
that  I  may  get 
out  of  this  wood,  for  I  have  traveled  a  great  way 
without  food."  She  asked  what  country  he  was 
of.  He  replied,  "  Of  Cyprus,  and  am  constrained 
by  poverty  to  seek  my  fortune."    "  Fear  not.  For- 


tunatus," said  she  ;  "  I  am  the  Goddess  Fortune, 
and  by  the  permission  of  Heaven  have  the  power 
of  six  gifts,  one  of  which  I  will  bestow  on  thee. 

So  choose  for 
yourself.  They 
are,  Wisdom, 
Strength,  Rich- 
es, Health, 
Beauty,  and 
Long  Life." 

Said  Fortuna- 
tus, "  I  desire 
to  have  Riches 
as  long  as  I 
live."  With 
that  she  gave 
him  a  purse, 
saying,  "  As 
often  as  you 
put  your  hand 
into  this  purse, 
you  shall  find 
ten  pounds  of 
the  coin  of  any 
nation  you  shall 
happen  to  be 
in."  Fortuna- 
tus returned 
many  thanks  to 
the  g  oddess. 
Then  she  bid 
him  follow  her 
out  of  the  wood, 
and  so  vanished. 
He  then  put 
his  hand  into 
the  purse,  and 
drew  out  the 
first-fruits  of 
the  goddess's 
bounty,  with 
which  he  went  to  an  inn,  and  refreshed  himself. 
After  which  he  paid  his  host,  and  instantly  de- 
parted, as  doubting  the  reality  of  his  money,  not" 
withstanding  the  evidence  of  his  hands  and  eyes. 


120 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


Two  miles  from  this  wood  was  a  little  town  and 
castle,  where  dwelt  an  earl  who  owned  the  wood. 
Fortunatus  here  took  up  his  lodging  at  the  best 
inn,  and  asked  the  host  if  he  could  help  him  to 
some  good  horses.  The  host  him  told  there  was 
a  dealer  who  had  several  very  fine  ones,  of  which 
the  earl  had  chosen  three ;  but  was  refused, 
though  he  offered  three  hundred  crowns  for  them. 
Fortunatus  went  to  his  chamber,  and  took  out  of 
his  purse  six  hundred  crowns,  and  bid  the  host  to 
send  for  the  dealer  with  his  horses. 

The  host  at  first  supposed  he  had  been  in  jest, 
seeing  him  so  meanly  appareled  ;  but  on  being 
convinced  by  the  sight  of  the  money,  the  dealer 
and  horses  were  sent  for,  and  Fortunatus,  with  a 
few  words,  bargained  for  two  of  those  the  earl  had 
wanted,  and  gave  three  hundred  crowns  for  them. 
He  bought  also  costly  saddles  and  furniture,  and 
desired  his  host  to  get  him  two  servants. 

The  earl,  hearing  that  the  two  horses  had  been 
bought  out  of  his  hands,  grew  angry,  and  sent  to 
the  innkeeper,  to  be  informed  wrho  he  was.  The 
earl,  being  told  that  he  was  a  stranger,  com- 
manded him  to  be  apprehended,  imagining  he  had 
committed  some  robbery.  Fortunatus,  on  being 
questioned  who  he  was,  answered  he  was  born  in 
Cyprus,  and  was  the  son  of  a  decayed  gentleman. 
The  earl  asked  him  how  he  got  so  much  money. 
He  told  him  he  came  by  it  honestly. 

Then  the  earl  swore  in  a  violent  passion,  that  if 
he  would  not  discover,  he  would  put  him  to  the 
rack.  Fortunatus  proposed  to  die  rather  than  re- 
veal it.  Upon  this  he  was  put  on  the  rack ;  and 
being  again  asked  how  he  got  so  many  crowns,  he 
said  that  he  found  them  in  a  wood  adjoining. 
"  Thou  villain,"  said  the  eari,  "  the  money  you 
found  is  mine,  and  thy  body  and  goods  are  for- 
feited." "O  my  gracious  lord,"  said  he,  "I  knew 
not  it  was  in  your  dominion."  "  But,"  said  the 
earl,  "  this  shall  not  excuse  you,  for  to-day  I  will 
take  thy  goods,  and  to-morrow  thy  life." 

Then  did  Fortunatus  wish  he  had  chosen  Wis- 
dom before  Riches.  He  earnestly  begged  his  life 
of  the  earl,  who,  at  the  entreaty  of  some  of  the 
nobles,    spared   his    life,    and    restored    him    the 


crowns  and  his  purse,  and  charged  him  never  to 
come  into  his  dominion.  Fortunatus  rejoiced  tha* 
he  had  so  well  escaped,  and  had  not  lost  his  purse. 

After  that  he  had  traveled  towards  his  own  coun- 
try, having  got  horses  and  servants  to  attend  him, 
he  arrived  at  Famagosta,  where  it  was  told  him  that 
his  father  and  mother  were  dead.  He  then  pur- 
chased his  father's  house,  pulled  it  down,  and 
built  a  stately  palace.  He  also  built  a  fine  church, 
and  had  three  tombs  made  :  one  for  his  father  and 
mother,  the  other  for  the  wife  he  intended  to 
marry,  and  the  last  for  his  heirs  and  himself. 

Not  far  from  Famascosta  lived  a  lord  who  had 
three  daughters,  one  of  whom  the  King  of  Cyprus 
intended  to  bestow  on  Fortunatus,  but  gave  him 
leave  to  take  his  choice.  When  Fortunatus  had 
asked  them  the  question,  he  chose  the  youngest,  to 
the  great  grief  of  the  other  two  sisters;  but  the 
countess  and  earl  approved  of  the  match.  Fortu- 
natus presented  the  countess,  his  wife's  mother, 
and  her  two  sisters  with  several  rich  jewels. 

Then  did  the  king  offer  to  keep  the  wedding  at 
his  court ;  but  Fortunatus  wished  to  keep  it  at  his 
own  palace,  desiring  the  king  and  queen's  com- 
pany. "  Then,"  said  the  king,  "  I  will  come  with 
my  queen  and  all  my  relations."  After  four  days 
the  king  and  all  his  company  went  to  Fortunatus' 
house,  where  they  were  entertained  in  a  grand 
manner.  His  house  was  adorned  with  costly  fur- 
niture, glorious  to  behold.  This  feasting  lasted 
forty  days.  Then  the  king  returned  to  his  court, 
vastly  well  satisfied  with  the  entertainment. 
After  this,  Fortunatus  made  another  feast  for  the 
citizens,  their  wives  and  daughters. 

Fortunatus  and  his  wife  Cassandra  lived  long 
in  a  happy  state,  and  found  no  want  of  anything 
but  children.  Fortunatus  knew  the  virtue  of  his 
purse  would  fail  at  his  death  if  he  had  no  heirs. 
Therefore  he  made  it  constantly  his  prayer  to  God 
that  he  would  be  pleased  to  send  him  a  child,  and 
at  length  in  due  time  a  son  was  born  to  him,  and 
he  named  him  Ampadu.  Shortly  after,  he  had 
another  son  :  and  he  provided  for  them  the  best  of 
tutors,  to  take  care  they  had  an  education  suitable 
to  their  fortunes. 


THE  HISTORY   OF  FORTUNATU& 


121 


Fortunatus,  having  been  married  twelve  years, 
took  it  into  his  head  to  travel  once  more  ;  -which 
his  wife  much  opposed,  desiring  him,  by  all  the 
love  he  bore  to  her  and  her  dear  children,  not  to 
leave  them.  But  he  was  resolved,  and  soon  after 
took  leave  of  his  wife  and  children,  promising 
them  to  return  again  in  a  short  space.  A  few 
days  after,  he  took  shipping  for  Alexandria,  where 
he  stayed  some  time,  and  got  acquainted  with  the 
sultan,  whose  favor  he  gained  so  as  to  receive  let- 
ters to  carry  him  safe  through  his  dominions. 

Fortunatus,  after  supper,  opened  his  purse,  and 
gave  to  all  the  sultan's  servants  very  liberally. 
The  sultan,  being  highly  pleased,  told  Fortunatus 
he  would  show  him  such  curiosities  as  he  had 
never  seen.  Then  he  took  him  to  a  strong  marble 
tower.  In  the  first  room  were  several  very  rich 
vessels  and  jewels  ;  in  the  second  he  showed  sev- 
eral vessels  of  gold  coin,  with  a  fine  wardrobe  of 
garments,  and  golden  candlesticks,  which  shone 
all  over  the  room,  and  mightily  pleased  Fortu- 
natus. 

Then  the  sultan  showed  him  his  bed-chamber, 
which  was  finely  adorned ;  and  likewise  a  small 
felt  hat,  simple  to  behold  ;  saying,  "  I  set  more 
value  on  this  hat  than  on  all  my  jewels,  as  such 
another  is  not  to  be  had,  for  it  lets  a  person  be 
wherever  he  doth  wish." 

Fortunatus  imagined  this  hat  would  agree  very 
well  with  his  purse,  and  he  thereupon  put  it  on 
his  head,  saying  he  should  be  very  glad  of  a  hat 
that  had  such  virtue.  So  the  sultan  immediately 
gave  it  to  him.  With  that  he  suddenly  wished 
himself  in  his  ship,  it  being  then  under  sail,  that 

16 


he  might  return  to  his  own  country.  The  sultan, 
looking  out  of  the  window  and  seeing  the  ship  un- 
der sail,  was  very  angry,  and  commanded  his  men 
to  fetch  him  back,  declaring,  if  they  took  him,  he 
should  be  immediately  put  to  death.  But  all  in 
vain.  Fortunatus  was  too  quick  for  them,  and  ax- 
riving  safe  at  Famagosta,  richly  laden,  was  joy- 
fully received  by  his  wife,  two  sons,  and  the  citi- 
zens. 

He  now  began  to  care  for  the  advancement  of 
his  children,  maintained  a  princely  court,  and  pro- 
vided masters  to  instruct  his  children  in  all  man- 
ner of  chivalry.  The  youngest  was  most  inclined 
to  behave  manfully,  which  caused  Fortunatus  to 
bestow  many  jewels  upon  him  for  his  exploits. 
When  he  had  many  years  enjoyed  all  earthly  pleas- 
ures, Cassandra  died,  which  so  grieved  him  that  he 
prepared  himself  for  death  also. 

Fortunatus,  perceiving  his  death  to  approach, 
said  to  his  two  sons  :  "  God  has  taken  away  your 
mother,  who  so  tenderly  nourished  you  ;  and  I, 
perceiving  death  at  hand,  will  show  you  how  yon 
may  continue  in  honor  to  your  dying  days."  Then 
he  declared  to  them  the  virtue  of  his  purse,  and 
that  it  would  last  no  longer  than  their  lives.  He 
also  told  them  the  virtue  of  his  wishing-hat,  and 
commanded  them  not  to  part  with  those  jewels, 
but  to  keep  them  in  common,  and  live  friendly  to- 
gether, and  not  to  make  any  person  privy  to  their 
virtues  ;  "  For,"  said  he,  "I  have  concealed  them 
forty  years,  and  never  revealed  them  to  any  but 
j'ou."  Having  said  this,  he  ceased  to  speak  and 
immediately  gave  up  the  ghost.  His  sons  buried 
him  in  the  magnificent  church  before  mentioned. 


122 


THE  BOOK  OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


JACK   AND   THE    BEAN-STALK. 


N  the  days  of  King  Al- 
fred, there  lived  a  poor 
woman,  whose  cottage 
was  in  a  remote  country 
village,  many  miles  from 
London.  She  had  been 
a  widow  some  years,  and 
had  an  only  child  named 
Jack,  whom  she  indulged 
so  much  that  he  never  paid  the  least  attention  to 
anything  she  said,  but  was  idle,  careless,  and 
wasteful.  His  follies  were  not  owing  to  a  bad 
disposition,  but  to  his  mother's  foolish  partiality. 
By  degrees,  he  spent  all  that  she  had  —  scarcely 
anything  remained  but  a  cow.  One  day,  for  the 
first  time  in  her  life,  she  reproached  him :  "  Cruel, 
cruel  boy  !  you  have  at  last  brought  me  to  beg- 
gary. I  have  not  money  enough  to  purchase  even 
a  bit  of  bread ;  nothing  now  remains  to  sell  but 
my  poor  cow  !  I  am  sorry  to  part  with  her ;  it 
grieves  me  sadly,  but  we  cannot  starve."  For  a 
few  minutes  Jack  felt  remorse,  but  it  was  soon 
over ;  and  he  began  asking  his  mother  to  let  him 
sell  the  cow  at  the  next  village,  and  teased  her  so 
much  that  she  at  last  consented.  As  he  was  go- 
ing along  he  met  a  butcher,  who  inquired  why  he 
was  driving  the  cow  from  home  ?  Jack  replied, 
he  was  going  to  sell  it.  The  butcher  held  some 
curious  beans  in  his  hat ;  they  were  of  various  col- 
ors, and  attracted  Jack's  attention  :  this  did  not 
pass  unnoticed  by  the  man,  who,  knowing  Jack's 
easy  temper,  thought  now  was  the  time  to  take 
advantage  of  it ;  and,  determined  not  to  let  slip  so 
good  a  chance,  asked  what  was  the  price  of  the  cow, 
offering  at  the  same  time  all  the  beans  in  his  hat 
for  her.  The  silly  boy  could  not  hide  the  pleasure 
he  felt  at  what  he  fancied  so  great  an  offer  :  the 
bargain  was  struck  instantly,  and  the  cow  ex- 
changed for  a  few  paltry  beans.  Jack  made  the 
best  of  his  way  home,  calling  aloud  to  his  mother 
before  he  reached  the  door,  thinking  to  surprise 
her. 


When  she  saw  the  beans,  and  heard  Jack's  ac- 
count, her  patience  quite  forsook  her :  she  tossed 
the  beans  out  of  the  window,  where  they  fell  on 
the  garden-bed  below.  Then  she  threw  her  apron 
over  her  head,  and  cried  bitterly.  Jack  tried  to 
console  her,  but  in  vain,  and,  not  having  anything 
to  eat,  they  both  went  supperless  to  bed.  Jack 
awoke  early  in  the  morning,  and  seeing  something 
uncommon  darkening  the  window  of  his  bed-cham- 
ber, ran  down-stairs  into  the  garden,  where  he  found 
some  of  the  beans  had  taken  root,  and  sprung  up 
surprisingly :  the  stalks  were  of  an  immense  thick- 
ness, and  had  twined  together  until  they  formed  a 
ladder  like  a  chain,  and  so  high  that  the  top  ap- 
peared to  be  lost  in  the  clouds.  Jack  was  an  ad- 
venturous lad ;  he  determined  to  climb  up  to  the 
top,  and  ran  to  tell  his  mother,  not  doubting  but 
that  she  would  be  equally  pleased.  She  declared 
he  should  not  go  ;  said  it  would  break  her  heart  if 
he  did  —  entreated  and  threatened,  but  all  in 
vain.  Jack  set  out,  and  after  climbing  for  some 
hours  reached  the  top  of  the  bean-stalk,  quite  ex- 
hausted. Looking  around,  he  found  himself  in  a 
strange  country  ;  it  appeared  to  be  a  barren  desert 
—  not  a  tree,  shrub,  house,  or  living  creature  was 
to  be  seen ;  here  and  there  were  scattered  frag- 
ments of  stone  ;  and  at  unequal  distances  small 
heaps  of  earth  were  loosely  thrown  together. 

Jack  seated  himself  upon  a  block  of  stone,  and 
thought  of  his  mother  ;  he  thought  with  sorrow 
upon  his  disobedience  in  climbing  the  bean-stalk 
against  her  will,  and  feared  that  he  must  die  of  hun- 
ger. However,  he  walked  on,  hoping  to  see  a  house, 
where  he  might  beg  something  to  eat  and  drink. 
He  did  not  find  it;  but  he  saw  at  a  distance  a 
beautiful  lady,  walking  alone.  She  was  elegantly 
clad,  and  carried  a  white  wand,  at  the  top  of 
which  sat  a  peacock  of  pure  gold. 

Jack,  who  was  a  gallant  fellow,  went  straight 
up  to  her;  when,  with  a  bewitching  smile,  she 
asked  him  how  he  came  there.  He  told  her  all 
about  the  bean-stalk.     The  lady  answered  him  by 


JACK  AND    THE  BEAN-STALK. 


123 


a  question,  "Do  you  remember  your  father,  young 
man  ?  " 

"  No,  madam  ;  but  I  am  sure  there  is  some 
mystery  about  him,  for  when  I  name  him  to  my 
mother  she  always  begins  to  weep,  and  will  tell 
me  nothing." 

"  She  dare  not,"  replied  the  lady,  "  but  I  can 
arid  will.  For  know,  young  man,  that  I  am  a 
fairy,  and  was  your  father's  guardian.  But  fairies 
are  bound  by  laws  as  well  as  mortals  ;  and  by  an 
error  of  mine  I  lost  my  power  for  a  term  of  years, 
so  that  I  was  unable  to  succor  your  father  when 
he  most  needed  it,  and  he  died."  Here  the  fairy 
looked  so  sorrowful  that  Jack's  heart  warmed  to 
her,  and  he  begged  her  earnestly  to  tell  him  more. 

"I  will;  only  you  must  promise  to  obey  me  in 
everything,  or  you  will  perish  yourself." 

Jack  was  brave,  and,  besides,  his  fortunes  were 
so  bad  they  could  not  well  be  worse  —  so  he  prom- 
ised. 

The  fairy  continued  :  "  Your  father,  Jack,  was 
a  most  excellent,  amiable,  generous  man.  He  had 
a  good  wife,  faithful  servants,  plenty  of  money  ; 
but  he  had  one  misfortune  —  a  false  friend.  This 
was  a  giant,  whom  he  had  succored  in  misfort- 
une, and  who  returned  his  kindness  by  murdering 
him,  and  seizing  on  all  his  property;  also  making 
your  mother  take  a  solemn  oath  that  she  would 
never  tell  you  anything  about  your  father,  or  he 
would  murder  both  her  and  you.  Then  he  turned 
her  off  with  you  in  her  arms,  to  wander  about  the 
wide  world  as  she  might.  I  could  not  help  her,  as 
my  power  only  returned  on  the  day  you  went  to 
sell  your  cow." 

"  It  was  I,"  added  the  fairy,  "  who  impelled  you 
to  take  the  beans,  who  made  the  bean-stalk  grow, 
and  inspired  you  with  the  desire  to  climb  up  it  to 
this  strange  country  ;  for  it  is  here  the  wicked 
giant  lives  who  was  your  father's  destroj'er.  It  is 
you  who  must  avenge  him,  and  rid  the  world  of  a 
monster  who  never  will  do  anything  but  evil.  I 
will  help  you.  You  may  lawfully  take  possession 
of  his  house  and  all  his  riches,  for  everything  he 
has  belonged  to  your  father,  and  is  therefore 
yours.     Now  farewell !    Do  not  let  your  mother 


know  you  are  acquainted  with  your  father's  his- 
tory ;  this  is  my  command,  and  if  you  disobey  me 
you  will  suffer  for  it.     Now  go." 

Jack  asked  where  he  was  to  go. 

"  Along  the  direct  road,  till  you  see  the  house 
where  the  giant  lives.  You  must  then  act  accord- 
ing to  your  own  judgment,  and  I  will  guide  you  if 
any  difficulty  arises.     Farewell !  " 

She  bestowed  on  the  youth  a  benignant  smile, 
and  vanished. 

Jack  pursued  his  journey.  He  walked  on  till 
after  sunset,  when,  to  his  great  joy,  he  espied  a 
large  mansion.  A  plain-looking  woman  was  at 
the  door  :  he  accosted  her,  begging  she  would  give 
him  a  morsel  of  bread  and  a  night's  lodging.  She 
expressed  the  greatest  surprise,  and  said  it  was 
quite  uncommon  to  see  a  human  being  near  their 
house  ;  for  it  was  well  known  that  her  husband 
was  a  powerful  giant,  who  would  never  eat  any- 
thing but  human  flesh,  if  he  could  possibly  get  it; 
that  he  would  walk  fifty  miles  to  procure  it,  usu- 
ally being  out  the  whole  day  for  that  purpose. 

This  account  greatly  terrified  Jack,  but  still  he 
hoped  to  elude  the  giant,  and  therefore  he  again 
entreated  the  woman  to  take  him  in  for  one  night 
only,  and  hide  him  where  she  thought  proper. 
She  at  last  suffered  herself  to  be  persuaded,  for 
she  was  of  a  compassionate  and  generous  nature, 
and  took  him  into  the  house.  First,  they  entered 
a  fine  large  hall,  magnificently  furnished ;  then 
they  passed  through  several  spacious  rooms,  in  the 
same  style  of  grandeur  ;  but  all  appeared  forsaken 
and  desolate.  A  long  gallery  came  next ,  it  was 
very  dark  —  just  light  enough  to  show  that,  in- 
stead of  a  wall  on  one  side,  there  was  a  grating  of 
iron  which  parted  off  a  dismal  dungeon,  from 
whence  issued  the  groans  of  those  victims  whom 
the  cruel  giant  kept  in  confinement  for  his  own 
voracious  appetite.  Poor  Jack  was  half  dead  with 
fear,  and  would  have  given  the  world  to  have 
been  with  his  mother  again,  for  he  now  began  to 
doubt  if  he  should  ever  see  her  more  ;  he  even 
mistrusted  the  good  woman,  and  thought  she  had 
let  him  into  the  house  for  no  other  purpose  than 
to  lock  him  up  among  the  unfortunate  people  in 


124 


THE  BOOK  OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


the  dungeon.  However,  he  sat  down  to  the  abun- 
dant table  when  she  bade  him,  and,  not  seeing  any- 
thing to  make  him  uncomfortable,  soon  forgot  his 
fear,  and  was  just  beginning  to  enjoy  himself, 
when  he  was  startled  by  a  loud  knocking  at  the 
outer  door,  which  made  the  whole  house  shake. 

"  Ah  !  that 's  the  giant ;  and  if  he  sees  you  he 
will  kill  you  and  me  too,"  cried  the  poor  woman, 
trembling  all  over.     "What  shall  I  do?  " 

"  Hide  me  in  the  oven,"  cried  Jack,  now  as 
bold  as  a  lion  at  the  thought  of  being  face  to  face 
with  his  father's  cruel  murderer.  So  he  crept 
into  the  oven  —  for  there  was  no  fire  near  it  — 
and  listened  to  the  giant's  loud  voice  and  heavy 
step  as  he  went  up  and  down  the  kitchen  scolding 
his  wife.  At  last  he  seated  himself  at  table,  and 
Jack,  peeping  through  a  crevice  in  the  oven,  was 
amazed  to  see  what  a  quantity  of  food  he  devoured. 
It  seemed  as  if  he  never  would  have  done  eating 
and  drinking  ;  but  he  did  at  last,  and,  leaning 
back,  called  to  his  wife  in  a  voice  like  thunder  :  — 

"  Bring  me  my  hen  !  " 

She  obeyed,  and  placed  upon  the  table  a  very 
beautiful  live  hen. 

"  Lay  ! "  roared  the  giant,  and  the  hen  laid  im- 
mediately an  egg  of  solid  gold. 

"  Lay  another  !  "  and  every  time  the  giant  said 
this  the  hen  laid  a  larger  egg  than  before. 

He  amused  himself  a  long  time  with  his  hen, 
and  then  sent  his  wife  to  bed,  while  he  fell  asleep 
by  the  fireside,  and  snored  like  the  roaring  of  can- 
non. 

As  soon  as  he  was  asleep  Jack  crept  out  of  the 
oven,  seized  the  hen,  and  ran  off  with  her.  He 
got  safely  out  of  the  house,  and  finding  his  way 
along  the  road  by  which  he  had  come,  reached 
the  top  of  the  bean-stalk,  which  he  descended  in 
safety. 

His  mother  was  overjoyed  to  see  him.  She 
thought  he  had  come  to  some  ill  end. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,  mother.  Look  here  !  "  and  he 
showed  her  the  hen.  "Now  lay!"  and  the  hen 
obeyed  him  as  readily  as  she  did  the  giant,  and 
laid  as  many  golden  eggs  as  he  desired. 

These  eggs  being  sold,  Jack  and  his  mother  got 


plenty  of  money,  and  for  some  months  lived  very 
happily  together ;  till  Jack  had  another  great  long- 
ing to  climb  the  bean-stalk,  and  carry  away  some 
more  of  the  giant's  riches.  He  had  told  hi& 
mother  of  his  adventure,  but  had  been  very  care- 
ful not  to  say  a  word  about  his  father.  He 
thought  of  his  journey  again  and  again,  but  still 
he  could  not  summon  resolution  enough  to  break 
it  to  his  mother,  being  well  assured  that  she  would 
endeavor  to  prevent  his  going.  However,  one 
day  he  told  her  boldly  that  he  must  take  another 
journey  up  the  bean-stalk  ;  she  begged  and  prayed 
him  not  to  think  of  it,  and  tried  all  in  her  power 
to  dissuade  him.  She  told  him  that  the  giant's 
wife  would  certainly  know  him  again,  and  that 
the  giant  would  desire  nothing  better  than  to  get 
him  into  his  power,  that  he  might  put  him  to  a 
cruel  death,  in  order  to  be  revenged  for  the  loss  of 
his  hen.  Jack,  finding  that  all  his  arguments 
were  useless,  ceased  speaking,  though  resolved  to 
go  at  all  events.  He  had  a  dress  prepared  which 
would  disguise  him,  and  something  to  color  his 
skin  ;  he  thought  it  impossible  for  any  one  to  rec- 
ollect him  in  this  dress. 

A  few  mornings  after,  he  rose  very  early  and, 
unperceived  by  any  one,  climbed  the  bean-stalk  a 
second  time.  He  was  greatly  fatigued  when  he 
reached  the  top,  and  very  hungry.  Having  rested 
some  time  on  one  of  the  stones,  he  pursued  his 
journey  to  the  giant's  mansion,  which  he  reached 
late  in  the  evening  :  the  woman  was  at  tho  door 
as  before.  Jack  addressed  her,  at  the  same  time 
telling  her  a  pitiful  tale,  and  requesting  that  she 
would  give  him  some  victuals  and  drink,  and  also 
a  night's  lodging. 

She  told  him  (what  he  knew  before  very  well) 
about  her  husband's  being  a  powerful  and  cruel 
giant,  and  also  that  she  had  one  night  admitted  a 
poor,  hungry,  friendless  boyr ;  that  the  little  un- 
grateful fellow  had  stolen  one  of  the  giant's  treas- 
ures ;  and  ever  since  that  her  husband  had  been 
worse  than  before,  using  her  very  cruelly,  and  con- 
tinually upbraiding  her  with  being  the  cause  of 
his  misfortune.  Jack  felt  sorry  for  her,  but  con- 
fessed nothing,  and  did  his  best  to  persuade  her  to 


JACK  AND    THE  BEAN-STALK. 


125 


admit  him,  but  found  it  a  very  hard  task.  At 
last  she  consented,  and  as  she  led  the  way,  Jack 
observed  that  everything  was  just  as  he  had  found 
it  before  :  she  took  him  into  the  kitchen,  and 
after  he  had  done  eating  and  drinking,  she  hid 
him  in  an  old  lumber-closet.     The  giant  returned 


walked    in    so 

was  shaken  to 

seated  himself 

after  exclaim 

fresh  meat ! " 

was    the 

brought  a 

and  left  it 


at    the   usual  time,    and 
heavily    that   the    house 
its     foundation.        He 
by  the  fire,  and  soon 
ed  :    "  Wife,  I  smell 

The  wife  replied  it 
crows,      which      had 
piece  of  raw  meat, 
at   the    top    of    the 
house.      While 
supper  was  pre- 
paring,    the 
giant  was  very 
ill-tempered 
and    impatient, 
frequently    lift- 
ing up  his  hand 
to      strike     his 
wife     for      not 
being  quick 
enough.      He 
was     also     con- 
tinually   up- 
braiding       her 
with  the  loss  of  his  wonderful  hen. 

At  last,  having  ended  his  supper,  he  cried, 
"  Give  me  something  to  amuse  me  —  my  harp  or 
my  money-bugs." 

"  Which  will  you  have,  my  dear  ? "  said  the 
wife,  humbly. 

"  My  money-bags,  because  they  are  the  heaviest 
to  carry,"  thundered  he. 

She  brought  them,  staggering  under  the  weight ; 
two  bags  —  one  filled  with  new  guineas,  and  the 
other  with  new  shillings  ;  she  emptied  them  out 
on  the  table,  and  the  giant  began  counting  them 
in  great  glee.  "  Now  you  may  go  to  bed,  you 
old  fool."     So  the  wife  crept  away. 

Jack,  from  his  hiding-place,  watched  the  count- 


ing of  the  money,  which  he  knew  was  his  poor 
father's,  and  wished  it  was  his  own ;  it  would  give 
him  much  less  trouble  than  going  about  selling 
the  golden  eggs.  The  giant,  little  thinking  he 
was  so  narrowly  observed,  reckoned  it  all  up,  and 
then  replaced  it  in  the  two  bags,  which  he  tied  up 
very  carefully  and  put  beside  his  chafr,  with  his 
little  dog  to  guard  them.  At  last  he  fell  asleep 
as  before,  and  snored  so  loud,  that  Jack  compared 
his  noise  to  the  roaring  of  the  sea  in  a  high  wind, 
when  the  tide  is  coming  in.  At  last  Jack,  con- 
cluding all  secure,  stole  out,  in  order  to  carry  off 
the  two  bags  of  money  ;  but  just  as  he  laid  his 
hand  upon  one  of  them  the  little  dog,  which 
he  had  not  perceived  before,  started  from 
under  the  giant's  chair  and  barked  most  furi- 
ously. Instead  of  endeavoring  to 
escape,  Jack  stood  still,  though  ex- 
pecting his  enemy  to  awake  every 
instant.  Con- 
trary, however, 
to  his  expecta- 
tion, the  giant 
continued  in  a 
sound  sleep,  and 
Jack,  seeing  a 
piece  of  meat, 
threw  it  to  the 
dog,  who  at  once 
ceased  barking, 
and  began  to 
devour  it.  So 
Jack  carried  off  the  bags,  one  on  each  shoulder, 
but  they  were  so  heavy  that  it  took  him  two 
whole  days  to  descend  the  bean-stalk  and  get  back 
to  his  mother's  door. 

When  he  came  he  found  the  cottage  deserted. 
He  ran  from  one  room  to  another,  without  being 
able  to  find  any  one  ;  he  then  hastened  into  the 
village,  hoping  to  see  some  of  the  neighbors,  who 
could  inform  him  where  he  could  find  his  mother. 
An  old  woman  at  last  directed  him  to  a  neighbor- 
ing house,  where  she  was  ill  of  a  fever.  He  was 
greatly  shocked  at  finding  her  apparently  dying, 
and  blamed  himself  bitterly  as  the  cause  of  it  all. 


126 


THE  BOOK  OF  POPULAR  TALES. 


However,  at  sight  of  her  dear 
son  the  poor  woman  revived,  and 
slowly  recovered  health.  Jack 
gave  her  his  two  money-bags : 
they  had  the  cottage  rebuilt  and 
well  furnished,  and  lived  happier 
than  they  had  ever  done  before. 

For  three  years  Jack  talked  no 
more  of  the  bean-stalk,  but  he 
could  not  forget  it,  though  he 
feared  making  his  mother  un- 
happy. It  was  in  vain  endeav- 
oring to  amuse  himself;  he  be- 
came thoughtful,  and  would  arise 
at  the  first  dawn  of  day,  and  sit 
looking  at  the  bean-stalk  for 
hours  together.  His  mother  saw 
that  something  preyed  upon  his 
mind,  and  endeavored  to  discover 
the  cause  ;  but  Jack  knew  too 
well  what  the  consequence  would 
be  should  she  succeed.  He  did 
his  utmost,  therefore,  to  conquer 
the  great  desire  he  had  for  another  journey  up  the 
bean-stalk.  Finding,  however,  that  his  inclination 
grew  too  powerful  for  him,  he  began  to  make  secret 
preparations  for  his  journey.  He  got  ready  a 
new  disguise,  better  and  more  complete  than  the 
former ;  and  when  summer  came,  on  the  longest 
day  he  woke  as  soon  as  it  was  light,  and,  without 
telling  his  mother,  ascended  the  bean-stalk.  He 
found  the  road  and  journey  much  as  on  the  two 
former  times.  He  arrived  at  the  giant's  mansion 
in  the  evening,  and  .found  the  wife  standing,  as 
usual,  at  the  door.  Jack  had  disguised  himself  so 
completely  that  she  did  not  appear  to  have  the  least 
recollection  of  him ;  however,  when  he  pleaded 
hunger  and  poverty,  in  order  to  gain  admittance, 
he  found  it  very  difficult  indeed  to  persuade  her. 
At  last  he  prevailed,  and  was  concealed  in  the 
copper.  When  the  giant  returned,  he  said,  furi- 
ously, "  I  smell  fresh  meat !  "  But  Jack  felt  quite 
composed,  as  he  had  said  so  before,  and  had  been 
soon  satisfied.  However,  the  giant  started  up  sud- 
denly, and,  notwithstanding  all  his  wife  could  say, 


he  searched  all  round  the  room. 
Whilst  this  was  going  forward 
Jack  was  exceedingly  terrified, 
wishing  himself  at  home  a  thou- 
sand times  ;  but  when  the  giant 
approached  the  copper,  and  put 
his  hand  upon  the  lid.  Jack 
thought  his  death  was  certain. 
However,  nothing  happened  ;  for  the  giant  did 
not  take  the  trouble  to  lift  up  the  lid,  but  sat 
down  shortly  by  the  fireside,  and  began  to  eat  his 
enormous  supper.  When  he  had  finished,  he 
commanded  his  wife  to  fetch  his  harp.  Jack 
peeped  under  the  copper-lid,  and  saw  a  most 
beautiful  harp.  The  giant  placed  it  on  the  table, 
said  "  Play !  "  and  it  played  of  its  own  accord, 
without  anybody  touching  it,  the  most  exquisite 
music   imaginable.     Jack,   who  was  a  very  good 


THE  HISTORY  OF    VALENTINE  AND  ORSON. 


127 


musician,  was  delighted,  and  more  anxious  to  get 
this  than  any  other  of  his  enemy's  treasures.  But 
the  giant  not  being  particularly  fond  of  music, 
the  harp  had  only  the  effect  of  lulling  him  to  sleep 
earlier  than  usual.  As  for  the  wife,  she  had  gone 
to  bed  as  soon  as  ever  she  could. 

As  soon  as  he  thought  all  was  safe,  Jack  got 
out  of  the  copper,  and  seizing  the  harp,  was 
eagerly  running  off  with  it.  But  the  harp  was 
enchanted  by  a  fairy,  and  as  soon  as  it  found  itself 
in  strange  hands  it  called  out  loudly,  just  as  if  it 
had  been  alive,  "Master!  Master!" 

The  giant  awoke,  started  up,  and  saw  Jack 
scampering  away  as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry 
him. 

"  O  you  villain  !  it  is  you  who  have  robbed  me 
of  my  hen  and  my  money-bags,  and  now  you  are 
stealing  my  harp  also.  Wait  till  I  catch  you,  and 
I  '11  eat  you  up  alive  !  " 

"Very  well ;  try  !  "  shouted  Jack,  who  was  not 
a  bit  afraid,  for  he  saw  the  giant  was  so  tipsy  he 
could  hardly  stand,  much  less  run  ;  and  he  him- 
self had  young  legs  and  a  clear  conscience,  which 


carry  a  man  a  long  way.  So,  after  leading  the 
giant  a  considerable  race,  he  contrived  to  be  first 
at  the  top  of  the  bean-stalk,  and  then  scrambled 
down  it  as  fast  as  he  could,  the  harp  playing  all 
the  while  the  most  melancholy  music,  till  he  said, 
"  Stop,"  and  it  stopped. 

Arrived  at  the  bottom,  he  found  his  mother  sit- 
ting at  her  cottage-door,  weeping  silently. 

"  Here,  mother,  don't  cry ;  just  give  me  a 
hatchet;  make  haste."  For  he  knew  there  was 
not  a  moment  to  spare ;  he  saw  the  giant  begin- 
ning to  descend  the  bean-stalk. 

The  giant  was  midway  when  Jack  with  his 
hatchet  cut  the  bean-stalk  close  off  at  the  root; 
the  monster  fell  headlong  into  the  garden,  and  was 
killed  on  the  spot. 

Instantly  the  fairy  appeared,  and  explained 
everything  to  Jack's  mother,  begging  her  to  for- 
give Jack,  who  was  his  father's  own  son  for 
bravery  and  generosity,  and  who  would  be  sure  to 
make  her  happy  for  the  rest  of  her  days. 

So  all  ended  well,  and  nothing  was  ever  more 
heard  or  seen  of  the  wonderful  Bean-stalk. 


THE    HISTORY   OF   VALENTINE   AND   ORSON. 


It  stands  upon  record  that  Pepin,  king  of 
France,  had  a  fair  sister  named  Bellisant,  who 
was  married  to  Alexander,  the  Emperor  of  Greece, 
and  by  him  carried  to  his  capital  at  Constantino- 
ple ;  from  whence,  after  having  lived  with  great 
virtue,  she  was  banished  through  the  means  of  a 
false  accuser,  whom  she  had  severely  checked  for 
his  imprudence.  Although  she  was  ill,  yet  was 
she  compelled  to  leave  her  husband's  empire,  to 
the  great  regret  of  the  people,  and  went  away  at- 
tended by  a  squire  named  Blandiman. 

After  a  long  and  fatiguing  journey,  she  arrived 
in  the  forest  of  Orleans,  where,  being  very  faint, 
she  dismissed  her  attendant  for  a  nurse,  but  before 
bis  return  gave  birth  to  two  lovely  children,  one 
of  which  was  carried  off  by  a  she-bear ;  but  she, 
wishing  to  save  it,  pursued  on  her  hands  and 
knees,  leaving  the  other  behind.     Before  her  re- 


turn, King  Pepin,  being  a-hunting  in  the  forest, 
came  to  the  tree  where  she  had  left  the  other  babe, 
and  causing  it  to  be  taken  up,  sent  it  to  a  nurse, 
and  when  it  grew  up  he  called  his  name  Valen- 
tine. Blandiman  at  length  came  back  and  instead 
of  finding  his  mistress,  found  her  brother  Pepin  at 
the  tree,  to  whom  he  declared  all  that  had  hap- 
pened, and  how  his  sister  was  banished  through 
the  false  suggestions  of  the  arch-priest.  But  King 
Pepin,  hearing  this,  believed  the  charge,  and  was 
greatly  enraged  against  the  Lad}'  Bellisant,  saying 
the  emperor  ought  to  have  put  her  to  death.  So 
leaving  Blandiman,  he  returned  with  his  nobles  to 
Paris. 

The  Lady  Bellisant,  having  followed  the  bear  to 
no  purpose,  returned  to  the  place  where  she  had 
left  the  other  babe ;  but  great  was  her  sorrow 
when  Blandiman  said  he  had  seen  her  brother  Pe- 


128 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


pin,  but  could  tell  nothing  of  the  child ;  and  hav- 
ing comforted  her  for  the  loss  of  it,  they  went  to 
the  seaside,  took  shipping,  and  arrived  at  the  cas- 
tle of  the  great  Feragus,  in  Portugal. 

All  this  while  the  bear  nourished  the  infant 
among  her  young  ones,  until  at  length  it  grew  up 
a  wild,  hairy  man,  doing  great  mischief  to  all  that 
passed  through  the  forest;  in  which  we  will  leave 
him  and  return  to  the  arch-priest,  who  continued 
his  ill-doing  until  he  was  impeached  by  a  mer- 
chant of  having  wrongfully  accused  the  empress ; 
upon  which  they  fought,  and  the  merchant  con- 
quering, made  the  priest  confess  all  his  treasons. 
The  emperor  wrote  about  it  to  the  King  of  France 
and  the  arch-priest  was  hanged. 

Now  was  Valentine  grown  a  lusty  young  man, 
and  by  the  king  was  greatly  beloved,  as  if  he  had 
been  his  own  child ;  he  commanded  him  to  be 
taught  the  use  of  arms,  in  which  he  soon  became 
so  expert  that  few  in  the  court  dared  to  encounter 
him,  which  made  Hufray  and  Henry,  the  king's 
sons,  exceedingly  envy  him.  At  this  juncture 
great  complaints  were  made  against  the  Wild  Man, 
from  whom  no  knight  who  had  encountered  him 
had  escaped  with  his  life,  which  made  the  king 
promise  a  thousand  marks  to  any  one  who  should 
bring  him  dead  or  alive,  which  offer  none  dared 
to  accept.  Hufray  and  Henry  desired  King  Pepin 
to  send  Valentine,  with  a  view  of  getting  rid  of  so 
powerful  a  rival  in  the  king's  favor ;  but  his  maj- 
esty, seeing  their  malice,  was  very  angry,  telling 
them  he  had  rather  lose  the  best  baron  in  the  land. 

However,  Valentine  desired  leave  of  his  majesty 
to  go  to  the  forest,  resolving  either  to  conquer  the 
Wild  Man  or  die  in  the  attempt.  Accordingly, 
having  furnished  himself  with  a  good  horse  and 
arms,  he  set  forward  on  his  journey,  and  after  hard 
traveling  he  arrived  in  the  forest.  In  the  evening 
he  tied  his  horse  to  a  large  spreading  oak,  and  got 
up  into  a  tree  himself  for  security,  where  he  rested 
that  night. 

Next  morning  he  beheld  the  Wild  Man  travers- 
ing the  forest  in  search  of  his  prey ;  at  length  he 
came  to  the  tree  where  Valentine's  horse  stood, 
from  whom  he  pulled  many  hairs,  upon  which  the 


horse  kicked  him.  The  Wild  Man  feeling  the 
pain,  was  going  to  tear  him  to  pieces,  which  Val- 
entine seeing,  made  signs  as  if  he  would  fight  him, 
and  accordingly  he  leaped  down  and  gave  him  a 
blow,  but  the  Wild  Man  caught  him  by  the  arm 
and  threw  him  to  the  ground;  then  taking  up 
Valentine's  shield,  he  beheld  it  with  amaze,  in  re- 
spect to  the  colors  thereon  emblazoned.  Valentine 
being  much  bruised,  got  up  and  came  to  his  brother 
in  much  anger,  but  Orson  ran  to  a  tree,  and  then 
they  engaged,  but  both  being  terribly  wounded, 
gave  out  by  consent ;  after  which  Valentine  sig- 
nified to  Orson  that  if  he  would  yield  to  him  he 
would  order  matters  so  as  he  should  become  a  ra- 
tional creature. 

Orson,  thinking  that  he  meant  no  harm, 
stretched  forth  his  hands  to  him  ;  upon  which  he 
bound  him  and  then  led  him  to  Paris,  where  he 
presented  him  to  King  Pepin,  who  had  the  Wild 
Man  baptized  by  the  name  of  Orson,  from  his  be- 
ing taken  in  a  wood.  Orson's  actions,  during  their 
stay  there,  very  much  amused  the  whole  court,  so 
that  at  length  the  Duke  of  Acquitain  sent  letters 
importing  that  whoever  should  overcome  the  Green 
Knight,  a  fierce  Pagan  champion,  should  have  his 
daughter  Fazon  in  marriage.  Upon  which  Valen- 
tine set  out  for  that  province,  attended  by  his 
brother  Orson,  by  which  means  he  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  his  parents,  as  we  shall  find  here- 
after. 

After  a  long  journey,  Valentine  and  Orson  ar- 
rived at  Duke  Savary's  palace  in  Acquitain,  and 
making  known  the  reasons  that  brought  them 
there,  were  presented  to  Fazon,  to  whom  Valen- 
tine thus  addressed  himself:  "Sweet  creature! 
King  Pepin  has  sent  me  hither  to  fight  the  Green 
Knight,  and  with  me  the  bravest  knight  in  all  his 
realm,  who,  though  he  is  dumb  and  naked,  is  en- 
dued with  such  valor  that  no  knight  under  the  sun 
is  able  to  cope  with  him." 

During  this  speech  she  viewed  Orson  narrowly 
and  he  her  ;  but  supper  coming  in,  interrupted 
them,  and  they  sat  down  to  eat.  Whilst  they 
were  in  the  midst  of  their  feasting,  the  Green 
Knight  entered,  saying,  — 


THE  HISTORY  OF    VALENTINE  AND    ORSON 


129 


"  Noble  Duke  of  Acquitain,  hast  thou  any  more 
knights  to  cope  with  me  for  thy  daughter?" 

"Yea,"  replied  the  duke,  "I  have  seventeen," 
and  so  he  showed  them  to  him.  The  Green 
Knight  then  said  to  them  :  — 

"  Eat  your  fill,  for  to-morrow  will  be  your 
last." 

Orson,  hearing  what  he  had  said,  was  much  in- 
censed against  him,  and  suddenly  rising  from  the 
table,  threw  the  Green  Knight  with  such  force 
against  the  wall  as  laid  him  dead  for  some  time, 
which  very  much  pleased  the  whole  company. 
Next  day,  many  knights  went  to  fight  the  Green 
Knight,  but  he  overcame  and  slew  them  all,  until 
at  last  Orson,  being  armed  in  Valentine's  armor, 
came  to  the  Green  Knight's  pavilion,  and  defying 
him,  they  began  the  most  despei-ate  combat  that 
ever  was  heard  of,  and  the  Green  Knight  made 
so  great  a  stroke  at  him,  as  cut  off  the  top  of  his 
helmet,  and  half  his  shield,  wounding  him  much. 
But  this  served  only  to  enrage  the  valiant  Orson, 
who,  coming  to  him  on  foot,  took  hold  of  him, 
and  pulling  him  from  his  horse,  got  astride  him, 
and  was  just  going  to  kill  him,  when  he  was  pre- 
vented by  Valentine,  who  interceded  with  Orson 
to  spare  his  life,  on  condition  of  his  turning 
Christian,  and  he  acquainted  King  Pepin  how  he 
was  conquered. 

The  Green  Knight  having  promised  to  perform 
all  that  was  desired,  they  led  him  a  prisoner  to 
the  city  of  Acquitain,  and  the  duke  received  them 
with  great  joy,  and  offered  the  Lady  Fazon  to 
Orson ;  but  he  would  not  marry  her  till  his  brother 
had  won  the  Green  Knight's  sister,  Lady  Cleri- 
mond,  nor  till  they  had  talked  with  the  enchanted 
Head  of  Brass,  to  know  his  parents,  and  get  the 
proper  use  of  his  tongue.  When  the  lady  knew 
this  she  was  very  sorrowful,  because  she  loved 
Orson,  and  was  resolved  to  marry  none  but  him 
who  had  nobly  conquered  the  Green  Knight. 

Valentine  and  Orson  having  taken  leave  of  the 
Duke  of  Acquitain  and  his  daughter  Fazon,  pro- 
ceeded on  their  journey  in  search  of  the  Lady 
Clerimond,  and  at  last  came  to  a  tower  of  bur- 
nished brass  ;  which  upon  inquiry  they  discovered 

17 


to  be  kept  by  Clerimond,  sister  to  Feragus  and 
the  Green  Knight ;  and  having  demanded  entrance 
were  refused  it  by  the  sentinel,  which  provoked 
Valentine  to  that  degree  that  he  drew  sword 
against  him  with  such  fury  as  to  make  the  sentinel 
fall  dead  at  his  feet. 

The  Lady  Clerimond  beheld  all  this  dispute, 
and,  seeing  them  brave  knights,  received  them 
courteously.  Valentine  having  presented  tokens 
from  the  Green  Knight,  told  her  he  came  there 
for  the  love  of  her,  and  to  discourse  with  the  all- 
knowing  Head  of  Brass  concerning  their  parents. 
After  dinner  the  Lady  Clerimond  took  them  by 
the  hand,  and  led  them  to  the  Chamber  of  Varie- 
ties, where  the  Head  was  placed  between  four 
pillars  of  pure  jasper.  When  they  entered  the 
chamber  the  Head  made  the  following  speech  to 
Valentine  :  — 

"  Thou  famous  knight  of  royal  extract  art  called 
Valentine  the  Valiant,  who  of  right  ought  to  marry 
the  Lady  Clerimond.  Thou  art  son  to  the  Em- 
peror of  Greece  and  the  Empress  Bellisant  who  is 
now  in  the  castle  of  Feragus  in  Portugal,  where 
she  has  resided  for  twenty  years.  King  Pepin  is 
thy  uncle,  and  the  Wild  Man  thy  brother.  The 
Empress  Bellisant  brought  ye  two  forth  in  the 
forest  of  Orleans ;  he  was  taken  away  by  a  raven- 
ous bear ;  and  thou  wast  taken  up  by  thy  uncle 
Pepin,  who  brought  thee  up  to  man's  estate. 
Moreover,  I  likewise  tell  thee  that  thy  brother 
shall  never  speak  until  thou  cuttest  the  thread 
that  groweth  under  his  tongue." 

The  Brazen  Head  having  ended  his  speech, 
Valentine  embraced  Orson,  and  cut  the  thread 
which  grew  under  his  tongue,  when  he  directly 
related  many  surprising  things.  After  which  Val- 
entine married  the  Lady  Clerimond,  but  not  be- 
fore she  had  turned  a  Christian. 

In  this  castle  there  lived  a  dwarf,  named  Paco- 
let,  who  was  an  enchanter,  and  by  his  art  had 
contrived  a  horse  of  wood,  and  in  the  forehead  a 
fixed  pin,  by  turning  of  which  one  could  convey 
one's  self  to  the  farthest  part  of  the  world.  This 
enchanter  flew  to  Portugal  and  informed  Feragus 
of  his  sister's  nuptials,  and  of  her  turning  Chris- 


130 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


tian,  which  so  enraged  him  that  he  swore  by  Ma- 
homet he  would  make  her  rue  it,  and  therefore 
got  ready  his  fleet  and  sailed  toward  the  castle  of 
Clerimond,  where,  when  he  arrived,  he  concealed 
his  malice  from  his  sister,  and  also  the  two  knights, 
telling  them  that  he  came  to  fetch  them  into 
Portugal,  the  better  to  solemnize  their  marriage, 
and  he  would  turn  Christian  on  their  arrival  at 
his  castle,  all  which  they  believed,  and  soon  after 
embarked  with  him.  When  he  had  got  them  on 
board  he  ordered  them  to  be  put  in  irons,  which 
so  much  grieved  his  sister  Clerimond  that  she 
would  have  thrown  herself  into  the  sea,  had  she 
not  been  stopped. 

When  they  were  come  to  Portugal  he  put  Val- 
entine and  Orson  into  a  dungeon,  and  fed  them 
with  bread  and  water,  but  allowed  his  sister  Cleri- 
mond the  liberty  of  the  castle,  where  she  met  the 
Empress  Bellisant,  who  had  been  confined  twenty 
years  in  the  castle  of  Feragus.  She  seeing  her  so 
full  of  grief,  consoled  her,  inquiring  the  reason, 
which  she  told  her. 

The  empress  was  mightily  grieved,  but  Pacolet 
comforted  them,  saying  that  he  would  release 
them  all  that  evening,  which  he  accordingly  did 
in  the  following  manner.  In  the  dead  of  the  night 
he  went  to  the  dungeon  where  lay  Valentine  and 
Orson  bound  in  chains,  and  touching  the  doors 
with  his  magic  wand,  they  flew  open,  and  coming 
to  the  knights  he  released  them  and  conducted 
them  to  the  apartment  where  Bellisant  and  Cleri- 
mond were,  who  were  exceedingly  transported ; 
but  Pacolet  hindered  them  from  discoui'sing  long 
by  telling  them  that  they  must  depart  before  the 
guards  of  Feragus  awaked,  which  would  put  a 
stop  to  his  proceedings.  So  Pacolet  led  them  out 
of  the  castle  and  having  prepared  a  ship,  he  con- 
veyed them  to  Lady  Fazon,  at  the  city  of  Acqui- 
tain.  The  next  morning  when  Feragus  heard  of 
their  escape  he  was  enraged  to  the  highest  de- 
gree. 

The  knights  and  ladies  being  out  of  danger 
soon  arrived  at  Acquitain,  to  the  great  joy  of 
Lady  Fazon,  who  was  soon  after  married  to  Orson 
with  great   solemnity,  upon    which  occasion  tilts 


and  tournaments  were  performed  for  many  days, 
but  Valentine  carried  off  the  prize,  overthrowing 
at  least  a  hundred  brave  knights. 

Feragus,  to  be  revenged  on  them,  assembled  an 
army,  marched  against  the  city  of  Acquitain,  and 
laid  close  siege  to  it,  with  a  vast  army  of  Saracens. 
When  Duke  Savary  perceived  it,  he  resolved  to 
give  them  battle  the  very  next  morning,  and  ac- 
cordingly he  sallied  forth  with  all  his  forces,  but 
venturing  too  far,  he  was  taken  by  the  Saracens, 
and  carried  to  Feragus's  tent. 

Now  Orson  was  resolved  to  set  him  free  or  lose 
his  life ;  so  putting  on  the  armor  of  a  dead  Sara- 
cen, he  called  Pacolet,  and  went  through  the  enemy 
without,  being  molested,  until  they  arrived  at  the 
tent  where  the  duke  was  confined  ;  which  done, 
they  gave  him  a  horse  and  a  road  to  the  Christian 
army  ;  on  their  return,  a  general  shout  was  made 
by  all  the  arm}',  "  Long  live  the  Duke  of  Acqui- 
tain," which  so  dismayed  the  Saracens  that  they 
fled  away  in  confusion,  and  the  Christians  pur- 
sued them,  till  the  night  obliged  them  to  give 
over. 

Soon  after  the  victory,  Valentine,  Orson,  the 
Ladies  Bellisant,  Clerimoncl,  and  Fazon,  after  they 
had  taken  leave  of  Duke  Savary  and  his  nobles, 
set  out  for  Constantinople  to  see  the  emperor, 
and  were  received  with  great  joy. 

At  length  the  emperor  set  out  from  Constan- 
tinople, after  taking  leave  of  his  family,  to  visit 
a  strong  castle  he  had  in  Spain.  While  he  was 
absent  Brandifer,  brother  to  Feragus,  invaded  the 
empire  with  a  very  great  army,  and  finally  be- 
sieged Constantinople,  where  lay  Valentine  and 
Orson,  the  Green  Knight,  and  all  the  ladies.  Val- 
entine, seeing  the  condition  thejr  all  were  in,  re- 
solved to  give  Brandifer  battle,  and  thereupon  di- 
vided his  army  into  ten  battalions  commanded  by 
ten  knights,  and  sallying  out  of  the  city  began  the 
fight  with  the  Saracens,  who  drew  up  in  readiness- 
to  receive  them. 

In  the  mean  time  the  emperor,  who  was  at  sea, 
returned  homeward,  and  in  his  way  he  met  a  fleet 
going  to  the  assistance  of  Brandifer,  which  bore 
upon  him  with  full  sail ;  whereupon,  exhorting  his 


THE  HISTORY  OF    VALENTINE  AND    ORSON. 


m 


companions  to  behave  like  men,  they  made  ready 
to  receive  them,  and  after  a  most  bloody  and  ob- 
stinate battle  the  emperor  got  the  victory,  having 
slain  many  of  the  Pagans  and  dispersed  their 
ships. 

After  this  victory  the  emperor  commanded  his 
men  to  put  on  the  arms  of  the  vanquished,  as  he 
did  himself,  thinking  thereby  the  better  to  fall  on 
the  besiegers  his  enemies,  but  the  stratagem  proved 
most  fatal  to  him,  as  we  shall  hereafter  find. 

All  this  while  the  Christians  and  Valentine 
bravely  encountered  Brandifer  and  his  men  be- 
fore the  walls  of  Constantinople,  sometimes  gain- 
ing, and  sometimes  losing,  ground  ;  but  at  length 
Valentine  came  to  the  standard  of  Brandifer, 
where  an  Indian  king  ran  upon  him  with  great 
force,  but  Valentine,  avoiding  him,  struck  him 
with  such  fury  as  cleft  him  down  the  middle.  On 
the  other  hand  Orson  and  the  Green  Knight  were 
not  idle,  but  with  their  brandished  swords  cut 
themselves  a  passage  quite  through  the  Pagan 
army,  destroying  all  that  opposed  them. 

Soon  after,  news  came  that  a  mighty  fleet  of 
Saracens  was  entering  the  harbor ;  whereupon 
Valentine  judged  it  was  necessary  to  go  thither 
and  oppose  their  landing,  but  it  proved  fatal ;  for 
in  this  fleet  was  the  emperor,  his  father,  whom, 
being  clad  in  Saracen  armor,  Valentine  by  mis- 
take ran  quite  through  the  body  with  his  spear  ; 
which  when  he  knew,  he  would  have  killed  him- 
self, had  not  his  brother  and  the  Green  Knight 
prevented  him  ;  but  getting  a  horse,  with  an  in- 
tent to  lose  his  life,  he  rushed  into  the  midst  of  the 
enemy,  till  he  came  to  the  giant  Brandifer,  who 
when  he  saw  Valentine  encountered  him  so 
fiercely  that  both  fell  to  the  ground  ;  but  Valen- 
tine recovering  gave  him  a  stab,  which  sent  him 
after  his  false  prophet  Mahomet. 

The  Pagans,  seeing  their  king  dead,  threw  down 
their  arms  and  ran,  and  the  Christians  pursued 
them  with  a  mighty  slaughter.  At  last,  the  pur- 
suit being  over,  they  returned  to  Constantinople, 
and  Orson  acquainted  the  empress  with  the  death 
of  his  father,  but  concealed  by  whom  it  was  done, 


upon  which  it  was  concluded  that  Valentine  and 
Orson  should  govern  the  empire  by  turns,  with 
their  wives,  the  Ladies  Fazon  and  Clerimond, 
whose  brother,  the  Green  Knight,  was  crowned 
King  of  the  Green  Mountain,  the  people  of  which 
were  much  delighted  to  have  so  brave  a  warrior 
for  their  king. 

Now  Valentine  being  greatly  vexed  in  mind  for 
the  death  of  his  father,  whom  he  had  killed  out  of 
a  mistake,  resolved  to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
Holy  Sepulchre;  and  thereupon  taking  leave  of 
his  wife  Clerimond,  and  giving  the  government  of 
the  empire  unto  his  brother,  lie  departed,  to  the 
great  sorrow  of  all,  particularly  his  brother  Orson 
and  the  fair  Clerimond.  After  seven  years'  ab- 
sence he  returned,  dressed  like  a  poor  palmer,  beg- 
ging victuals  at  the  gate  of  his  own  palace  ;  and 
at  length  being  sick  and  about  to  die,  he  called 
for  Clerimond  and  made  himself  known  to  her,  at 
which  she  was  ready  to  give  up  the  ghost. 

At  last,  having  recommended  her  to  his  broth- 
er's care,  and  the  emjn'ess,  his  dear  mother,  and 
asking  a  blessing  of  them,  he  turned  on  one  side 
and  breathed  out  his  noble  soul  from  his  illustri- 
ous body,  to  the  great  grief  of  all  the  valiant 
knights  of  Christendom,  to  whom  he  had  been  a 
most  noble  example  and  a  generous  reliever. 
Clerimond  never  would  espouse  any  one,  but  be- 
took her  to  a  single  life,  always  lamenting  the  loss 
of  her  beloved  husband. 

After  his  death,  Orson  governed  the  empire 
with  great  wisdom  and  justice  for  seven  years,  till 
at  length,  seeing  the  fragile  state  of  human  affairs, 
he  gave  the  charge  of  his  empire,  wife,  and  chil- 
dren to  the  Green  Knight,  and  then,  turning  her- 
mit, he  became  once  more  a  voluntary  dweller  in 
the  forests  and  woods,  where,  after  living  to  a 
great  age,  this  magnanimous  and  invincible  hero 
surrendered  up  his  body  unto  never-sparing  leath, 
and  his  soul  to  the  immortal  God,  of  whose  attri- 
bute it  had  a  true  resemblance. 

Thus,  reader,  you  may  see  that  none  withstand, 
Though  great  in  valor,  or  in  vast  command, 
The  mighty  force  of  death's  all  conquering  hand. 


132 


THE  BOOK   OF  POPULAR    TALES. 


CLEVER   ALICE. 


Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  had  a 
daughter,  who  was  called  "  Clever  Alice  ;  "  and 
when  she  was  grown  up  her  father  said,  "  We 
must  see  about  her  marrying." 

"  Yes,"  replied  her  mother,  "  whenever  a  young 
man  shall  appear  who  is  worthy  of  her." 

At  last  a  certain  youth,  by  name  Hans,  came 
from  a  distance  to  make  a  proposal  of  marriage  ; 
but  he  required  one  condition,  that  the  Clever 
Alice  should  be  very  prudent. 

"  Oh,"  said  her  father,  "  no  fear  of  that !  she 
has  got  a  head  full  of  brains  ;  "  and  the  mother 
added,  "  Ah,  she  can  see  the  wind  blow  up  the 
street,  and  hear  the  flies  cough  !  " 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Hans  ;  "  but  remember,  if 
she  is  not  very  prudent  I  will  not  take  her." 
Soon  afterwards  they  sat  down  to  dinner,  and  her 
mother  said,  "  Alice,  go  down  into  the  cellar  and 
draw  some  beer." 

So  Clever  Alice  took  the  jug  down  from  the 
wall,  and  went  into  the  cellar,  jerking  the  lid  up 
and  down  on  her  way,  to  pass  away  the  time.  As 
soon  as  she  got  down-stairs,  she  drew  a  stool  and 
placed  it  before  the  cask,  in  order  that  she  might 
not  have  to  stoop,  for  she  thought  stooping  might 
in  some  way  injure  her  back,  and  give  it  an  un- 
desirable bend.  Then  she  placed  the  can  before 
her  and  turned  the  tap,  and  while  the  beer  was 
running,  as  she  did  not  wish  her  eyes  to  be  idle, 
she  looked  about  upon  the  wall  above  and  be- 
low. 

Presently  she  perceived,  after  much  peeping 
into  this  corner  and  that  corner,  a  hatchet,  which 
the  bricklayers  had  left  behind,  sticking  out  of 
the  ceiling  right  above  her  head.  At  the  sight  of 
this  Clever  Alice  began  to  cry,  saying,  "  Oh  !  if  I 
marry  Hans,  and  we  have  a  child,  and  he  grows 
up,  and  we  send  him  into  the  cellar  to  draw  beer, 
the  hatchet  will  fall  upon  his  head  and  kill  him  ;  " 
arid  so  she  sat  there  weeping  with  all  her  might 
over  the  impending  misfortune. 
Meanwhile  the  good  folks  up-stairs  were  waiting 


for  the  beer,  but  as  Clever  Alice  did  not  come,  net 
mother  told  the  maid  to  go  and  see  what  she  was 
stopping  for.  The  maid  went  down  into  the  cel- 
lar, and  found  Alice  sitting  before  the  cask  crying 
heartily,  and  she  asked,  "  Alice,  what  are  you 
weeping  about  ?  " 

"Ah,"  she  replied,  "have  I  not  cause?  If  I 
marry  Hans,  and  we  have  a  child,  and  he  grows 
up,  and  we  send  him  here  to  draw  beer,  that 
hatchet  will  fall  upon  his  head  and  kill  him." 

"  Oh,"  said  the  maid,  "  what  a  clever  Alice  we 
have  !  "  And,  sitting  down,  she  began  to  weep, 
too,  for  the  misfortune  that  was  to  happen. 

After  a  while,  when  the  servant  did  not  return, 
the  good  folks  above  began  to  feel  very  thirsty  ;  so 
the  husband  told  the  boy  to  go  down  into  the  cel- 
lar, and  see  what  had  become  of  Alice  and  the 
maid.  The  boy  went  down,  and  there  sat  Clever 
Alice  and  the  maid  both  crying,  so  he  asked  the 
reason ;  and  Alice  told  him  the  same  tale,  of  the 
hatchet  that  was  to  fall  on  her  child,  if  she  mar- 
ried Hans,  and  if  they  had  a  child.  When  she 
had  finished,  the  boy  exclaimed,  "  What  a  clever 
Alice  we  have  !  "  and  fell  weeping  and  howling 
with  the  others. 

Up-stairs  they  were  still  waiting,  and  the  hus- 
band said,  when  the  boy  did  not  return,  "  Do  you 
go  down,  wife,  into  the  cellar  and  see  why  Alice 
stays  so  long."  So  she  went  down,  and  finding  all 
three  sitting  there  crying,  asked  the  reason,  and 
Alice  told  her  about  the  hatchet  which  must  inevi- 
tably fall  upon  the  head  of  her  son.  Then  the 
mother  likewise  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  what  a  clever 
Alice  we  have  !  "  and,  sitting  down,  began  to  weep 
as  much  as  any  of  the  rest. 

Meanwhile  the  husband  waited  for  his  wife's  re- 
turn ;  but  at  last  he  felt  so  very  thirsty  that  he 
said,  "I  must  go  myself  down  into  the  cellar  and 
see  what  is  keeping  our  Alice."  As  soon  as  he 
entered  the  cellar,  there  he  found  the  four  sitting 
and  crying  together,  and  when  he  heard  the  rea- 
son, he  also  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  what  a  clever  Alice 


CLEVER   ALICE. 


133 


we  have ! "  and  sat  down  to  cry  with  the  whole 
strength  of  his  lungs. 

All  this  time  the  bridegroom  above  sat  waiting, 
but  when  nobody  returned,  he  thought  they  must 
be  waiting  for  him,  and  so  he  went  down  to  see 
what  was  the  matter.  When  he  entered,  there 
sat  the  five  crving  and  groaning,  each  one  in  a 
louder  key  than  his  neighbor. 

"  What  misfortune  has  happened  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Ah,  dear  Hans!"  cried  Alice,  "if  you  and  I 
should  marry  one  another,  and  have  a  child,  and 
he  should  grow  up,  and  we,  perhaps,  send  him 
down  to  this  cellar  to  tap  the  beer,  the  hatchet 
which  has  been  left  sticking  up  there  may  fall  on 
his  head,  and  so  kill  him  ;  and  do  you  not  think 
this  is  enough  to  weep  about  ?  " 

"Now,"  said  Hans,  "more  prudence  than  this 
is  not  necessary  for  my  housekeeping;  because  you 
are  such  a  clever  Alice,  I  will  have  you  for  my 
wife."  And,  taking  her  hand,  he  led  her  home, 
and  celebrated  the  wedding  directly. 

After  they  had  been  married  a  little  while, 
Hans  said  one  morning,  "  Wife,  I  will  go  out  to 
work  and  earn  some  money ;  do  you  go  into  the 
field  and  gather  some  corn  wherewith  to  make 
bread." 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  "  I  will  do  so,  dear  Hans." 
And  when  he  was  gone,  she  cooked  herself  a  nice 
mess  of  pottage  to  take  with  her.  As  she  came 
to  the  field  she  said  to  herself,  "  What  shall  I  do  ? 
Shall  I  cut  first,  or  eat  first?  Ay,  I  will  eat  first !  " 
Then  she  ate  up  the  contents  of  her  pot,  and  when 
it  was  finished  she  thought  to  herself,  "  Now, 
shall  I  reap  first  or  sleep  first  ?  Well,  I  think  I 
will  have  a  nap  ! "  and  so  she  laid  herself  down 
amongst  the  corn,  and  went  to  sleep. 


Meanwhile  Hans  returned  home,  but  Alice  did 
not  come,  and  so  he  said,  "  Oh,  what  a  prudent 
Alice  I  have  !  She  is  so  industrious  that  she  does 
not  even  come  home  to  eat  anything."  By  and 
by,  however,  evening  came  on,  and  still  she  did 
not  return  ;  so  Hans  went  out  to  see  how  much 
she  had  reaped  ;  but,  behold,  nothing  at  all,  and 
there  lay  Alice  fast  asleep  among  the  corn !  So 
home  he  ran  very  fast,  and  brought  a  net  with 
little  bells  hanging  on  it,  which  he  threw  over  her 
head  while  she  still  slept  on.  When  he  had  done 
this,  he  went  back  again  and  shut  the  house-door, 
and,  seating  himself  on  his  stool,  began  working 
very  industriously. 

At  last,  when  it  was  nearly  dark,  the  Clever 
Alice  awoke,  and  as  soon  as  she  stood  up,  the  net 
fell  all  over  her  hair,  and  the  bells  jingled  at  every 
step  she  took.  This  quite  frightened  her,  and 
she  began  to  doubt  whether  she  were  really  Clever 
Alice,  and  said  to  herself,  "  Am  I  she,  or  am  I 
not  ?  "  This  was  a  question  she  could  not  answer, 
and  she  stood  still  a  long  while  considering  about 
it.  At  last  she  thought  she  would  go  home  and 
ask  whether  she  were  really  herself — supposing 
somebody  would  be  able  to  tell  her.  When  she 
came  to  the  house-door  it  was  shut ;  so  she  tapped 
at  the  window,  and  asked,  "  Hans,  is  Alice  with- 
in ?  "  "  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  she  is."  At  which  an- 
swer she  became  really  terrified,  and  exclaiming, 
"  Ah,  heaven,  then  I  am  not  Alice  !  "  she  ran  up 
to  another  house,  intending  to  ask  the  same  ques- 
tion. But  as  soon  as  the  folks  within  heard  the 
jingling  of  the  bells  in  her  net,  they  refused  to 
open  their  doors,  and  nobody  would  receive  her. 
So  she  ran  straight  away  from  the  village,  and  no 
one  has  ever  seen  her  since. 


THE   BOOK   OF   STORIES  IN  VERSE. 


THE  CHILDREN   IN  THE  WOOD. 

Now  ponder  well,  you  parents  dear, 
These  words  which  I  shall  write  ; 


A  doleful  story  you  shall  hear, 
In  time  brought  forth  to  light. 

A  gentleman  of  good  account 
In  Norfolk  dwelt  of  late, 

"Who  did  in  honor  far  surmount 
Most  men  of  his  estate. 


Sore  sick  he  was,  and  like  to  die, 
No  help  his  life  could  save  ; 

His  wife  by  him  as  sick  did  lie, 
And  both  possessed  one  grave. 


No  love  between  these  two  was  lost, 

Each  was  to  other  kind  ; 
In  love  they  lived,  in  love  they  died, 

And  left  two  babes  behind. 

The  one,  a  fine  and  pretty  boy, 
Not  passing  three  years  old  ; 


The  other,  a  girl  more  young  than  he, 
And  framed  in  beauty's  mold. 

The  father  left  his  little  son, 
As  plainly  doth  appear, 

When  he  to  perfect  age  should  come, 
Three  hundred  pounds  a  year. 

And  to  his  little  daughter  Jane, 

Five  hundred  pounds  in  gold, 
To  be  paid  down  on  her  marriage-day, 

Which  might  not  be  controlled  : 
But  if  the  children  chanced  to  die 

Ere  they  to  age  should  come, 
Their  uncle  should  possess  their  wealth  ; 

For  so  the  will  did  run. 

"  Now,  brother,"  said  the  dying  man, 

'•Look  to  my  children  dear; 
Be  good  unto  my  boy  and  girl, 

No  friends  else  have  they  here : 
To  God  and  you  I  recommend 

My  children  dear  this  day  ; 
But  little  while  be  sure  we  have 

Within  this  world  to  stay. 

"  You  must  be  father  and  mother  both, 
And  uncle  all  in  one  ; 
God  knows  what  will  become  of  them, 

When  I  am  dead  and  gone." 
With  that  bespake  their  mother  dear, 
"  0  brother  kind,"  quoth  she, 
"You  are  the  man  must  bring  our  babes 
To  wealth  or  misery. 

"And  if  you  keep  them  carefully, 
Then  God  will  you  reward  ; 

But  if  you  otherwise  should  deal, 
God  will  your  deeds  regard." 

With  lips  as  cold  as  any  stone, 
They  kissed  their  children  small : 


THE    CHILDREN  IN   THE    WOOD. 


135 


J&i.UuiMUil'-l 


•—'-■!  ■■f:  <*n  ;■;■--,<,    i 


'■;<;.'  _  ^  _ 


"  God    bless    you    both,   my    children 
dear ;  " 
With  that  their  tears  did  fall. 

These  speeches  then    their  brother 
spake 
To  this  sick  couple  there  : 
••  The  keeping  of  your  little  ones, 
Sweet  sister,  do  not  fear. 
God  never  prosper  me  nor  mine, 

Nor  aught  else  that  I  have, 
If  I  do  wrong  your  children  dear 
When  you  are  laid  in  grave." 

The  parents  being  dead  and  gone, 

The  children  home  he  takes, 
And  brings  them  straight  unto  his  house, 

Where  much  of  them  he  makes. 
He  had  not  kept  these  pretty  babes 

A  twelvemonth  and  a  day, 
But,  for  their  wealth,  he  did  devise 

To  make  them  both  away. 

He  bargained  with  two  ruffians  strong 

Which  were  of  furious  mood, 
That  they  should  take  these  children  young 

And  slay  them  in  a  wood. 


He  told  his  wife  an  artful  tale : 

He  would  the  children  send 
To  be  brought  up  in  fair  London, 

With  one  that  was  his  friend. 

Away  then  went  those  pretty  babes, 

Rejoicing  at  that  tide, 
Rejoicing  with  a  merry  mind. 

They  should  on  cock-horse  ride. 
They  prate  and  prattle  pleasantly, 

As  they  rode  on  the  way, 
To  those  that  should  their  butchers  be. 

And  work  their  lives'  decay. 

So  that  the  pretty  speech  they  had, 

Made  murder's  heart  relent : 
Ajid  they  that  undertook  the  deed 

Full  sore  did  now  repent. 
Yet  one  of  them,  more  hard  of  heart, 

Did  vow  to  do  his  charge, 
Because  the  wretch  that  hired  him 

Had  paid  him  very  large. 

The  other  won't  agree  thereto, 

So  here  they  fall  to  strife ; 
With  one  another  they  did  fight 

About  the  children's  life : 
And  he  that  was  of  mildest  mood, 

Did  slay  the  other  there, 
Within  an  unfrequented  wood  : 

The  babes  did  quake  for  fear  ! 

He  took  the  children  by  the  hand, 

Tears  standing  in  their  eye, 
And  bade  them  straightway  follow  him, 

And  look  they  did  not  cry  ; 
And  two  long  miles  he  led  them  on, 

While  they  for  food  complain  : 
"  Stay  here,"  quoth  he,  "  I  '11  bring  you  breads, 

When  I  come  back  again." 

These  pretty  babes,  with  hand  in  hand, 
Went  wandering  up  and  down  ; 

But  never  more  could  see  the  man 
Approaching  from  the  town  : 

Their  pretty  lips  with  blackberries 
Were  all  besmeared  and  dyed, 


136 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN   VERSE. 


And  when  they  saw  the  darksome  night, 
They  sat  them  down  and  cried. 

Thus  wandered  these  poor  innocents 

Till  death  did  end  their  grief, 
In  one  another's  arms  they  died, 

As  wanting  due  relief: 
No  burial  this  pretty  pair 

Of  any  man  receives, 
Till  Robin  Redbreast  piously 

Did  cover  them  with  leaves. 


MARY'S    LAMB. 

Mary  had  a  little  lamb, 

Its  fleece  was  white  as  snow  ; 

And  everywhere  that  Mary  went, 
The  lamb  was  sure  to  go. 

He  followed  her  to  school  one  day,  — 
That  was  against  the  rule  ; 

It  made  the  children  laugh  and  play, 
To  see  a  lamb  at  school. 


And  now  the  heavy  wrath  of  God 

Upon  their  uncle  fell ; 
Yea,  fearful  fiends  did  haunt  his  house, 

His  conscience  felt  an  hell : 
His  barns  were  fired,  his  goods  consumed, 

His  lands  were  barren  made, 
His  cattle  died  within  the  field, 

And  nothing  with  him  stayed. 

And  in  the  voyage  to  Portugal 

Two  of  his  sons  did  die ; 
And,  to  conclude,  himself  was  brought 

To  want  and  misery. 
He  pawned  and  mortgaged  all  his  land 

Ere  seven  years  came  about, 
And  now  at  length  this  wicked  act 

Did  by  this  means  come  out : 

The  fellow  that  did  take  in  hand 

These  children  for  to  kill, 
Was  for  a  robbery  judged  to  die, 

Such  was  God's  blessed  will. 
Who  did  confess  the  very  truth, 

As  here  hath  been  displayed  : 
Their  uncle  having  died  in  gaol, 

Where  he  for  debt  was  laid. 

You  that  executors  be  made, 

And  overseers  eke 
Of  children  that  be  fatherless, 

And  infants  mild  and  meek ; 
Take  you  example  by  this  thing, 

And  yield  to  each  his  right, 
Lest  God  with  such  like  misery 

Your  wicked  minds  requite. 

Old  Ballad. 


So  the  teacher  turned  him  out, 

But  still  he  lingered  near, 
And  waited  patiently  about, 

Till  Mary  did  appear. 

Then  he  ran  to  her,  and  laid 

His  head  upon  her  arm, 
As  if  he  said,  "  I  'm  not  afraid,  — 

You  '11  keep  me  from  all  harm." 

"  What  makes  the  lamb  love  Mary  so  ?  " 

The  eager  children  cry. 
"Oh,  Mary  loves  the  lamb,  you  know," 

The  teacher  did  reply. 

Mrs.  Hale. 


THE   SPIDER   AND   HIS   WIFE. 

In  a  little  dark  crack,  half  a  yard  from  the  ground, 

An  honest  old  spider  resided: 
So  pleasant  and  snug,  and  convenient  't  was  found, 
That  his  friends  came  to  see  it  for  many  miles  round. 

It  seemed  for  his  pleasure  provided. 

Of  the  cares,  and  fatigues,  and  distresses  of  life, 

This  spider  was  thoroughly  tired  : 
So  leaving  those  scenes  of  contention  and  strife, 
(His  children  all  settled)  he  came  with  his  wife, 

To  live  in  this  cranny  retired. 

He  thought  that  the  little  his  wife  would  consume, 

'T  would  be  easy  for  him  to  provide  her, 
Forgetting  he  lived  in  a  gentleman's  room, 
Where  came  every  morning  a  maid  and  a  broom, 
Those  pitiless  foes  to  a  spider. 


THE  NOTORIOUS   GLUTTON. 


137 


For  when  (as  sometimes  it  would  chance  to  befall) 
Just  when  his  neat  web  was  completed, 

Brush  —  came  the  great  broom  down  the  side  of 
wall, 

And  perhaps  carried  with  it,  web,  spider,  and  all, 
He  thought  himself  cruelly  treated. 

One  day,  when  their  cupboard  was  empty  and  dry, 

His  wife  (Mrs.  Hairy-leg  Spinner) 
Said  to  him,  "  Dear,  go  to  the  cobweb  and  try, 
If  you  can't  find  the  leg  or  the  wing  of  a  fly, 

As  a  bit  of  a  relish  for  dinner." 


the 


And,  high  in  repute  with  his  feathery  friends, 

Was  called  Doctor  Drake  ;  —  for  this  doctor  she  sends 

In  a  hole  of  the  dunghill  was  Doctor  Drake's  shop„ 
Where  he  kept  a  few  simples  for  curing  the  crop  •, 
Some  gravel  and  pebbles,  to  help  the  digestion, 
And  certain  famed  plants  of  the  doctor's  selection. 

So,  taking  a  handful  of  comical  things, 
And  brushing  his  topple  and  pluming  his  wings, 
And  putting  his  feathers  in  apple-pie  order, 
Set  out,  to  prescribe  for  the  lady's  disorder. 


Directly  he  went,  his  long  search  to  resume, 

(For  nothing  he  ever  denied  her) 
Alas  !  little  guessing  his  terrible  doom ; 
Just  then  came  the  gentleman  into  his  room, 

And  saw  the  unfortunate  spider. 

So.  while  the  poor  fellow,  in  search  of  his  pelf, 

In  the  cobwebs  continued  to  linger, 
The  gentleman  reached  a  long  cane  from  the  shelf 
{For  certain  good  reasons  best  known  to  himself 

Preferring  his  stick  to  his  finger)  — 

Then  presently  poking  him  down  to  the  floor, 

/"Not  stopping  at  all  to  consider) 
"With  one  horrid  crush  the  whole  business  was  o'er, 
The  poor  little  spider  was  heard  of  no  more, 

To  the  lasting  distress  of  his  widow ! 

Jane  Taylor. 


THE   NOTORIOUS    GLUTTON. 

A  duck,  who  had  got  such  a  habit  of  stuffing, 
That  all  the  day  long  she  was  panting  and  puffing ; 
And  by  every  creature,  who  did  her  great  crop  see, 
Was  thought  to  be  galloping  fust  for  a  dropsy ; 

One  day,  after  eating  a  plentiful  dinner, 

AVith  full  twice  as  much  as  there  should  have  been  in 

her, 
While  up  to  her  eyes  in  the  gutter  a  roking, 
Was  greatly  alarmed  by  the  symptoms  of  choking. 

Now  there  was  an  old  fellow,  much  famed  for  discerning 

o 

(A  drake,  who  had  taken  a  liking  for  learning), 
18 


"  Dear  sir,"  said  the  duck,  with  a  delicate  quack, 
Just  turning  a  little  way  round  on  her  back, 
And  leaning  her  head  on  a  stone  in  the  yard, 

"  My  case,  Doctor  Drake,  is  exceedingly  hard. 

'r  I  feel  so  distended  with  wind,  and  opprest, 
So  squeamish  and  faint  —  such  a  load  at  my  chest; 
And,  day  after  day,  I  assure  you  it  is  hard 
To  suffer  with  patience  these  pains  in  my  gizzard." 

"  Give  me  leave,"  said  the  doctor,  with  medical  look, 
As  her  flabby  cold  paw  in  his  fingers  he  took  ; 

"  By  the  feel  of  your  pulse  — ■  your  complaint,  I  've  beea 
thinking 
Is  caused  by  your  habit  of  eating  and  drinking." 

"  Oh  no,  sir,  believe  me,"  the  lady  replied 
(Alarmed  for  her  stomach  as  well  as  her  pride), 

"  I  am  sure  it  arises  from  nothing  I  eat, 
For  I  rather  suspect  I  got  wet  in  my  feet. 

"I've  only  been  raking  a  bit  in  the  gutter, 
Where  the  cook  had  been  pouring  some  cold  meited 

butter  ; 
And   a   slice   of   green   cabbage,    and    scraps   of    cold 

meat, 
Just  a  trifle  or  two,  that  I  thought  I  could  eat." 

The  doctor  was  just  to  his  business  proceeding, 
By  gentle  emetics,  a  blister,  and  bleeding, 
When  all  on  a  sudden  she  rolled  on  her  side, 
Gave  a  horrible  quackle,  a  struggle,  and  died ! 

Her  remains  were  interred  in  a  neighboring  swamp 
By  her  friends,  with  a  great  deal  of  funeral  pomp ; 


138 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN    VERSE. 


But  I  've  heard  this  inscription  her  tombstone  was  put 
on, 
"Here  lies  Mrs.  Duck,  the  notorious  glutton:" 
And   all  the  young  ducklings    are  brought  by  their 

friends, 
To  learn  the  disgrace  in  which  gluttony  ends. 

Jane  Taylor. 


Nor  once  did  she  lack  to  continue  her  clack, 
Till  again  she  laid  down  on  her  pillow. 

Tou  '11  think  now,  perhaps,  there  would  have  been  gaps, 

If  she  hadn't  been  wouderful  clever; 
That  her  sense  was  so  great,  and  so  witty  her  pate 

That  it  would  be  forthcoming  forever. 


DIRTY   JACK. 

There  was  one  little  Jack,  not  very  long  back, 

And  'tis  said  to  his  lasting  disgrace, 
That  he  never  was  seen  with  his  bands  at  all  clean, 

Nor  yet  ever  clean  was  his  face. 

His  friends  were  much  hurt  to  see  so  much  dirt, 

And  often  and  well  did  they  scour : 
But  all  was  in  vain,  he  was  dirty  again 

Before  thev  had  done  it  an  hour. 


But  that 's  quite  absurd,  for  have  you  not  heard, 
Much  tongue  and  few  brains  are  connected, 

That  they  are  supposed  to  think  least  who  talk  most, 
And  their  wisdom  is  always  suspected  ? 

While  Lucy  was  young,  had  she  bridled  her  tongue 

With  a  little  good  sense  and  exertion, 
Who  knows  but  she  might  have  been  our  delight, 

Instead  of  our  jest  and  aversion  ? 

Jane  Tatlor. 


When  to  wash  he  was  sent,  he  reluctantly  went, 

With  water  to  splash  himself  o'er, 
But  he  left  the  black  streaks  all  over  his  cheeks, 

And  made  them  look  worse  than  before. 

The  pigs  in  the  dirt  could  n't  be  more  expert 

Than  he  was,  at  grubbing  about ; 
And  the  people  have  thought,  this  gentleman  ought 

To  be  made  with  four  legs  and  a  snout. 

The  idle  and  bad  may,  like  to  this  lad, 

Be  dirty  and  black,  to  be  sure, 
But  good  boys  are  seen  to  be  decent  and  clean, 

Although  they  are  ever  so  poor. 

Jane  Taylor. 


MEDDLESOME   MATTY. 

Oh,  how  one  ugly  trick  has  spoiled 
The  sweetest  and  the  best ! 

Matilda,  though  a  pleasant  child, 
One  ugly  trick  possest, 

Which,  like  a  cloud  before  the  skies, 

Hid  all  her  better  qualities. 

Sometimes  she'd  lift  the  tea-pot  lid, 
To  peep  at  what  was  in  it ; 

Or  tilt  the  kettle,  if  you  did 
But  turn  your  back  a  minute. 

In  vain  you  told  her  not  to  touch, 

Her  trick  of  meddling  grew  so  much. 


THE    CHATTERBOX. 

From  morning  to  night  't  was  Lucy's  delight 
To  chatter  and  talk  without  stopping ; 

There  was  not  a  day  but  she  rattled  away, 
Like  water  forever  a  dropping  ! 

As  soon  as  she  rose,  while  she  put  on  her  clothes, 
'T  was  vain  to  endeavor  to  still  her ; 


Her  grandmamma  went  out  one  day, 

And  by  mistake  she  laid 
Her  spectacles  and  snuff-box  gay 

Too  near  the  little  maid ; 
Ah,  well !  thought  she,  I  '11  try  them  on, 
As  soon  as  graudmamma  is  gone. 

Forthwith  she  placed  upon  her  nose 

The  glasses  large  and  wide  ; 
And  looking  round,  as  I  suppose, 

The  snuff-box  too  she  spied. 


NEVER  PLAT   WITH  FIRE. 


139 


Oh,  what  a  pretty  box  is  this  ! 
I  '11  open  it,  said  little  miss. 

I  know  that  grandmamma  would  say, 

Don't  meddle  with  it,  dear  ! 
But  then,  she  's  far  enough  away,     ' 

And  no  one  else  is  near  ; 
Besides,  what  can  there  be  amiss 
In  opening  such  a  box  as  this  ? 

So  thumb  and  finger  went  to  work 

To  move  the  stubborn  lid  ; 
And  presently  a  mighty  jerk 

The  mighty  mischief  did  ; 
For,  all  at  once,  ah  woeful  case  ! 
The  snuff  came  puffing  in  her  face. 

Poor  eyes,  and  nose,  and  mouth,  and  chin 

A  dismal  sight  presented  ; 
And,  as  the  snuff  got  farther  in, 

Sincerely  she  repented. 
In  vain  she  ran  about  for  ease, 
She  could  do  nothing  else  but  sneeze  ! 

She  dashed  the  spectacles  away 

To  wipe  her  tingling  eyes  ; 
And  as  in  twenty  bits  they  lay, 

Her  grandmamma  she  spies. 
Heyday  !  and  what 's  the  matter  now  ? 
Cried  grandmamma,  with  lifted  brow. 

Matilda,  smarting  with  the  pain, 

And  tingling  still,  and  sore, 
Made  many  a  promise  to  refrain 

From  meddling  evermore ; 
And  't  is  a  fact,  as  I  have  heard, 
She  ever  since  has  kept  her  word. 

Jane  Taylor. 


THE   PIN. 

Dear  me  !  what  signifies  a  pin, 
Wedged  in  a  rotten  board  ? 

I  'm  certain  that  I  won't  begin, 
At  ten  years  old,  to  hoard  ! 

I  never  will  be  called  a  miser, 

That  I  'm  determined,  said  Eliza. 


So  onward  tript  the  little  maid, 

And  left  the  pin  behind, 
Which  very  snug  and  quiet  laid, 

To  its  hard  fate  resigned  ; 
Nor  did  she  think  (a  careless  chit) 
'T  was  worth  her  while  to  stoop  for  it, 

Next  day  a  party  was  to  ride 

To  see  an  air  balloon  ; 
And  all  the  company  beside 

Were  dressed  and  ready  soon  ; 
But  she  a  woeful  case  was  in, 
For  want  of  just  a  single  pin  ! 

In  vain  her  eager  eye  she  brings 

To  every  darksome  crack, 
There  was  not  one  !  and  all  her  things 

Were  dropping  off  her  back. 
She  cut  her  pincushion  in  two, 
But  no  !  not  one  had  slidden  through. 

At  last,  as  hunting  on  the  floor 

Over  a  crack  she  lay, 
The  carriage  rattled  to  the  door, 

Then  rattled  fast  away  ; 
But  poor  Eliza  was  not  in, 
For  want  of  just  —  a  single  pin. 

There's  hardly  anything  so  small, 

So  trifling,  or  so  mean, 
That  we  may  never  want  at  all, 

For  service  unforeseen  ; 
And  willful  waste,  depend  upon  't, 
Is,  almost  always,  willful  want ! 

Jane  Tatlok« 


NEVEE  PLAY   WITH   FIRE. 

Mr  prayers  I  said,  I  went  to  bed, 

And  soon  I  fell  asleep  : 
But  soon  I  woke,  my  sleep  was  broke, 

I  through  my  curtain  peep. 

I  heard  a  noise  of  men  and  boys, 

The  watchman's  rattle  too ; 
And  fire  they  cried  —  and  then  cried  I, 

Oh  dear !  what  shall  I  do  ? 


140 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN    VERSE. 


A  shout  so  loud  came  from  the  crowd 

Around,  above,  below ; 
And  in  the  street  the  neighbors  meet, 

Who  would  the  matter  know. 

Now  down  the  stairs  run  threes  and  pairs 

Enough  to  break  their  bones  ; 
The  firemen  swear,  the  engines  tear 

And  thunder  o'er  the  stones. 

The  roof  and  wall,  and  stair  and  all, 

And  rafters  tumble  in  ; 
Red  flames  and  blaze  now  all  amaze, 

And  make  a  dreadful  din  ! 

And  horrid  screams,  when  bricks  and  beams 

Come  tumbling  on  their  heads  ; 
And  some  are  smashed,  and  some  are  crashed  ; 

Some  leap  on  feather  beds. 

Some  burn,  some  choke  with  fire  aud  smoke ! 

And  oh,  what  was  the  cause  ? 
My  heart 's  dismayed,  last  night  I  played 

With  Tommy,  lighting  straws  ! 

Adelaide  Taylor. 


THE    POND. 

There  was  a  round  pond,  and  a  pretty  pond  too, 
About  it  white  daisies  and  buttercups  grew, 
And  dark  weeping  willows,  that  stooped  to  the  ground, 
Dipped  in  their  long  branches  and  shaded  it  round. 

A  party  of  ducks  to  this  pond  would  repair, 

To  feast  on  the  green  water-weeds  that  grew  there  ; 

Indeed  the  assembly  would  frequently  meet 

To  talk  o'er  affairs  in  this  pleasant  retreat. 

Now  the  subjects,   on  which  they   were  wont  to  con- 
verse, 
I  'm  sorry  I  cannot  include  in  my  verse  ; 
For  though  I  've  oft  listened  in  hopes  of  discerning, 
I  own  't  is  a  matter  that  baffles  my  learning. 

One  day  a  young  chicken,  who  lived  thereabout, 
Stood  watching  to  see  the  ducks  pass  in  and  out ; 


Now  standing  tail  upwards,  now  diving  below  ; 
She  thought  of  all  things  she  should  like  to  do  so 

So  this  foolish  chicken  began  to  declare, 
"  I  've  really  a  great  mind  to  venture  in  there  ; 
My  mother  's  oft  told  me  I  must  not  go  nigh, 
But  really,  for  my  part,  I  cannot  tell  why. 

"  Ducks  have  feathers  and  wings,  and  so  have  I  too. 
And  my  feet  —  what's  the  reason  that  they  will  do',  do! 
Though  my  beak  is  pointed,  and  their  beaks  are  round, 
Is  that  any  reason  that  I  should  be  drowned  ? 

"  So  why  should  not  I  swim  as  well  as  a  duck  ? 

Suppose  that  I  venture  and  e'en  try  my  luck  ? 

For,"  said  she,  spite  of  all  that  her  mother  had  taught 
her, 
"  I  'm  really  remarkably  fond  of  the  water." 

So  in  this  poor  ignorant  animal  flew, 

And  found  that  her  dear  mother's  cautions  were  true  ; 

She  splashed,  and  she  dashed,  and  she  turned  herself 

round, 
And  heartily  wished  herself  safe  on  the  ground. 

But  now  't  was  too  late  to  begin  to  repent, 
The  harder  she  struggled  the  deeper  she  went  ; 
And  when  every  effort  she  vainly  had  tried, 
She  slowly  sank  down  to  the  bottom  and  died  ! 

The  ducks,  I  perceived,  began  loudly  to  quack, 
When  they  saw  the  poor  fowl  floating  dead  on  its  back ; 
And  by  their  grave  looks,  it  was  very  apparent, 
They  discoursed  on  the  sin  of  not  minding  a  parent. 

Jane  Taylor. 


THE    COW   AND  THE   ASS. 

Hard  by  a  green  meadow  a  stream  used  to  flow, 
So  clear,  one  might  see  the  white  pebbles  below  ; 
To  this  cooling  stream  the  warm  cattle  would  stray, 
To  stand  in  the  shade  on  a  hot  summer's  day. 

A  cow,  quite  oppressed  with  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
Came  here  to  refresh,  as  she  often  had  done  ; 
And  standing  stock  still,  leaning  over  the  stream, 
Was  musing,  perhaps,  or  perhaps  she  might  dream. 


NOSE  AND  EYES. 


141 


But  soon  a  brown  ass,  of  respectable  look, 
Came  trotting  up  also  to  taste  of  the  brook, 
And  to  nibble  a  few  of  the  daisies  and  grass  ; 
"  How  d'  ye  do  ?  "    said    the   cow  ;   "  How  d'  ye  do  ?  " 
said  the  ass. 

"  Take  a  seat,"  cried  the  cow,  gently  waving  her  hand  ; 
"  By  no    means,  dear    madam,"    said    he,  "  while    you 

stand  ;  " 
Then  stooping  to  drink,  with  a  complaisant  bow, 
"  Ma'am,  your  health,"  said  the  ass  ;  "  thank  you,  sir," 

said  the  cow. 

When  a  few  of  these  compliments  more  had  been  past, 
They  laid  themselves  down  on  the  herbage  at  last ; 
And,  waiting  politely,  as  gentlemen  must, 
The  ass  held  his  tongue,  that  the  cow  might  speak  first. 

Then  with  a  deep  sigh,  she  directly  began, 
"  Don't  you  think,  Mr.  Ass,  we  're  injured  by  man  ? 
'T  is  a  subject  that  lays  with  a  weight  on  my  mind  : 
We  certainly  are  much  oppressed  by  mankind. 

"  Now  what  is  the  reason  (I  see  none  at  all) 
That  I  always  must  go  when  Suke  chooses  to  call ; 
Whatever  I  'm  doing  ('t  is  certainly  hard) 
At  once  I  must  go  to  be  milked  in  the  yard. 

"  I  've  no  will  of  my  own,  but  must  do  as  they  please, 
And  give  them  my  milk  to  make  butter  and  cheese : 
I've  often  a  vast  mind  to  knock  down  the  pail, 
Or  give  Suke  a  box  on  the  ear  with  my  tail." 

"  But,  ma'am,"  said  the  ass,  "  not  presuming  to  teach  — 
Oh  dear,  I  beg  pardon  — pray  finish  your  speech  ; 
I  thought  you   had   done,  ma'am,   indeed,"  said   the 
swain, 

"  Go  on,  and  I  '11  not  interrupt  you  again." 

"  Why,  sir,  I  was  only  a  going  to  observe, 
I  'm  resolved  that  these  tyrants  no  longer  I  '11  serve  : 
But  leave  them  forever  to  do  as  they  please, 
And  look  somewhere  else  for  their  butter  and  cheese." 

Ass  waited  a  moment,  to  see  if  she  'd  done, 
And  then,  "  not  presuming  to  teach,"  he  began  ; 
"  With  submission,  dear  madam,  to  your  better  wit, 
I  own  I  am  not  quite  convinced  of  it  yet. 


"  That  you  're  of  great  service  to  them  is  quite  true, 
But  surely  they  are  of  some  service  to  yon  ; 
'T  is  their  nice  green  pasture  in  which  you  regale, 
They  feed  you  in  winter  when  grass  and  weeds  fail. 

'T  is  under  their  shelter  you  snugly  repose, 

When  without   it,  dear  ma'am,  you  perhaps  might  be 

froze. 
For  my  part,  I  know,  I  receive  much  from  man, 
And  for  him,  in  return,  I  do  all  that  I  can." 

The  cow  upon  this  cast  her  eye  on  the  grass, 
Not  pleased  at  thus  being  reproved  by  an  ass  ; 
Yet,  thought  she,  "  I  'm  determined  I  '11  benefit  by  't, 
For  I  really  believe  the  fellow  is  right." 

Jane  Taylor. 


NOSE  AND  EYES. 

Between  Nose  and  Eyes  a  strange  contest  arose  ; 

The  spectacles  set  them  unhappily  wrong ; 
The  point  in  dispute  was,  as  all  the  world  knows, 

To  which  the  said  spectacles  ought  to  belong. 

So  the  Tongue  was  the  lawyer,  and  argued  the  cause 
With  a  great  deal  of  skill,  and  a  wig  full  of  learn- 
ing ; 

While  Chief-justice  Ear  sat  to  balance  the  laws, 
So  famed  for  his  talent  in  nicely  discerning. 

"  In  behalf  of  the  Nose,  it  will  quickly  appear, 

And  your    lordship,"   he   said,  "  will   undoubtedly 
find, 
That  the  Nose  has  had  spectacles  always  in  wear, — 
Which  amounts  to  possession  time  out  of  mind." 

Then  holding  the  spectacles  up  to  the  court,  — 

"  Your   lordship   observes    they  are   made   with  a 
straddle 

As  wide  as  the  ridge  of  the  Nose  is  ;  in  short, 
Designed  to  sit  close  to  it,  just  like  a  saddle. 

"  Again,  would  your  lordship  a  moment  suppose 

('T  is  a  case  that  has  happened,  and  may  be  again) 
That  the  visage  or  countenance  had  not  a  Nose, 
Pray  who   would   or    who   could   wear   spectacles 
then? 


142 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN   VERSE. 


"  On  the  whole  it  appears,  and  my  argument  shows, 
With  a  reasoning  the  court  will  never  condemn, 
That  the  spectacles  plainly  were  made  for  the  Nose, 
And  the  Nose  was  as  plainly  intended  for  them." 

Then,  shifting  his  side,  as  a  lawyer  knows  how, 
He  pleaded  again  in  behalf  of  the  Eyes  ; 

But  what  were  his  arguments  few  people  know, 

For  the  court  did  not  think  they  were  equally  wise. 

So  his  lordship  decreed,  with  a  grave,  solemn  tone, 
Decisive  and  clear,  without  one  if  or  but,  — 

That  whenever  the  Nose  put  his  spectacles  on, 
By  daylight  or  candle-light,  Eyes  should  be  shut. 

William  Cowper. 


THE  WIND  IN  A  FROLIC. 

The  wind  one  morning  sprang  up  from  sleep, 

Saying,  "  Now  for  a  frolic !  now  for  a  leap  ! 

Now  for  a  madcap  galloping  chase ! 

I  '11  make  a  commotion  in  every  place  !  " 

So  it  swept  with  a  bustle  right  through  a  great  town, 

Creaking  the  signs,  and  scattering  down 

Shutters,  and  whisking,  with  merciless  squalls, 

Old  women's  bonnets  and  gingerbread  stalls. 

There  never  was  heard  a  much  lustier  shout, 

As  the  apples  and  oranges  tumbled  about ; 

And  the  urchins,  that  stand  with  their  thievish  eyes 

Forever  on  watch,  ran  off  each  with  a  prize. 

Then  away  to  the  fields  it  went  blustering  and  hum- 
ming, 
And  the  cattle  all  wondered  whatever  was  coming. 
It  plucked  by  their  tails  the  grave,  matronly  cows, 
And  tossed  the  colts'  manes  all  about  their  brows, 
Till,  offended  at  such  a  familiar  salute, 
They  all  turned  their  backs  and  stood  silently  mute. 
So  on  it  went,  capering  and  playing  its  pranks  ; 
Whistling  with  reeds  on  the  broad  river  banks  ; 
Puffing  the  birds,  as  they  sat  on  the  spray, 
Or  the  traveler  grave  on  the  king's  highway. 
It  was  not  too  nice  to  bustle  the  bags 
Of  the  beggar,  and  nutter  his  dirty  rags. 
'Twas  so  bold  that  it  feared  not  to  play  its  joke 
With  the  doctor's  wig,  and  the  gentleman's  cloak. 
Through  the  forest  it  roared,  and  cried  gayly,  "Now, 
^o\x  sturdy  old  oaks,  I  '11  make  you  bow !  " 


And  it  made  them  bow  without  more  ado, 

Or  it  cracked  their  great  branches  through  and  through. 

Then  it  rushed  like  a  monster  o'er  cottage  and  farm, 
Striking  their  inmates  with  sudden  alarm  ; 
And  they  ran  out  like  bees  in  a  midsummer  swarm. 
There  were  dames  with  their  kerchiefs  tied  over  their 

caps, 
To  see  if  their  poultry  were  free  from  mishaps  ; 
The  turkeys  they  gobbled,  the  geese  screamed  aloud, 
And  the  hens  crept  to  roost  in  a  terrified  crowd ; 
There  was  rearing  of  ladders,  and  logs  laying  on, 
Where  the  thatch  from  the  roof  threatened  soon  to  be 

gone. 
But  the  wind  had  passed  on,  and  had  met  in  a  lane 
With  a  school-boy,  who  panted  and  struggled  in  vain, 
For  it  tossed  him,  and  twirled  him,  then  passed,  and  ha 

stood 
With  his  hat  in  a  pool,  and  his  shoe  in  the  mud. 

William  Howitt. 


THE   DIVERTING    HISTORY   OF   JOHN 
GILPIN. 

John  Gilpin  was  a  citizen 

Of  credit  and  renown, 
A  train-band  captain  eke  was  he 

Of  famous  London  Town. 

John  Gilpin's  spouse  said  to  her  dear, 
"  Though  wedded  we  have  been 

These  twice  ten  tedious  years,  yet  we 
No  holiday  have  seen. 

"  To-morrow  is  our  wedding-day, 
And  we  will  then  repair 
Unto  the  Bell  at  Edmonton, 
All  in  a  chaise  and  pair. 

"  My  sister  and  my  sister's  child, 
Myself,  and  children  three, 
Will  fill  the  chaise  ;  so  you  must  ride 
On  horseback  after  we." 

He  soon  replied.  "  I  do  admire 

Of  womankind  but  one, 
And  you  are  she,  my  dearest  dear, 

Therefore  it  shall  be  done. 


THE  DIVERTING  HISTORY  OF  JOHN  GILPIN. 


143 


"  I  am  a  linen-draper  bold, 

As  all  the  world  doth  know, 
And  my  good  friend,  the  Calender, 
Will  lend  his  horse  to  go." 


So  down  he  came  ;  for  loss  of  time, 
Although  it  grieved  him  sore, 

Yet  loss  of  pence,  full  well  he  knew, 
Would  trouble  him  much  more. 


Quoth  Mrs.  Gilpin,  "That's  well  said; 

And  for  that  wine  is  dear, 
We  will  be  furnished  with  our  own, 

Which  is  both  bright  and  clear." 


'T  was  long  before  the  customers 

Were  suited  to  their  mind, 
When  Betty,  screaming,  came  down-stairs, 

"  The  wine  is  left  behind ! " 


John  Gilpin  kissed  his  lov- 
ing wife ; 
O'erjoyed  was  he  to  find 
That,  though  on   pleasure 
she  was  bent, 
She  had  a  frugal  mind. 

The    morning    came,    the 
chaise  was  brought, 
But    yet    was     not    al- 
lowed 
To   drive  up  to  the  door, 
lest  all 
Should  say  that  she  was 
proud. 

(So    three     doors     off   the 
chaise  was  stayed, 
Where  they  did  all  get 
in, 
oix  precious  souls,  and  all 


To  dash  through  thick  and  thin. 


Smack  went  the  whip,  round  went  the  wheels, 

Were  never  folk  so  glad  ; 
The  stones  did  rattle  underneath, 

As  if  Cheapside  were  mad. 

John  Gilpin,  at  his  horse's  side, 

Seized  fast  the  flowing  mane, 
And  up  he  got,  in  haste  to  ride, 

But  soon  came  down  again. 

For  saddle-tree  scarce  reached  had  he, 

His  journey  to  begin, 
When,  turning  round  his  head,  he  saw 

Three  customers  come  in. 


Good  lack  !  "  quoth  he,  '•  yet  bring  it  me, 

My  leathern  belt  likewise, 
In  which  I  bear  my  trusty  sword 

When  I  do  exercise." 

Now  Mistress  Gilpin  (careful  soul)  ! 

Had  two  stone-bottles  found, 
To  hold  the  liquor  that  she  loved, 

And  keep  it  safe  and  sound. 

Each  bottle  had  a  curling  ear, 

Through  which  the  belt  he 
drew, 
And  hung  a  bottle  on  each 
side, 
To  make  his  balance  true. 

Then  over  all,  that  he  might 
be 
Equipped  from  top  to  toe, 
His    long    red    cloak,    well 
brushed  and  neat, 
He  manfully  did  throw. 

Now  see  him  mounted  once  again 

Upon  his  nimble  steed, 
Full  slowly  pacing  o'er  the  stones, 

With  caution  and  good  heed. 

But  finding  soon  a  smoother  road 

Beneath  his  well-shod  feet, 
The  snorting  beast  began  to  trot, 

Which  galled  him  in  his  seat. 

So,  "  Fair  and  softly,"  John  he  cried, 

But  John  he  cried  in  vain  ; 
That  trot  became  a  gallop  soon, 

In  spite  of  curb  and  rein. 


144 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN    VERSE. 


So  stooping  down,  as  needs  he  must 

Who  cannot  sit  upright, 
He  grasped  the  mane  with  both  his  hands, 

And  eke  with  all  his  might. 

His  horse,  who  never  in  that  sort 
Had  handled  been  before, 


What  thing  upon  his  back  had  got 
Did  wonder  more  and  more. 

Away  went  Gilpin,  neck  or  nought ; 

Away  went  hat  and  wig ; 
He  little  dreamt,  when  he  set  out, 

Of  running  such  a  rig. 


The  wind  did  blow,  the  cloak  did  fly, 
Like  streamer  long  and  gay, 

Till  loop  and  button  failing  both, 
At  last  it  flew  away. 

Then  might  all  people  well  discern 
The  bottles  he  had  slung ; 


A  bottle  swinging  at  each  side, 
As  hath  been  said  or  sung. 

The  dogs  did  bark,  the  children  screamed, 

Up  flew  the  windows  all ; 
And  every  soul  cried  out,  "  Well  done !  " 

As  loud  as  he  could  bawl. 


THE  DIVERTING  HISTORY  OF  JOHN   GILPIN. 


145 


Away  went  ijrilmn  —  who  but  he  ? 

His  fame  soon  spread  around, 

"  He  carries  weight !  he  rides  a  race  ! 

'T  is  for  a  thousand  pound !  " 

And  still  as  fast  as  he  drew  near, 

Twas  wonderful  to  view 
How  in  a  trice  the  turnpike  men 

Their  gates  wide  open  threw. 

And  now,  as  he  went  bowing  down 

His  reeking  head  full  low, 
The  bottles  twain  behind  his  back 

Were  shattered  at  a  blow. 

Down  ran  the  wine  into  the  road, 

Most  piteous  to  be  seen, 
Which  made  his  horse's  flanks  to  smoke 

As  they  had  basted  been. 

But  still  he  seemed  to  carry  weight, 

With  leathern  girdle  braced ; 
For  all  might  see  the  bottle  necks 

Still  dangling  at  his  waist. 

Thus  all  through  merry  Islington 

These  gambols  he  did  play, 
Until  he  came  unto  the  Wash 

Of  Edmonton  so  gay  ; 

And  there  he  threw  the  wash  about 

On  both  sides  of  the  way. 
Just  like  unto  a  trundling  mop, 

Or  a  wild  goose  at  play. 

At  Edmonton  his  loving  wife 

From  the  balcony  spied 
Her  tender  husband,  wondering  much 

To  see  how  he  did  ride. 

"  Stop,  stop,  John  Gilpin  !  —  Here  \s  the  house  "  ■ 

They  all  aloud  did  cry  ; 
"  The  dinner  waits,  and  we  are  tired  ;  " 

Said  Gilpin,  "  So  am  I  !  " 

But  yet  his  horse  was  not  a  whit 
Inclined  to  tarry  there ; 
13 


For  why  ?  his  owner  had  a  house 
Full  ten  miles  off,  at  Ware. 

So  like  an  arrow  swift  he  flew, 

Shot  by  an  archer  strong ; 
So  did  he  fly  —  which  brings  me  to 

The  middle  of  my  song. 

Away  went  Gilpin,  out  of  breath, 

And  sore  against  his  will, 
Till,  at  his  friend  the  Calender's, 

His  horse  at  last  stood  still. 

The  Calender,  amazed  to  see 

His  neighbor  in  such  trim, 
Laid  down  his  pipe,  flew  to  the  gate, 

And  thus  accosted  him. 

"  What  news  ?  what  news  ?  your  tidings  ted ; 
Tell  me  you  must  and  shall  — 
Say,  why  bare-headed  you  are  come, 
Or  why  you  come  at  all  ?  " 

Now  Gilpin  had  a  pleasant  wit, 

And  loved  a  timely  joke  ; 
And  thus  unto  the  Calender, 

In  merry  guise,  he  spoke  : 

"  I  came  because  your  horse  would  come ; 
And,  if  I  well  forebode, 
My  hat  and  wig  will  soon  be  here, 
They  are  upon  the  road." 

The  Calender,  right  glad  to  find 

His  friend  in  merry  pin, 
Returned  him  not  a  single  word, 

But  to  the  house  went  in  ; 

Whence  straight  he  came,  with  hat  and  wig; 

A  wig  that  flowed  behind  ; 
A  hat  not  much  the  worse  for  wear, 

Each  comely  in  its  kind. 

He  held  them  up,  and  in  his  turn 
Thus  showed  his  ready  wit ; 
"  My  head  is  twice  as  big  as  yours, 
They  therefore  needs  mu3t  fit. 


146 


THE  BOOK  OF  STORIES  IN   VERSE. 


"  But  let  me  scrape  the  dust  away, 

That  hangs  upon  your  face  ; 
And  stop  and  eat,  for  well  you  may 
Be  in  a  hungry  case." 

Said  John,  "  It  is  my  wedding-day, 

And  all  the  world  would  stare, 
If  wife  should  dine  at  Edmonton, 
And  I  should  dine  at  Ware." 

So,  turning  to  his  horse,  he  said, 

"  I  am  in  haste  to  dine ; 
'T  was  for  your  pleasure  you  came  here, 

You  shall  go  back  for  mine." 

Ah,  luckless  speech,  and  bootless  boast ! 

For  which  he  paid  full  dear  ; 
For,  while  he  spake,  a  braying  ass 

Did  sing  most  loud  and  clear  ; 

Whereat  his  horse  did  snort,  as  he 

Had  heard  a  lion  roar, 
And  galloped  off  with  all  his  might, 

As  he  had  done  before. 

Away  went  Gilpin,  and  away 

Went  Gilpin's  hat  and  wig ; 
He  lost  them  sooner  than  at  first, 

For  why  ?  —  they  were  too  big. 

Now  Mrs.  Gilpin,  when  she  saw 

Her  husband  posting  down 
Into  the  country  far  away, 

She  pulled  out  half-a-crown  ; 

And  thus  unto  the  youth  she  said, 

That  drove  them  to  the  Bell, 
"  This  shall  be  yours,  when  you  bring  back 
My  husband  safe  and  well." 

The  youth  did  ride,  and  soon  did  meet 

John  coming  back  amain  ; 
Whom  in  a  trice  he  tried  to  stop, 

By  catching  at  his  rein ; 

But  not  performing  what  he  meant, 
And  gladly  would  have  done, 


The  frighted  steed  he  frighted  more, 
And  made  him  faster  run. 

Away  went  Gilpin,  and  away 

Went  postboy  at  his  heels, 
The  postboy's  horse  right  glad  to  miss 

The  rumbling  of  the  wheels. 

Six  gentlemen  upon  the  road 

Thus  seeing  Gilpin  fly, 
With  postboy  scampering  in  the  rear, 

They  raised  a  hue  and  cry  :  — 

"  Stop  thief  !  —  stop  thief !  —  a  highwayman  ! 
Not  one  of  them  was  mute ; 
And  all  and  each  that  passed  that  way 
Did  join  in  the  pursuit. 

And  now  the  turnpike  gates  again 

Flew  open  in  short  space : 
The  toll-men  thinking,  as  before, 

That  Gilpin  rode  a  race. 

And  so  he  did,  and  won  it  too, 

For  he  got  first  to  town  ; 
Nor  stopped  till  where  he  had  got  up 

He  did  again  get  down. 

Now  let  us  sing,  long  live  the  king, 

And  Gilpin,  long  live  he  ; 
And,  when  he  next  doth  ride  abroad, 

May  I  be  there  to  see. 

William  Cowpee. 


THE  SPIDER  AND  THE  FLY. 

"Will  you  walk  into  my  parlor?"  said  the  spider  to 

the  fly ; 
"  'T  is  the  prettiest  little  parlor  that  ever  you  did  spy. 
The  way  into  my  parlor  is  up  a  winding  stair, 
And  I  have  many  curious  things  to  show  when  you 
are  there." 
'  Oh  no,  no,"  said  the  little  fly ;  "  to  ask  me  is  in  vain, 
For  who  goes   up  your  winding  stair  can  ne'er  come 
down  again." 


A    VISIT  FROM  ST.   NICHOLAS. 


147 


"I'm  sure  you  roust  be  weary,  dear,  with  soaring  up  so  Alas,  alas  !  how  very  soon  this  silly  little  fly, 

high  ,  Hearing  his  wily,  flattering  words,  came  slowly  flitting 
Will  you  rest  upon  my  little  bed?  "  said  the  spider  to  by; 

the  fly.  With    buzzing   wings    she    hung   aloft,  then    near   and 
"  There   are   pretty  curtains  drawn  around  ;  the  sheets  nearer  drew, 

are  fine  and  thin,  Thinking  only  of  her  brilliant  eyes  and  green  and  pur- 
And  if  you  like  to  rest  a  while,  I'll  snugly  tuck  you  in  !"  pie  hue,  • 

"  Oh  no,  no,"  said  the  little  fly,  "  for  I  've  often  heard  Thinking  only  of  her  crested  head.     Poor,  foolish  thing ! 
it  said,  at  last 

They  never,  never  wake  again  who  sleep  upon  your  Up  jumped  the    cunning  spider,  and  fiercely  held  her 
bed  !  "  fast ; 


Said  the  cunning  spider  to  the  fly:  "  Dear  friend,  what 

can  I  do 
To  prove  the  warm  affection  I  've  always  felt  for  you  ? 
I  have  within  my  pantry  good  store  of  all  that 's  nice  ; 
I  'm  sure  you  're  very  welcome  —  will  you  please  to 

take  a  slice  ?  " 
"  Oh  no,  no,"  said  the  little  fly  ;  "kind  sir,  that  cannot 

be: 
I  've  heard  what's  in  your  pantry,  and  I  do  not  wish  to 

see  !  " 

"  Sweet  creature  !  "  said  the  spider,  "  you  're  witty  and 

you  're  wise  ; 
How  handsome  are  your  gauzy  wings  !  how  brilliant 

are  your  eyes  ! 
I  have  a  little  looking-glass  upon  my  parlor  shelf  ; 
If  you  '11  step  in  one  moment,  dear,  you  shall  behold 

yourself." 
"  I  thank  you,  gentle  sir,"  she  said,  for  what  you  're 

pleased  to  say, 
And,  bidding  you  good-morning  now,  I  '11  call  another 

day." 

The  spider  turned  him  round  about,  and  went  into  his 

den, 
For  well  he  knew  the  silly  fly  would  soon  come  back 

again  : 
So  he  wove  a  subtle  web  in  a  little  corner  sly, 
And  set  his  table  ready  to  dine  upon  the  fly  ; 
Then  came  out  to  his  door  again,  and  merrily  did  sing : 
«  Come    hither,   hither,   pretty  fly,  with    the  pearl  and 

silver  wing  ; 
Your  robes  are  green  and  purple ;  there 's  a  crest  upon 

your  head ; 
"Your  eyes  are  like  the  diamond  bright,  but  mine  are 

dull  as  lead  !  " 


He  dragged  her  up  his  winding   stair,  into  his  dismal 

den  — 
Within  his  little  parlor  —  but  she  ne'er  came  out  again  ! 

And  now,  dear  little  children,  who  may  this  story  read, 
To   idle,  silly,  flattering  words  I   pray  you  ne'er  give 

heed  ; 
Unto  an  evil  counselor  close  heart  and  ear  and  eye, 
And  take  a  lesson  from  this  tale  of  the  spider  and  the 

fly- 

Mart  Howitt. 


A  VISIT  FBOM  ST.  NICHOLAS. 

'T  was  the  night  before   Christmas,  when  all  through 

the  house 
Not  a  creature  was  stirring,  not  even  a  mouse  ; 
The  stockings  were  hung  by  the  chimney  with  care, 
In  hopes  that  St.  Nicholas  soon  would  be  there ; 
The  children  were  nestled  all  snug  in  their  beds, 
While  visions  of  sugar-plums  danced  in  their  heads ; 
Aud  mamma  in  her  kerchief,  and  I  in  my  cap, 
Had  just  settled  our  brains  for  a  long  winter  nap,  — 
When  out  on  the  lawn  there  arose  such  a  clatter, 
I  sprang  from  my  bed  to  see  what  was  the  matter. 
Away  to  the  window  I  flew  liks  a  flash, 
Tore  open  the  shutters  and  threw  up  the  sash. 
The  moon,  on  the  breast  of  the  new-fallen  snow, 
Gave  a  lustre  of  midday  to  objects  below ; 
When  what  to  my  wondering  eyes  should  appear 
But  a  miniature  sleigh  and  eight  tiny  reindeer, 
With  a  little  old  driver,  so  lively  and  quick, 
I  knew  in  a  moment  it  must  be  St.  Nick. 
More  rapid  than  eagles  his  coursers  they  came, 
And  he  whistled,  and  shouted,  and  called  them  by  names 


148 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN    VERSE. 


"  Now,    Dasher !     now,    Dancer !     now,    Prancer    and 
Vixen ! 
On  !  Comet,  on  !  Cupid,  on  !  Dunder  and  Blixen  !  — 
To  the  top  of  the  porch,  to  the  top  of  the  wall  ! 
Now,  dash  away,  dash  away,  dash  away  all !  " 
As  dry  leaves  that  before  the  wild  hurricane  fly, 
When  they  meet  with  an  obstacle,  mount  to  the  sky, 
So  up  to  the  house-top  the  coursers  they  flew, 
With  the  sleigh  full  of  toys  —  and  St.  Nicholas  too. 
And  then  in  a  twinkling  I  heard  on  the  roof 
The  prancing  and  pawing  of  each  little  hoof. 
As  I  drew  in  my  head,  and  was  turning  around, 
Down  the  chimney  St.  Nicholas  came  with  a  bound. 
He  was  dressed  all  in  fur  from  his  head  to  his  foot, 
And  his  clothes  were  all  tarnished   with  ashes  and 

soot, 
A  bundle  of  toys  he  had  flung  on  his  back, 
And  he  looked  like  a  peddler  just  opening  his  pack. 
His  eyes,  how  they  twinkle !  his  dimples,  how  merry  ! 
His  cheeks  were  like  roses,  his  nose  like  a  cherry  ; 
His  droll  little  mouth  was  drawn  up  like  a  bow, 
And  the  beard  on  his  chin  was  as  white  as  the  snow. 
The  stump  of  a  pipe  he  held  tight  in  his  teeth, 
And  the  smoke,  it  encircled  his  head  like  a  wreath. 
He  had  a  broad  face  and  a  little  round  belly 
That  shook,  when  he  laughed,  lika  a  bowl  full  of  jelly. 
He  was  chubby  and  plump —  a  right  jolly  old  elf ; 
And  I  laughed  when  I  saw  him,  in  spite  of  myself. 
A  wink  of  his  eye,  and  a  twist  of  his  head, 
Soon  gave  me  to  know  1  had  nothing  to  dread. 
He  spoke  not  a  word,  but  went  straight  to  his  work, 
And  filled  all  the  stockings  ;  then   turned  with  a  jerk, 
And  laying  his  finger  aside  of  his  nose, 
And  giving  a  nod,  up  the  chimney  he  rose. 
He  sprang  to  his  sleigh,  to  his  team  gave  a  whistle, 
And  away  they  all  flew  like  the  down  of  a  thistle  ; 
But  I  heard  him  exclaim,  ere  he  drove  out  of  sight, 

"  Happy  Christmas  to  all,  and  to  all  a  good-night !  " 

Clement  C.  Moore. 


THE  MOUNTAIN  AND  THE  SQUIRREL. 

The  mountain  and  the  squirrel 

Had  a  quarrel, 
And  the  former  called  the  latter  "  Little  prig  ;  " 
Bun  replied, 


"  You  are  doubtless  very  big, 
But  all  sorts  of  things  and  weatner 
Must  be  taken  in  together 
To  make  up  a  year, 
And  a  sphere. 
And  I  think  it  no  disgrace 
To  occupy  my  place. 
If  I  'm  not  so  large  as  you, 
You  are  not  so  small  as  I, 
And  not  half  so  spry : 
I  '11  not  deny  you  make 
A  very  pretty  squirrel  track. 
Talents  differ  ;  all  is  well  and  wisely  put ; 
If  I  cannot  carry  forests  on  my  back, 
Neither  can  you  crack  a  nut." 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 


HOLY   THURSDAY. 

'T  was  on  a  Holy  Thursday,  their  innocent  faces  clean, 
Came  children  walking  two  and  two,  in  red,  and  blue, 

and  green  : 
Gray-headed  beadles  walked  before,  with  wands  as  white 

as  snow, 
Till  into  the  high  dome  of  Paul's,  they  like  Thames' 

waters  flow. 

Oh  what  a  multitude  they  seemed,  these  flowers  of  Lon- 
don town, 

Seated  in  companies  they  were,  with  radiance  all  their 
own  : 

The  hum  of  multitudes  was  there,  but  multitudes  of 
lambs, 

Thousands  of  little  boys  and  girls  raising  their  innocent 
hands. 

Now  like  a  mighty  wind  they  raise  to  heaven  the  voice 

of  song, 
Or  like   harmonious   thunderings   the   seats  of  heaven 

among : 
Beneath  them  sit  the  aged  men,  wise  guardians  of  the 

poor. 
Then  cherish  pity,  lest  you  drive  an  angel  from  youi 

door. 

William  Blake. 


THE  PIED  PIPER    OF  HAMELIN. 


149 


AN    ELEGY    ON 


THE    DEATH 
DOG. 


OF    A  MAD 


Good  people  all,  of  every  sort, 

Give  ear  unto  my  song ; 
And  if  you  find  it  wondrous  short, 

It  cannot  hold  you  long. 

In  Islington  there  was  a  man, 
Of  whom  the  world  might  say, 

That  still  a  godly  race  he  ran 
Whene'er  he  went  to  pray. 

A  kind  and  gentle  heart  he  had, 

To  comfort  friends  and  foes ; 
The  naked  every  day  he  clad, 

When  he  put  on  his  clothes. 

And  in  that  town  a  dog  was  found, 

As  many  dogs  there  be, 
Both  mongrel,  puppy,  whelp,  and  hound, 

And  curs  of  low  degree. 

This  dog  and  man  at  first  were  friends ; 

But  when  a  pique  began, 
The  dog,  to  gain  his  private  ends, 

Went  mad,  and  bit  the  man. 

Around  from  all  the  neighboring  streets 
The  wondering  neighbors  ran, 

And  swore  the  dog  had  lost  his  wits, 
To  bite  so  good  a  man. 

The  wound  it  seemed  both  sore  and  sad 

To  every  Christian  eye : 
And  while  they  swore  the  dog  was  mad, 

They  swore  the  man  would  die. 

But  soon  a  wonder  came  to  light. 

That  showed  the  rogues  they  lied, 
The  man  recovered  of  the  bite, 

The  dog  it  was  that  died. 

Oliver   Goldsmith. 

THE    PIED    PIPER   OF    HAMELIN. 

Hamelin  Town's  in  Brunswick, 
By  famous  Hanover  city  ; 


The  river  Weser  deep  and  wide 

Washes  its  walls  on  the  southern  side ; 

A  pleasanter  spot  you  never  spied  ; 
But,  when  begins  my  ditty, 

Almost  five  hundred  3'ears  ago, 

To  see  the  townsfolk  suffer  so 
From  vermin,  was  a  pity. 

Rats ! 

They  fought  the  dogs  and  killed  the  cats, 

And  bit  the  babies  in  their  cradles, 
And  ate  the  cheeses  out  of  the  vats, 

And  licked  the  soup  from  the  cook's  own  ladles, 
Split  open  the  kegs  of  salted  sprats, 
Made  nests  inside  men's  Sunday  hats, 
And  even  spoiled  the  women's  chats, 
By  drowning  their  speaking 
With  shrieking  and  squeaking 

In  fifty  different  sharps  and  fiats. 

At  last  the  people  in  a  body 

To  the  Town-hall  came  flocking : 
"'Tis  clear,"  cried  they,  "our  Mayor's  a  noddy: 
And  as  for  our  Corporation  —  shocking 
To  think  we  buy  gowns  lined  with  ermine 
For  dolts  that  can't  or  won't  determine 
What 's  best  to  rid  us  of  our  vermin  ! 
You  hope,  because  you  're  old  and  obese, 
To  find  in  the  furry  civic  robe  ease ! 

Rouse  up,  sirs !      Give  your  brains  a  racking 

Tq.  find  the  remedy  we  re  lacking, 

Or,  sure  as  fate,  we  '11  send  you  packing !  " 

At  this  the  Mayor  and  Corporation 

Quaked  with  a  mighty  consternation. 

An  hour  they  sat  in  council, 

At  length  the  Mayor  broke  silence  : 
"  For  a  guilder  I  'd  my  ermine  gown  sell ; 
I  wish  I  were  a  mile  hence  ! 

It 's  easy  to  bid  one  rack  one's  brain  — 

I  'm  sure  my  poor  head  aches  again, 

I  've  scratched  it  so,  and  all  in  vain. 

Oh  for  a  trap,  a  trap,  a  trap  !  " 

Just  as  he  said  this,  what  should  hap 

At  the  chamber  door,  but  a  gentle  tap  ? 
"  Bless  us,"  cried  the  Mayor,  "  what 's  that  ? 

Anything  like  the  sound  of  a  rat 

Makes  my  heart  go  pit-a-pat ! 


150 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN    VERSE. 


"  Come  in  !  "  the  Mayor  cried,  looking  bigger  : 
And  in  did  come  the  strangest  figure  ! 
His  queer  long  coat  from  heel  to  head 
Was  half  of  yellow,  and  half  of  red ; 
And  he  himself  was  tall  and  thin, 
With  sharp  blue  eyes  each  like  a  pin, 
And  light  loose  hair,  yet  swarthy  skin, 
No  tuft  on  cheek,  nor  beard  on  chin, 
But  lips  where  smiles  went  out  and  in  — 
There  was  no  guessing  his  kith  and  kin  ! 
And  nobody  could  enough  admire 
The  tall  man  and  his  quaint  attire  : 
Quoth  one,  "  It 's  as  if  my  great-grandsire, 
Starting  up  at  the  trump  of  Doom's  tone, 
Had  walked  this  way  from  his  painted  tombstone ! " 

He  advanced  to  the  council  table  : 

And,  "  Please  your  honors,"  said  he,  "  I  'm  able, 

By  means  of  a  secret  charm,  to  draw 

All  creatures  living  beneath  the  sun, 

That  creep,  or  swim,  or  fly,  or  run, 

After  me  so  as  you  never  saw  ! 

And  I  chiefly  use  my  charm 

On  creatures  that  do  people  harm, 

The  mole,  the  toad,  the  newt,  the  viper ; 

And  people  call  me  the  Pied  Piper. 

Yet,"  said  he,  "  poor  piper  as  I  am, 

In  Tartary  I  freed  the  Cham, 

Last  June,  from  his  huge  swarm  of  gnats  ; 

I  eased  in  Asia  the  Nizam 

Of  a  monstrous  brood  of  vampyre  bats  : 

And  as  for  what  your  brain  bewilders, 

If  I  can  rid  your  town  of  rats 

Will  you  give  a  thousand  guilders  ?  " 

"  One  ?  fifty  thousand !  "  was  the  exclamation 

Of  the  astonished  Mayor  and  Corporation. 

Into  the  street  the  Piper  stept, 

Smiling  first  a  little  smile, 
As  if  he  knew  what  magic  slept 

In  his  quiet  pipe  the  while  ; 
Then  like  a  musical  adept, 
To  blow  the  pipe  his  lips  he  wrinkled, 
And  green  and  blue  his  sharp  eyes  twinkled, 
Like  a  candle  flame  where  salt  is  sprinkled ; 
And  ere  three  shrill  notes  the  pipe  had  uttered, 
You  heard  as  if  an  army  muttered  ; 
And  the  muttering  grew  to  a  grumbling  ; 


And  the  grumbling  grew  to  a  mighty  rumbling ; 
And  out  of  the  houses  the  rats  came  tumbling  — 
Great  rats,  small  rats,  lean  rats,  brawny  rats, 
Brown  rats,  black  rats,  gray  rats,  tawny  rats, 
Grave  old  plodders,  gay  young  friskers, 

Fathers,  mothers,  uncles,  cousins, 
Cocking  tails,  and  pricking  whiskers, 

Families  by  tens  and  dozens, 
Brothers,  sisters,  husbands,  wives  — 
Followed  the  Piper  for  their  lives. 
From  street  to  street  he  piped,  advancing, 
And  step  for  step  they  followed  dancing, 
Until  they  came  to  the  river  Weser 
Wherein  all  plunged  and  perished, 
Save  one,  who  stout  as  Julius  Caesar, 
Swam  across,  and  lived  to  carry 
(As  he  the  manuscript  he  cherished) 
To  Rat-land  home  his  commentary, 
Which  was,  "  At  the  first  shrill  notes  of  the  pipe, 
I  heard  a  sound  as  of  scraping  tripe, 
And  putting  apples  wondrous  ripe 
Into  a  cider  press's  gripe  ; 
And  a  moving  away  of  pickle-tub  boards, 
And  a  leaving  ajar  of  conserve  cupboards, 
And  a  drawing  the  corks  of  train-oil  flasks, 
And  a  breaking  the  hoops  of  butter  casks ; 
And  it  seemed  as  if  a  voice 
(Sweeter  far  than  by  harp  or  by  psaltery 
Is  breathed)  called  out,  O  rats,  rejoice  ! 
The  world  is  grown  to  one  vast  drysaltery  ! 
So  munch  on,  crunch  on,  take  your  nuncheon, 
Breakfast,  dinner,  supper,  luncheon  ! 
And  just  as  a  bulky  sugar  puncheon, 
All  ready  staved,  like  a  great  sun  shone 
Glorious,  scarce  an  inch  before  me, 
Just  as  methought  it  said,  '  Come,  bore  me ! ' 
—  I  found  the  Weser  rolling  o'er  me." 

You  should  have  heard  the  Hamelin  people 
Ringing  the  bells  till  they  rocked  the  steeple ; 
"  Go,"  cried  the  Mayor,  "  and  get  long  poles  ! 
Poke  out  the  nests,  and  block  up  the  holes  ! 
Consult  with  carpenters  and  builders, 
And  leave  in  our  town  not  even  a  trace 
Of  the  rats  !  "     When  suddenly  up  the  face 
Of  the  Piper  perked  in  the  market-place, 
With  a  "  First,  if   you  please,   my  thousand  guild- 
ers !  " 


THE  PIED   PIPER    OF  HAMELIN. 


151 


A  thousand  guilders  !     The  Mayor  looked  blue, 
So  did  the  Corporation  too. 
For  council  dinners  made  rare  havock 
With  Claret,  Moselle,  Vin-de-Grave,  Hock  ; 
And  half  the  money  would  replenish 
Their  cellar's  biggest  butt  with  Rhenish. 
To  pay  this  sum  to  a  wandering  fellow 
With  a  gypsy  coat  of  red  and  yellow  ! 
"  Besides,"  quoth  the  Mayor,  with  a  knowing  wink, 
"  Our  business  was  done  at  the  river's  brink  ; 
We  saw  with  our  eyes  the  vermin  sink, 
And  what 's  dead  can't  come  to  life,  I  think. 
So,  friend,  we  're  not  the  folks  to  shrink 
From  the  duty  of  giving  you  something  for  drink, 
And  a  matter  of  money  to  put  in  your  poke  ; 
But,  as  for  the  guilders,  what  we  spoke 
Of  them,  as  you  very  well  know,  was  in  joke  — 
Beside,  our  losses  have  made  us  thrifty  : 
A  thousand  guilders  !  come,  take  fifty  !  " 

The  Piper's  face  fell,  and  he  cried, 
"  No  trifling !     I  can't  wait  beside  ! 
I  've  promised  to  visit  by  dinner-time 
Bagdat,  and  accept  the  prime 
Of  the  head-cook's  pottage,  all  he  's  rich  in, 
For  having  left  in  the  caliph's  kitchen, 
Of  a  nest  of  scorpions  no  survivor. 
With  him  I  proved  no  bargain-driver, 
With  you,  don't  think  I  '11  bate  a  stiver  ! 
And  folks  who  put  me  in  a  passion 
May  find  me  pipe  to  another  fashioD." 

"  How  ?  "  cried  the  Mayor,  "  d'  ye  think  I  '11  brook 
Being  worse  treated  than  a  cook  ? 
Insulted  by  a  lazy  ribald 
With  idle  pipe  and  vesture  piebald  ? 
You  threaten  us,  fellow  ?     Do  your  worst, 
Blow  your  pipe  there  till  you  burst." 

Once  more  he  stept  into  the  street, 

And  to  his  lips  again 
Laid  his  long  pipe  of  smooth,  straight  cane ; 

And  ere  he  blew  three  notes  (such  sweet 
Soft  notes  as  yet  musician's  cunning 

Never  gave  the  enraptured  air), 
There  was  a  rustling  that  seemed  like  a  bustling, 
Of  merry  crowds  justling  at  pitching  and  hustling, 
Small  feet  were  pattering,  wooden  shoes  clattering, 


Little  hands  clapping  and  little  tongues  chattering, 
And  like  fowls  in  a  farmyard  when  barley  is  scatter- 
ing 
Out  came  the  children  running  : 
All  the  little  boys  and  girls, 
With  rosy  cheeks  and  flaxen  curls, 
And  sparkling  eyes  and  teeth  like  pearls, 
Tripping  and  skipping  ran  merrily  after 
The  wonderful  music  with  shouting  and  laughter. 

The  Mayor  was  dumb,  and  the  Council  stood 

As  if  they  were  changed  into  blocks  of  wood, 

Unable  to  move  a  step,  or  cry 

To  the  children  merrily  skipping  by  — 

And  could  only  follow  with  the  eye 

That  joyous  crowd  at  the  Piper's  back. 

And  now  the  Mayor  was  on  the  rack, 

And  the  wretched  Council's  bosoms  beat, 

As  the  Piper  turned  from  the  High  Street 

To  where  the  Weser  rolled  its  waters 

Right  in  the  way  of  their  sons  and  daughters ! 

However  he  turned  from  south  to  west, 

And  to  Koppelberg  Hill  his  steps  addressed, 

And  after  him  the  children  pressed ; 

Great  was  the  joy  in  every  breast. 
"He  never  can  cross  that  mighty  top; 

He  's  forced  to  let  the  piping  drop, 

And  we  shall  see  our  children  stop  !  " 

When,  lo !  as  they  reached  the  mountain's  side, 

A  wondrous  portal  opened  wide, 

As  if  a  cavern  was  suddenly  hollowed  ; 

And  the  Piper  advanced,  and  the  children  followed, 

And  when  all  were  in  to  the  very  last, 

The  door  in  the  mountain  side  shut  fast. 

Did  I  say,  all  ?     No  !     One  was  lame, 

And  could  not  dance  the  whole  of  the  way ; 

And  in  after  years,  if  you  would  blame 

His  sadness,  he  was  used  to  say,  — 
"It's  dull  in  our  town  since  my  playmates  left! 

I  can't  forget  that  I  'm  bereft 

Of  all  the  pleasant  sights  they  see, 

Which  the  Piper  also  promised  me  : 

For  he  led  us,  he  said,  to  a  joyous  laud, 

Joining  the  town  and  just  at  hand, 

Where  waters  gushed  and  fruit-trees  grew. 

And  flowers  put  forth  a  fairer  hue, 

And  everything  was  strange  and  new ; 

The  sparrows  were  brighter  than  peacocks  here, 


152 


THE  BOOK   OF  STORIES  IN    VERSE. 


And  their  dogs  outran  our  fallow-deer, 
And  honey-bees  had  lost  their  stings, 
And  horses  were  born  with  eagles'  wings  ; 
And  just  as  I  became  assured 
My  lame  foot  would  be  speedily  cured, 
The  music  stopped  and  I  stood  still, 
And  found  myself  outside  the  hill, 


Left  alone  against  my  will, 

To  go  now  limping  as  before, 

And  never  hear  of  that  country  more  !  " 

The  Mayor  sent  east,  west,  north,  and  south 
To  offer  the  Piper  by  word  of  mouth, 
Wherever  it  was  man's  lot  to  find  him, 


THE  PIED  PIPER    OF  HAMELIN. 


153 


Silvei  and  gold  to  his  heart's  content, 
If  he   I  only  return  the  way  he  went, 

And  bring  the  children  behind  him. 
But  when  ihey  saw  'twas  a  lost  endeavor, 
And  Piper  and  dancers  were  gone  forever, 
The^  made  a  decree  that  lawyers  never 

Should  think  their  records  dated  duly, 
If  after  the  day  of  the  month  and  year 
These  words  did  not  as  well  appear, 

"  And  so  long  after  what  happened  here 

On  the  twenty-second  of  July, 
Thirteen  hundred  and  seventy-six;" 
And  the  better  in  memory  to  fix 
The  place  of  the  children's  last  retreat, 
They  called  it  the  Pied  Piper's  Street  — 
Where  any  one  playing  on  pipe  or  tabor, 
Was  sure  for  the  future  to  lose  his  labor. 
Nor  suffered  they  hostelry  or  tavern 

To  shock  with  mirth  a  street  so  solemn  ; 
But  opposite  the  place  of  the  cavern 

They  wrote  the  story  on  a  coluniD. 
-And  on  th3  great  church  window  painted 
<» 


The  same,  to  make  the  world  acquainted 
How  their  childrer  were  stolen  away  ; 
And  there  it  stands  to  this  very  day. 

And  I  must  not  omit  to  say 

That  in  Transylvania  there  's  a  tribe 

Of  alien  people,  that  ascribe 

The  outlandish  ways  and  dress 

On  which  their  neighbors  lay  such  stress, 

To  their  fathers  and  mothers  having  viben 

Out  of  some  subterraneous  prison 

Into  which  they  were  trepanned 

Long  ago  in  a  mighty  band, 

Out  of  Hamelin  town  in  Brunswick  land, 

But  how  or  why,  they  don't  understand. 

So,  Willy,  let  you  and  me  be  wipers 

Of  scores  out  with  all  men,  —  especially  pipers, 

And   whether  they  pipe  us  free  from   rats   or   frotr 

mice 
If  we  've  promised  them  aught,  let  us  keep  our  prom 

ase. 

Robert  Browning 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


THE   CONSTANT   TIN   SOLDIER. 


There  were  once  five-and-twenty  tin  soldiers ; 
they  were  all  brothers,  for  they  had  all  been  born 
of  one  old  tin  spoon.  They  shouldered  their 
muskets,  and  looked  straight  before  them;  their 
uniform  was  red  and  blue,  and  very  splendid. 
The  first  thing  they  had  heard  in  the  world,  when 
the  lid  was  taken  off  their  box,  had  been  the 
words  "  Tin  soldiers!  "  These  words  were  uttered 
by  a  little  V.ov,  clapping  his  hands  ;  the  soldiers 
had  been  given  to  him,  for  it  was  his  birthday  ; 
and  now  he  put  them  upon  the  table.  Each  sol- 
dier was  exactly  like  the  rest;  but  one  of  them 
had  been  cast  last  of  all,  and  there  had  not  been 
enough  tin  to  finish  him  ;  but  he  stood  as  firmly 
upon  his  one  leg  as  the  othei'S  on  their  two; 
and  it  was  just  this  soldier  who  became  remark- 
able. 

On  the  table  on  which  they  had  been  placed 
stood  many  other  playthings,  but  the  toy  that 
attracted  most  attention  was  a  neat  castle  of  card- 
board. Through  the  little  windows  one  could  see 
straight  into  the  hall.  Before  the  castle  some 
little  trees  were  placed  round  a  little  looking- 
glass,  which  was  to  represent  a  clear  lake.  Waxen 
swans  swam  on  this  lake,  and  were  mirrored  in  it. 
This  was  all  very  pretty  ;  but  the  prettiest  of  all 
was  a  little  lady,  who  stood  at  the  open  door  of 
the  castle ;  she  was  also  cut  out  in  paper,  but  she 
had  a  dress  of  the  clearest  gauze,  and  a  little  nar- 
row blue  ribbon  over  her  shoulders,  that  looked 
like  a  scarf ;  and  in  the  middle  of  this  ribbon  was 
a  shining  tinsel  rose,  as  big  as  her  whole  face. 
The  little  lady  stretched  out  both  her  arms,  for 
she  was  a  dancer,  and  then  she  lifted  one  leg  so 
high  that  the  Tin  Soldier  could  not  see  it  at  all, 


and  thought  that,  like  himself,  she  had  but  one 
leg. 

"  That  would  be  the  wife  for  me,"  thought  he  ; 
but  she  is  very  grand.  She  lives  in  a  castle,  and 
I  have  only  a  box,  and  there  are  five-and-twenty 
of  us  in  that.  It  is  no  place  for  her.  But  I  must 
try  to  make  acquaintance  with  her." 

And  then  he  lay  down  at  full  length  behind  a 
snuff-box  which  was  on  the  table ;  there  he  could 
easily  watch  the  little  dainty  ladv,  who  con- 
tinued to  stand  on  one  leg  without  losing  ner  oal- 
ance. 

When  the  evening  came,  all  the  other  tin  sol- 
diers were  put  into  their  box,  and  the  people  in 
the  house  went  to  bed.  Now  the  toys  began  to 
play  at  "visiting,"  and  at  "war,"  and  "giving 
balls."  The  tin  soldiers  rattled  in  their  box,  for 
they  wanted  to  join,  but  could  not  lift  the  lid. 
The  Nut-cracker  threw  somersaults,  and  the  Pen- 
cil amused  itself  on  the  table  ;  there  was  so  much 
noise  that  the  Canary  woke  up,  and  began  to 
speak  too,  and  even  in  verse.  The  only  two  who 
did  not  stir  from  their  places  were  the  Tin  Soldier 
and  the  Dancing  Lady  ;  she  stood  straight  up  on 
the  point  of  one  of  her  toes,  and  stretched  out 
both  her  arms :  and  he  was  just  as  enduring  on 
his  one  leg  ;  and  he  never  turned  his  eyes  away 
from  her. 

Now  the  clock  struck  twelve  —  and,  bounce  ! 
—  the  lid  flew  off  the  snuff-box;  but  there  was 
not  snuff  in  it,  but  a  little  black  goblin  ;  you  see, 
it  was  a  trick. 

"  Tin  Soldier,"  said  the  Goblin,  "  don't  stare  at 
things  that  don't  concern  you." 

But  the  Tin  Soldier  pretended  not  to  hear  him- 


THE   CONSTANT   TIN  SOLDIER. 


155 


Just  you  wait  till  to-morrow  !  "  said  the  Gob- 


lin. 


But  when  the  morning  came,  and  the  children 
got  up,  the  Tin  Soldier  was  placed  in  the  win- 
dow ;  and  whether  it  was  the  Goblin  or  the 
draught  that  did  it,  all  at  once  the  window  flew 
open,  and  the  Soldier  fell,  head  over  heels,  out  of 
the  third  story.  That  was  a  terrible  passage  ! 
He  put  his  leg  straight  up,  and  struck  with  his 
helmet  downward,  and  his  bayonet  between  the 
paving-stones. 

The  servant-maid  and  the  little  boy  came  down 
directly  to  look  for  him,  but  though  they  almost 
trod  upon  him  they  could  not  see  him.  If  the 
Soldier  had  cried 
out,  "  Here  I  am  !  " 
they  would  have 
found  him  ;  but  he 
did  not  think  it 
fitting  to  call  out 
loudly,  because  he 
was  in  uniform. 

Now  it  began 
to  rain  ;  the  drops 
soon  fell  thicker, 
and  at  last  it  came 
down  in  a  complete 
stream.  When 
the  rain  was  past, 
two  street  boys  came  by. 

"  Just  look !  "  said  one  of  them,  "  there  lies  a 
tin  soldier.  He  must  come  out  and  ride  in  the 
boat." 

And  they  made  a  boat  out  of  a  newspaper,  and 
put  the  Tin  Soldier  in  the  middle  of  it ;  and  so 
he  sailed  down  the  gutter,  and  the  two  boys  ran 
beside  him  and  clapped  their  hands.  Goodness 
preserve  us  !  how  the  waves  rose  in  that  gutter, 
and  how  fast  the  stream  ran  !  But  then  it  had 
been  a  heavy  rain.  The  paper  boat  rocked  up 
and  down,  and  sometimes  turned  round  so  rapidly 
that  the  Tin  Soldier  trembled  ;  but  he  remained 
firm,  and  never  changed  countenance,  and  looked 
straight  before  him,  and  shouldered  his  musket. 

All  at  once  the    boat  went    into  a  long  drain, 


and  it  became  as  dark  as  if  he  had  been  in  his 
box. 

"  Where  am  I  going  now  ?  "  he  thought.  "  Yes, 
yes,  that 's  the  Goblin's  fault.  Ah !  if  the  little 
lady  only  sat  here  with  me  in  the  boat,  it  might 
be  twice  as  dark  for  what  I  should  care." 

Suddenly  there  came  a  great  water-rat,  which 
lived  under  the  drain. 

"  Have  you  a  passport?  "  said  the  Rat.  ';  Give 
me  your  passport." 

But  the  Tin  Soldier  kept  silence,  and  only  held 
his  musket  tighter  than  ever. 

The  boat  went  on,  but  the  Rat  came  after  it. 
Hu  !  how  he  gnashed  his  teeth,  and  called  out  to 

the  bits  of   straw 
and  wood,  — 

"Hold  him! 
hold  him!  he 
has  n't  paid  toll  — 
he  hasn't  shown 
his  passport !  " 

But  the  stream 
became  stronger 
and  stronger.  The 
Tin  Soldier  could 
see  the  bright  day- 
light where  the 
arch  ended ;  but 
he  heard  a  roaring 
noise,  which  might  well  frighten  a  bolder  man. 
Only  think, — just  where  the  tunnel  ended,  the 
drain  ran  into  a  great  canal ;  and  for  him  that 
would  have  been  as  dangerous  as  for  us  to  be  car- 
ried down  a  great  waterfall. 

Now  he  was  already  so  near  it  that  he  could  not 
stop.  The  boat  was  carried  out,  the  poor  Tin  Sol- 
dier stiffening  himself  as  much  as  he  could,  and  no 
one  could  say  that  he  moved  an  eyelid.  The  boat 
whirled  round  three  or  four  times,  and  was  full  of 
water  to  the  very  edge  —  it  must  sink.  The  Tin 
Soldier  stood  up  to  his  neck  in  water,  and  the 
boat  sank  deeper  and  deeper,  and  the  paper  was 
loosened  more  and  more  ;  and  now  the  water  closed 
over  the  soldier's  head.  Then  he  thought  of  the 
pretty  little   Dancer,   and    how  he  should  never 


156 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


see    her  again  ;    and  it  sounded  in    the  soldier's 
ears : — 

"  Farewell,  farewell,  thou  warrior  brave, 
Die  shalt  thou  this  da)'." 

And  now  the  paper  parted,  and  the  Tin  Soldier 
fell  out ;  but  at  that  moment  he  was  snapped  up 
by  a  great  fish. 

Oh,  how  dark  it  was  in  that  fish's  body  !  It 
was  darker  yet  than  in  the  drain  tunnel ;  and  then 
it  was  verjr  narrow,  too.  But  the  Tin  Soldier  re- 
mained unmoved,  and  lay  at  full  length,  shoulder- 
ing his  musket. 

The  fish  swam  to  and  fro  ;  he  made  the  most 
wonderful  movements,  and  then  became  quite  still. 
At  last  something  flashed  through  him  like  light- 
ning. The  daylight  shone  quite  clear,  and  a 
voice  said  aloud,  "  The  Tin  Soldier !  "  The  fish 
had  been  caught,  carried  to  market,  bought,  and 
taken  into  the  kitchen,  where  the  cook  cut  him 
open  with  a  large  knife.  She  seized  the  soldier 
round  the  body  with  both  her  hands,  and  carried 
him  into  the  room,  where  all  were  anxious  to  see 
the  remarkable  man  who  had  traveled  about  in  the 
inside  of  a  fish  ;  but  the  Tin  Soldier  was  not  at  all 
proud.  They  placed  him  on  the  table,  and  there 
—  no!  What  curious  things  may  happen  in  the 
world  !  The  Tin  Soldier  was  in  the  very  room  in 
which  he  had  been  before  !  he  saw  the  same  chil- 
dren, and  the  same  toys  stood  upon  the  table :  and 
there  was  the  pretty  castle  with  the  graceful  little 
Dancer.  She  was  still  balancing  herself  on  one 
leg,  and  held  the  other  extended  in  the  air.  She 
was  faithful  too.  That  moved  the  Tin  Soldier  :  he 
was  very  near  weeping  tin  tears,  but  that  would 
not  have  been  proper.  He  looked  at  her,  but  they 
said  nothing  to  each  other. 


Then  one  of  the  little  boys  took  the  Tin  Soldier 
and  flung  him  into  the  stove.  He  gave  no  reason 
for  doing  this.  It  must  have  been  the  fault  of  the 
Goblin  in  the  snuff-box. 

The  Tin  Soldier  stood  there  quite  illuminated, 
and  felt  a  heat  that  was  terriible  ;  but  whether 
this  heat  proceeded  from  the  real  fire  or  from  love 
he  did  not  know.  The  colors  had  quite  gone  off 
from  him ;  but  whether  that  had  happened  on  the 
journey,  or  had  been  caused  by  grief,  no  one  could 
say.  He  looked  at  the  little  lady,  she  looked  at 
him,  and  he  felt  that  he  was  melting  ;  but  he  stood 
firm,  shouldering  his  musket.  Then  suddenly  the 
door  flew  open,  and  the  draught  of  air  caught  the 
Dancer,  and  she  flew  like  a  sylph   just  into  the 


stove  to  the  Tin  Soldier,  and  flashed  up  in  aflame, 
and  then  was  gone  !  Then  the  Tin  Soldier  melted 
down  into  a  lamp,  and  when  the  servant-maid 
took  the  ashes  out  next  day,  she  found  him  in  the 
shape  of  a  little  tin  heart.  But  of  the  Dancer 
nothing  remained  but  the  tinsel  rose,  and  that  was 
burned  as  black  as  a  coal. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  NEW   CLOTHES. 


157 


THE  EMPEROR'S  NEW  CLOTHES. 


Many  years  ago  there  lived  an  emperor,  who 
was  so  excessively  fond  of  grand  new  clothes  that 
he  spent  all  his  money  upon  them,  that  he  might 
be  very  fine.  He  did  not  care  about  his  soldiers, 
nor  about  the  theatre,  and  only  liked  to  drive  out 
and  show  his  new  clothes.  He  had  a  coat  for 
every  hour  of  the  day  ;  and  just  as  they  say  of  a 
king,  "  He  is  in  council,"  so  they  always  said  of 
him,  "  The  emperor  is  in  the  wardrobe." 

In  the  great  city  in  which  he  lived  it  was  al- 
ways very  merry ;  every  day  came  many  stran- 
gers ;  one  day  two  rogues  came :  they  gave  them- 
selves out  as  weavers,  and  declared  they  could 
weave  the  finest  stuff  any  one  could  imagine.  Not 
only  were  their  colors  and  patterns,  they  said,  un- 
commonly beautiful,  but  the  clothes  made  of  the 
stuff  possessed  the  wonderful  quality  that  they  be- 
came invisible  to  an}'  one  who  was  unfit  for  the  of- 
fice he  held,  or  was  incorrigibly  stupid. 

"  Those  would  be  capital  clothes  !  "  thought  the 
emperor.  "  If  I  wore  those,  I  should  be  able  to 
find  out  what  men  in  my  empire  are  not  fit  for  the 
places  they  have  ;  I  could  tell  the  clever  from  the 
dunces.  Yes,  the  stuff  must  be  woven  for  me  di- 
rectly !  " 

And  he  gave  the  two  rogues  a  great  deal  of 
cash  in  hand,  that  they  might  begin  their  work  at 
once. 

As  for  them,  they  put  up  two  looms,  and  pre- 
tended to  be  working  ;  but  they  had  nothing  at 
all  on  their  looms.  They  at  once  demanded  the 
finest  silk  and  the  costliest  gold  ;  this  they  put 
into  their  own  pockets,  and  worked  at  the  empty 
looms  till  late  into  the  night. 

"  I  should  like  to  know  how  far  they  have  got 
on  with  the  stuff,"  thought  the  emperor.  But  he 
felt  quite  uncomfortable  when  he  thought  that 
those  who  were  not  fit  for  their  offices  could  not 
see  it.  He  believed,  indeed,  that  he  had  nothing 
to  fear  for  himself,  but  yet  he  preferred  first  to 
send  some  one  else  to  see  how  matters  stood.  All 
the  people  in  the  city  knew  what  peculiar  power 


the  stuff  possessed,  and  all  were  anxious  to  see 
how  bad  or  how  stupid  their  neighbors  were. 

"I  will  send  my  honest  old  minister  to  the 
weavers,"  thought  the  emperor.  "  He  can  judge 
best  how  the  stuff  looks,  for  he  has  sense,  and  no 
one  understands  his  office  better  than  he." 

Now  the  good  old  minister  went  out  into  the 
hall  where  the  two  rogues  sat  working  at  the 
empty  looms. 

"  Mercy  on  us  !  "  thought  the  old  minister,  and 
he  opened  his  eyes  wide.  "  I  cannot  see  anything 
at  all !  "     But  he  did  not  say  this. 

Both  the  rogues  begged  him  to  be  so  good  as  to 
come  nearer,  and  asked  if  he  did  not  approve  of 
the  colors  and  the  pattern.  Then  they  pointed 
to  the  empty  loom,  and  the  poor  old  minister 
went  on  opening  his  eyes  ;  but  he  could  see  noth- 
ing for  there  was  nothing  to  see. 

"Mercy!"  thought  he,  "can  I  indeed  be  so 
stupid?  I  never  thought  that,  and  not  a  soul 
must  know  it.  Am  I  not  fit  for  my  office?  No, 
it  will  never  do  for  me  to  tell  that  I  could  not 
see  the  stuff." 

"  Don't  you  say  anything  to  it?  "  asked  one, 
as  he  went  on  weaving. 

"  Oh,  it  is  charming  —  quite  enchanting  !"  an- 
swered the  old  minister,  as  he  peered  through 
his  spectacles.  "  What  a  fine  pattern,  and  what 
colors  !  Yes,  I  shall  tell  the  emperor  that  I  am 
very  much  pleased  with  it." 

"  Well,  we  are  glad  of  that,"  said  both  the 
weavers  ;  and  then  they  named  the  colors,  and 
explained  the  strange  pattern.  The  old  minister 
listened  attentively,  that  he  might  be  able  to  re- 
peat it  when  the  emperor  came.     And  he  did  so. 

Now  the  rogues  asked  for  more  money,  and  silk 
and  gold,  which  they  declared  they  wanted  for 
weaving.  They  put  all  into  their  own  pockets, 
and  not  a  thread  was  put  upon  the  loom  ;  they 
continued  to  work  at  the  empty  frames  as  before. 

The  emperor  soon  sent  again,  dispatching  an- 
other honest  officer  of  the  court,  to  see  how  the 


158 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


weaving  was  going  on,  and  if  the  stuff  would  soon 
be  ready.  He  fared  just  like  the  first :  he  looked 
and  looked,  but,  as  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen 
but  the  empty  looms,  he  could  see  nothing. 

"  Is  not  that  a  pretty  piece  of  stuff  ?  "  asked 
the  two  rogues  ;  and  they  displayed  and  explained 
the  handsome  pattern  which  was  not  there  at  all. 

"  I  am  not  stupid  !  "  thought  the  man  :  "  it 
must  be  my  good  office,  for  which  I  am  not  fit. 
It  is  funny  enough,  but  I  must  not  let  it  be  no- 
ticed." And  so  he  praised  the  stuff  which  he  did 
not  see,  and  expressed  his  pleasure  at  the  beauti- 
ful colors  and  charming  pattern.  "  Yes,  it  is  en- 
chanting," he  told  the  emperor. 

All  the  people  in 
the  town  were  talk- 
ing of  the  gorgeous 
stuff.  The  emperor 
wished  to  see  it  him- 
self while  it  was 
still  upon  the  loom. 
With  a  whole  crowd 
of  chosen  men, 
among  whom  were 
also  the  two  honest 
statesmen  who  had 
already  been  there, 
he  went  to  the  two 
cunning  rogues,  who 
were  now  weaving  with  might  and  main  without 
fibre  or  thread. 

"  Is  not  that  splendid  ?  "  said  the  two  states- 
men, who  had  already  been  there  once.  "  Does 
not  your  majesty  remark  the  pattern  and  the 
colors  ?  "  And  they  pointed  to  the  empty  loom, 
for  they  thought  that  the  others  could  see  the 
stuff. 

"What's  this?"  thought  the  emperor.  "I 
can  see  nothing  at  all !  That  is  terrible.  Ami 
stupid?  Am  I  not  fit  to  be  emperor?  That 
would  be  the  most  dreadful  thing  that  could  hap- 
pen to  me.  Oh,  it  is  very  pretty  !  "  he  said  aloud. 
"  It  has  our  highest  approbation."  And  he  nod- 
ded in  a  contented  way,  and  gazed  at  the  empty 
loom,  for  he  would  not  say  that  he  saw  nothing. 


The  whole  suite  whom  he  had  with  him  looked 
and  looked,  and  saw  nothing,  any  more  than  the 
rest;  but,  like  the  emperor  they  said,  "That  is 
pretty!"  and  counseled  him  to  wear  the  splendid 
new  clothes  for  the  first  time  at  the  great  proces- 
sion that  was  presently  to  take  place.  "  It  is 
splendid,  excellent !  "  went  from  mouth  to  mouth. 
On  all  sides  there  seemed  to  be  general  rejoicing 
and  the  emperor  gave  the  rogues  the  title  of  Im- 
perial Court  Weavers. 

The  whole  night  before  the  morning  on  which 
the  procession  was  to  take  place,  the  rogues  were 
up,  and  kept  more  than  sixteen  candles  burning. 
The  people  could  see  that  they  were  hard  at  work, 

completing  the  em- 
peror's new  clothes. 
They  pretended  to 
take  the  stuff  down 
from  the  loom  ;  they 
made  cuts  in  the  air 
with  great  scissors ; 
they  sewed  with  nee- 
dles without  thread; 
and  at  last  they  said, 
"  Now  the  clothes  are 
ready  !  " 

The  emperor  came 
himself  with  his  no- 
blest cavaliers  ;  and 
the  two  rogues  lifted  up  one  arm  as  if  the)'  were 
holding  something,  and  said,  "  See,  here  are  the 
trousers  !  here  is  the  coat !  here  is  the  cloak  !  " 
and  so  on.  "  It  is  as  light  as  a  spider's  web  :  one 
would  think  one  had  nothing  on  ;  but  that  is  just 
the  beauty  of  it." 

"  Yes,"  said  all  the  cavaliers ;  but  they  could 
not  see  anything,  for  nothing  was  there. 

"  Will  your  imperial  majesty  please  to  conde- 
scend to  take  off  your  clothes?  "  said  the  rogues  ; 
"  then  we  will  put  on  you  the  new  clothes  here  in 
front  of  the  great  mirror." 

The  emperor  took  off  his  clothes,  and  the 
rogues  pretended  to  put  on  him  each  new  garment 
as  it  was  ready  ;  and  the  emperor  turned  round 
and  round  before  the  mirror. 


THE  DAISY. 


159 


"  Oh,  how  well  they  look  !  how  capitally  they 
fit !  "  said  all.  "  What  a  pattern  !  what  colors  ! 
That  is  a  splendid  dress  !  " 

"  They  are  standing  outside  with  the  canopy 
which  is  to  be  borne  above  your  majesty  in  the 
procession  !  "  announced  the  head  master  of  cere- 
monies. 

"  Well,  I  am  ready,"  replied  the  emperor. 
"Does  it  not  suit  me  well?'"  And  he  turned  again 
to  the  mirror,  for  he  wanted  it  to  appear  as  if  he 
contemplated  his  adornment  with  great  interest. 

The  two  chamberlains  who  were  to  carry  the 
train  stooped  down  with  their  hands  toward  the 
floor,  just  as  if  they  were  picking  up  the  mantle  ; 
then  they  pretended  to  be  holding  something  in 
the  air.  They  did  not  dare  to  let  it  be  noticed 
that  they  saw  nothing. 

So  the  emperor  went  in  procession  under  the 
rich  canopy,  and  every  one  in  the  streets  said, 
"  How  incomparable  are  the  emperor's  new 
clothes  !  what  a  train  he  has  to  his  mantle  !  how 
it  fits  him  !  "  No  one  would  let  it  be  perceived 
that  he  could  see  nothing,  for  that  would  have 
shown  that  he  was  not  fit  for  his  office,  or  was 
very  stupid.  No  clothes  of  the  emperor's  had 
ever  had  such  a  success  as  these. 

"  But  he  has  nothing  on !  "  a  little  child  cried 
out  at  last. 


"  Just  hear  what  that  innocent  says  ! "  said  the 
father :  and  one  whispered  to  another  what  the 
child  had  said. 


"  But  he  has  nothing  on  ! "  said  the  whole 
people  at  length.  That  touched  the  emperor,  for 
it  seemed  to  him  that  they  were  right ;  but  he 
thought  within  himself,  "  I  must  go  through  with 
the  procession."  And  so  he  held  himself  a  little 
higher,  and  the  chamberlains  held  on  tighter  than 
ever,  and  carried  the  train  that  did  not  exist  at 
all. 


THE   DAISY. 


Now  you  shall  hear  . 

Out  in  the  country,  close  by  the  road-side,  there 
was  a  country  house  :  you  yourself  have  certainly 
once  seen  it.  Before  it  is  a  little  garden  with 
flowers,  and  a  paling  which  is  painted.  Close  by 
it,  by  the  ditch,  in  the  midst  of  the  most  beautiful 
green  grass,  grew  a  little  Daisy.  The  sun  shone 
as  warmly  and  as  brightly  upon  it  as  on  the  great 
splendid  garden  flowers,  and  so  it  grew  from  hour 
to  hour.  One  morning  it  stood  in  full  bloom,  with 
its  little  shining  white  leaves  spreading  like  rays 
round  the  little  yellow  sun  in  the  centre.    It  never 


thought  that  no  man  would  notice  it  down  in  the 
grass,  and  that  it  was  a  poor  despised  floweret ; 
no,  it  was  very  merry,  and  turned  to  the  warm 
sun,  looked  up  at  it,  and  listened  to  the  Lark  carol- 
ing high  in  the  air. 

The  little  Daisy  was  as  happy  as  if  it  were  a 
great  holiday,  and  yet  it  was  only  a  Monday.  All 
the  children  were  at  school ;  and  while  they  sat  on 
their  benches  learning,  it  sat  on  its  little  green 
stalk,  and  learned  also  from  the  warm  sun,  and 
from  all  around,  how  good  God  is.  And  the 
Daisy  was  very  glad  that  everything  that  it  si- 


160 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


lently  felt  was  sung  so  loudly  and  charmingly  by 
the  Lark.  And  the  Daisy  looked  up  with  a  kind 
of  respect  to  the  happy  bird  who  could  sing  and 
fly  ;  but  it  was  not  at  all  sorrowful  because  it 
could  not  fly  and  sing  also. 

"  I  can  see  and  hear,"  it  thought :  "  the  sun 
shines  on  me,  and  the  forest  kisses  me.  Oh,  how 
richly  have  I  been  gifted !  " 

Within  the  palings  stood  many  stiff,  aristocratic 
flowers  —  the  less  scent  they  had  the  more  they 
flaunted.  The  peonies  blew  themselves  out  to  be 
greater  than  the  roses,  but  size  will  not  do  it;  the 
tulips  had  the  most  splendid  colors,  and  they 
knew  that,  and  held  themselves  bolt  upright,  that 
they  might  be  seen  more  plainly.  They  did  not 
notice  the  little  Daisy 
outside  there,  but  the 
Daisy  looked  at  them 
the  more,  and 
thought,  "  How  rich 
and  beautiful  they 
are  !  Yes,  the  pretty 
bird  flies  across  to 
them  and  visits  them. 
I  am  glad  that  I  stand 
so  near  them,  for  at 
any  rate  I  can  enjoy 
the  sight  of  their 
splendor!"  And 
just  as  she  thought  that  —  "keevit !  "  —  down 
came  flying  the  Lark,  but  not  down  to  the  peonies 
and  tulips  —  no,  down  into  the  grass  to  the  lowly 
Daisy,  which  started  so  with  joy  that  it  did  not 
know  what  to  think. 

The  little  bird  danced  round  about  it,  and 
sang,  — 

"  Oh,  how  soft  the  grass  is  !  and  see  what  a 
lovely  little  flower,  with  gold  in  its  heart  and  sil- 
ver on  its  dress  !  " 

For  the  yellow  point  in  the  Daisy  looked  like 
gold,  and  the  little  leaves  around  it  shone  silvery 
white. 

How  happy  was  the  little  Daisy  —  no  one  can 
conceive  how  happy  !  The  bird  kissed  it  with  his 
beak,  sang  to  it,  and  then  flew  up  again  into  the 


blue  air.  A  quarter  of  an  hour  passed,  at  least, 
before  the  Daisy  could  recover  itself.  Half 
ashamed,  yet  inwardly  rejoiced,  it  looked  at  the 
other  flowers  in  the  garden,  for  they  had  seen  the 
honor  and  happiness  it  had  gained,  and  must  un- 
derstand what  a  joy  it  was.  But  the  tulips  stood 
up  twice  as  stiff  as  before,  and  they  looked  quite 
peaky  in  the  face  and  quite  red,  for  they  had  been 
vexed.  The  peonies  were  quite  wrong-headed  :  it 
was  well  they  could  not  speak,  or  the  Daisy  would 
have  received  a  good  scolding.  The  poor  little 
flower  could  see  very  well  that  they  were  not  in  a 
good  humor,  and  that  hurt  it  sensibly.  At  this 
moment  there  came  into  the  garden  a  girl  with  a 
great  sharp,  shining  knife ;  she  went  straight  up 

to  the  tulips,  and  cut 
off  one  after  another 
of  them. 

"  Oh  !  "  sighed  the 
little  Daisy,  "  that  is 
dreadful !  Now  it 
is  all  over  with 
them." 

Then  the  girl  went 
away  with  the  tulips. 
The  Daisy  was  glad 
to  stand  out  in  the 
grass,  and  to  be  only 
a  poor  little  flower ; 
it  felt  very  grateful;  and  when  the  sun  went 
down  it  folded  its  leaves  and  went  to  sleep,  and 
dreamed  all  night  long  about  the  sun  and  the 
pretty  little  bird. 

The  next  morning,  when  the  flower  again  hap- 
pily stretched  out  all  its  white  leaves,  like  little 
arms,  toward  the  air  and  the  light,  it  recognized 
the  voice  of  the  bird,  but  the  song  he  was  singing 
sounded  mournfully.  Yes,  the  poor  Lark  had 
good  reason  to  be  sad  :  he  was  caught,  and  now 
sat  in  a  cage  close  by  the  open  window.  He  sang 
of  free  and  happy  roaming,  sang  of  the  young 
green  corn  in  the  fields,  and  of  the  glorious  jour- 
ney he  might  make  on  his  wings  high  through  the 
air.  The  poor  Lark  was  not  in  good  spirits,  for 
there  he  sat  a  prisoner  in  a  cage. 


THE  DAISY. 


lol 


The  little  Daisy  wished  very  much  to  help  him. 
But  what  was  it  to  do  ?  Yes,  that  was  difficult  to 
make  out.  It  quite  forgot  how  everything  was  so 
beautiful  around,  how  warm  the  sun  shone,  and 
how  splendidly  white  its  own  leaves  were,  Ah  ! 
it  could  think  only  of  the  imprisoned  bird,  and 
how  it  was  powerless  to  do  anything  for  him. 

Just  then  two  little  boys  came  out  of  the  gar- 
den. 'One  of  them  carried  in  his  hand  the  knife 
which  the  girl  had  used  to  cut  off  the  tulips. 
They  went  straight  up  to  the  little  Daisy,  which 
•could  not  at  all  make  out  what  they  wanted. 

"  Here  we  may  cut  a  capital  piece  of  turf  for 
the  Lai'k,"  said  one  of  the  boys ;  and  he  began  to 
■cut  off  a  square  patch  round  about  the  Daisy,  so 
that  the  flower  remained  standing  in  its  piece  of 
grass. 

"  Tear  off  the  flower  !  "  said  the  other  boy. 

And  the  Daisy  trembled  with  fear,  for  to  be 
torn  off  would  be  to  lose  its  life;  and  now  it 
wanted  particularly  to  live,  as  it  was  to  be  given 
with  the  piece  of  turf  to  the  captive  Lark. 

"No,  let  it  stay,"  said  the  other  boy;  "it 
makes  such  a  nice  ornament." 

And  so  it  remained,  and  was  put  into  the  Lark's 
cage.  But  the  poor  bird  complained  aloud  of  his 
lost  liberty,  and  beat  his  wings  against  the  wires 
of  his  prison  ;  and  the  little  Daisy  could  not  speak 
—  could  say  no  consoling  word  to  him,  gladly  as 
it  would  have  done  so.  And  thus  the  whole  morn- 
ing passed. 

"  Here  is  no  water,"  said  the  captive  Lark. 
■"  They  are  all  gone  out,  and  have  forgotten  to 
give  me  anything  to  drink.  My  throat  is  dry  and 
burning.  It  is  like  fire  and  ice  within  me,  and 
the  air  is  so  close.  Oh,  I  must  die !  I  must  leave 
the  warm  sunshine,  the  fresh  green,  and  all  the 
splendor  that  God  has  created !  " 

And  then  he  thrust  his  beak  into  the  cool  turf 
to  refresh  himself  a  little  with  it.  Then  the  bird's 
eye  fell  upon  the  Daisy,  and  he  nodded  to  it,  and 
kissed  it  with  his  beak,  and  said,  — 

"  You    also    must    wither    in    here,   poor    little 
flower.    They  have  given  you  to  me  with  the  little 
(patch  of  green  grass  on  which  you  grow,  instead  of 
21 


the  whole  world  which  was  mine  out  there  !  Every 
little  blade  of  grass  shall  be  a  great  tree  for  me,  and 
every  one  of  your  fragrant  leaves  a  great  flower. 
Ah,  you  only  tell  me  how  much  I  have  lost !  " 

"  If  I  could  only  comfort  him  !  "  thought  the 
Daisy. 

It  could  not  stir  a  leaf  ;  but  the  scent  which 
streamed  forth  from  its  delicate  leaves  was  far 
stronger  than  is  generally  found  in  these  flowers  ; 
the  bird  also  noticed  that,  and  though  he  was 
fainting  with  thirst,  and  in  his  pain  plucked  up  the 
green  blades  of  grass,  he  did  not  touch  the  flower. 

The  evening  came  on,  and  yet  nobody  appeared 
to  bring  the  poor  bird  a  drop  of  water.  Then  he 
stretched  out  his  pretty  wings  and  beat  the  air 
frantically  with  them ;  his  song  changed  to  a 
mournful  piping,  his  little  head  sank  down  toward 
the  flower,  and  the  bird's  heart  broke  with  want 
and  yearning.  Then  the  flower  could  not  fold  its 
leaves,  as  it  had  done  on  the  previous  evening,  and 
sleep  ;  it  drooped,  sorrowful  and  sick,  toward  the 
earth. 


Not  till  the  next  morn  did  the  boys  come  ;  and 
when  they  found  the  bird  dead  they  wept  —  wept 
many  tears — -and  dug  him  a  neat  grave,  which 
they  adorned  with  leaves  of  flowers.  The  bird's 
corpse  was  put  into  a  pretty  red  box,  for  he  was  to 
be  royally  buried  —  the  poor  bird  !  While  he  was 
alive  and  sang  they  forgot  him,  and  let  him  sit  in 
his  cage  and  suffer  want ;  but  now  that  he  was 
dead  he  had  adornment  and  many  tears. 

But  the  patch  of  turf  with  the  Daisy  on  it  was 
thrown  out  into  the  high-road  :  no  one  thought  of 
the  flower  that  had  felt  the  most  for  the  little 
bird,  and  would  have  been  so  glad  to  console  him. 


162 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN, 


THE   UGLY   DUCKLING. 


It  was  so  glorious  out  in  the  country  ;  it  was 
summer ;  the  cornfields  were  yellow,  the  oats 
were  green,  the  hay  had  been  put  up  in  stacks  in 
the  green  meadows,  and  the  stork  went  about  on 
his  long  red  legs,  and  chattered  Egyptian,  for  this 
was  the  language  he  had  learned  from  his  good 
mother.  All  around  the  fields  and  meadows  were 
great  forests,  and  in  the  midst  of  these  forests  lay 
deep  lakes.  Yes,  it  was  right  glorious  out  in  the 
country.  In  the  midst  of  the  sunshine  there  lay 
an  old  farm,  with  deep  canals  about  it,  and  from 
the  wall  down  to 
the  water  grew 
great  burdocks,  so 
high  that  little  chil- 
dren could  stand 
upright  under  the 
loftiest  of  them.  It 
was  just  as  wild 
there  as  in  the 
deepest  wood,  and 
here  sat  a  Duck 
upon  her  nest ;  she 
had  to  hatch  her 
ducklings  ;  but  she 
was  almost  tired 
out  before  the  little 
ones  came  and  then  she  so  seldom  had  visitors. 
The  other  ducks  liked  better  to  swim  about  in  the 
canals  than  to  run  up  to  sit  down  under  a  burdock, 
and  cackle  with  her. 

At  last  one  egg-shell  after  another  burst  open. 
"  Piep  !  piep  !  "  it  cried,  and  in  all  the  eggs  there 
were  little  creatures  that  stuck  out  their  heads. 

"  Quack  !  quack  !  "  they  said  ;  and  they  all 
came  quacking  out  as  fast  as  they  could,  looking 
all  round  them  under  the  green  leaves  ;  and  the 
mother  let  them  look  as  much  as  they  chose,  for 
green  is  good  for  the  eye. 

"  How  wide  the  world  is !  "  said  all  the  young 
ones,  for  they  certainly  had  much  more  room  now 
than  when  they  were  in  the  eggs. 


"  D'  ye  think  this  is  all  the  world  ?  "  said  the 
mother.  "  That  stretches  far  across  the  other  side 
of  the  garden,  quite  into  the  parson's  field  ;  but  I 
have  never  been  there  yet.  I  hope  you  are  all  to- 
gether," and  she  stood  up.  "No,  I  have  not  all. 
The  largest  egg  still  lies  there.  How  long  is  that 
to  last?  I  am  really  tired  of  it."  And  she  sat 
down  again. 

"  Well,  how  goes  it  ?  "  asked  an  old  Duck  who 
had  come  to  pay  her  a  visit. 

"  It  lasts  a  long  time  with  that  one  egg,"  said 

the  Duck  who  sat 
there.  "  It  will  not 
burst.  Now,  only 
look  at  the  others  ; 
are  they  not  the 
prettiest  little 
ducks  one  could 
possibly  see  ?  They 
are  all  like  their 
father :  the  rogue, 
he  never  comes  to 
see  me." 

"  Let  me  see  the 
egg  which  will  not 
burst,"  said  the  old 
visitor.  "You  may 
be  sure  it  is  a  turkey's  egg.  I  was  once  cheated 
in  that  way,  and  had  much  anxiety  and  trouble 
with  the  young  ones,  for  they  are  afraid  of  the 
water.  Must  I  say  it  to  you,  I  could  not  get  them 
to  venture  in.  I  quacked  and  I  clacked,  but  it 
was  no  use.  Let  me  see  the  egg.  Yes,  that 's  a 
turkey's  egg.  Let  it  lie  there,  and  teach  the  other 
children  to  swim." 

"  I  think  I  will  sit  on  it  a  little  longer,"  said 
the  Duck.  "  I  've  sat  so  long  now  that  I  can  sit  a 
few  days  more." 

"  Just  as  you  please,"  said  the  old  Duck ;  and 
she  went  away. 

At  last  the  great  egg  burst.  "  Piep  !  piep  !  " 
said    the    little    one,    and    crept    forth.      It    waf 


THE    UGLY  DUCKLING. 


168 


very   large   and    very   ugly.      The    Duck    looked 
at  it. 

"It's  a  very  large  duckling,"  said  she;  "none 
of  the  others  look  like  that :  can  it  really  be  a  tur- 
key chick  ?  Well,  we  shall  soon  find  out.  It 
must  go  into  the  water,  even  if  I  have  to  thrust  it 
in  myself." 

The  next  day  it  was  bright,  beautiful  weather  ; 
the  sun  shone  on  all  the  green  trees.  The  Mother- 
Duck  went  down  to  the  canal  with  all  her  family. 
Splash  !  she  jumped  into  the  water.  "  Quack  ! 
quack  !  "  she  said,  and  one  duckling  after  another 
plunged  in.  The  water  closed  over  their  heads, 
but  they  came  up  in  an  instant,  and  swam  cap- 
itally ;  their  legs  went  of  themselves,  and  they 
were  all  in  the  water.  The  ugly  gray  Duckling 
swam  with  them. 

"No,  it's  not  a  turkey,"  said  she;  "look  how 
well  it  can  use  its  legs,  and  how  straight  it  holds 
itself.  It  is  my  own  child  !  On  the  whole  it 's 
quite  pretty,  if  one  looks  at  it  rightly.  Quack  ! 
quack !  come  with  me,  and  I  '11  lead  you  out  into 
the  great  world,  and  present  you  in  the  duck-yard  ; 
but  keep  close  to  me,  so  that  no  one  may  tread  on 
you,  and  take  care  of  the  cats  !  " 

And  so  they  came  into  the  duck-yard.  There 
was  a  terrible  riot  going  on  in  there,  for  two  fam- 
ilies were  quarreling  about  an  eel's  head,  and  the 
cat  got  it  after  all. 

"  See,  that 's  how  it  goes  in  the  world !  "  said 
the  Mother-Duck ;  and  she  whetted  her  beak,  for 
she  too  wanted  the  eel's  head.  "  Only  use  your 
legs,"  she  said.  "  See  that  you  can  bustle  about, 
and  bow  your  heads  before  the  old  Duck  yonder. 
She 's  the  grandest  of  all  hei-e  ;  she's  of  Spanish 
blood  —  that's  why  she  *s  so  fat;  and  d'ye  see? 
she  has  a  red  rag  round  her  leg ;  that 's  something 
particularly  fine,  and  the  greatest  distinction  a 
duck  can  enjoy ;  it  signifies  that  one  does  not 
want  to  lose  her,  and  that  she  's  to  be  known  by 
the  animals  and  by  men  too.  Shake  yourselves 
—  don't  turn  in  your  toes ;  a  well  brought-up 
duck  turns  its  toes  quite  out,  just  like  father  and 
mother,  —  so !  Now  bend  your  necks  and  say 
Quack ! '" 


And  they  did  so  :  but  the  other  ducks  round 
about  looked  at  them,  and  said  quite  boldly,  — 

"Look  there!  now  we 're  to  have  these  hang, 
ing  on,  as  if  there  were  not  enough  of  us  already  ! 
And  —  fie  !  —  how  that  duckling  yonder  looks  ; 
we  won't  stand  that !  "  And  one  duck  flew  up  at 
it,  and  bit  it  in  the  neck. 

"Let  it  alone,"  said  the  mother;  "it  does  no 
harm  to  any  one." 

"  Yes,  but  it's  too  large  and  peculiar,"  said  the 
Duck  who  had  bitten  it;  "and  therefore  it  must 
be  put  down." 

"Those  are  pretty  children  that  the  mother  has 
there,"  said  the  old  Duck  with  the  rag  round  her 
leg.  "  They  're  all  pretty  but  that  one  ;  that  was 
rather  unlucky.  I  wish  she  could  bear  it  over 
again." 

"That  cannot  be  done,  my  lady,"  replied  the 
Mother-Duck.  "  It  is  not  pretty,  but  it  has  a 
really  good  disposition,  and  swims  as  well  as  any 
other ;  yes,  I  may  even  say  it,  swims  better.  I 
think  it  will  grow  up  pretty,  and  become  smaller 
in  time ;  it  has  lain  too  long  in  the  egg,  and  there- 
fore is  not  projDerly  shaped."  And  then  she 
pinched  it  in  the  neck,  and  smoothed  its  feathers. 
"  Moreover,  it  is  a  drake,"  she  said,  "  and  therefore 
it  is  not  of  so  much  consequence.  I  think  he  will 
be  very  strong :   he  makes  his  way  already." 

"  The  other  ducklings  are  graceful  enough," 
said  the  old  Duck.  "  Make  yourself  at  home  ;  and 
if  you  find  an  eel's  head,  you  may  bring  it  me." 

And  now  they  were  at  home.  But  the  poor 
Duckling  which  had  crept  last  out  of  the  egg,  and 
looked  so  ugly,  was  bitten  and  pushed  and  jeered, 
as  much  by  the  ducks  as  by  the  chickens. 

"  It  is  too  big !  "  they  all  said.  And  the  turkey- 
cock,  who  had  been  born  with  spurs,  and  therefore 
thought  himself  an  emperor,  blew  himself  up  like 
a  ship  in  full  sail,  and  bore  straight  down  upon  it; 
then  he  gobbled  and  grew  quite  red  in  the  face. 
The  poor  Duckling  did  not  know  where  it  should 
stand  or  walk ;  it  was  quite  melancholy  because  it 
looked  ugly,  and  was  the  butt  of  the  whole  duck- 
yard. 

So  it  went  on  the  first  day ;  and  afterwards  it 


164 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


became  worse  and  worse.  The  poor  Duckling  was 
hunted  about  by  every  one  ;  even  its  brothers  and 
sisters  were  quite  angry  with  it,  and  said,  "  If  the 
cat  would  only  catch  you,  you  ugly  creature ! " 
And  the  mother  said,  "  If  you  were  only  far 
away  !  "  And  the  ducks  bit  it,  and  the  chickens 
beat  it,  and  the  girl  who  had  to  feed  the  poultry 
kicked  at  it  with  her  foot. 

Then  it  ran  and  flew  over  the  fence,  and  the  lit- 
tle birds  in  the  bushes  flew  up  in  fear. 

"  That  is  because  I  am  so  ugly  !  "  thought  the 
Duckling  ;  and  it  shut  its  eyes,  but  flew  on  far- 
ther, and  so  it  came  out  into  the  great  moor,  where 
the  wild  ducks  lived.  Here  it  lay  the  whole  night 
long;  and  it  was  weary  and  downcast. 

Towards  morning  the  wild  ducks  flew  up,  and 
looked  at  their  new  companion. 

"What  sort  of  a  one  are  you?"  they  asked; 
and  the  Duckling  turned  in  every  direction,  and 
bowed  as  well  as  it  could.  "  You  are  remarkably 
ugly  !  "  said  the  Wild  Ducks.  "  But  that  is  noth- 
ing to  us,  so  long  as  you  do  not  marry  into  our 
family." 

Poor  thing  !  it  certainly  did  not  think  of  mark- 
ing, and  only  hoped  to  obtain  leave  to  lie  among 
the  reeds  and  drink  some  of  the  swamp  water. 

Thus  it  lay  two  whole  days;  then  came  thither 
two  wild  geese,  or,  properly  speaking,  two  wild 
ganders.  It  was  not  long  since  each  had  crept 
out  of  an  egg,  and  that 's  why  they  were  so  saucy. 

"  Listen,  comrade,"  said  one  of  them.  "  You  're 
so  ugly  that  I  like  you.  Will  you  go  with  us,  and 
become  a  bird  of  passage?  Near  here,  in  another 
moor,  there  are  a  few  sweet  lovely  wild  geese,  all 
unmarried,  and  all  able  to  say  '  Rap  ?  '  You  've  a 
chance  of  making  your  fortune,  ugly  as  you  are." 

"  Pi  ft' !  paff  !  "  resounded  through  the  air ;  and 
the  two  ganders  fell  down  dead  in  the  swamp,  and 
the  water  became  blood  red.  "  Piff  !  paff  !  "  it 
sounded  again,  and  the  whole  flock  of  wild  geese 
rose  up  from  the  reeds.  And  then  there  was  an- 
other report.  A  great  hunt  was  going  on.  The 
sportsmen  were  lying  in  wait  all  round  the  moor, 
and  some  were  even  sitting  up  in  the  branches  of 
the  trees,  which  spread  far  over  the  reeds.     The 


blue  smoke  rose  up  like  clouds  among  the  dark 
trees,  and  was  wafted  far  away  across  the  water ; 
and  the  hunting  dogs  came  —  splash,  splash!  — 
into  the  swamp,  and  the  rushes  and  the  reeds  bent 
down  on  every  side.  That  was  a  fright  for  the 
poor  Duckling !  It  turned  its  head,  and  put  it  un- 
der its  wing;  but  at  that  moment  a  frightful  great 
dog  stood  close  by  the  Duckling.  His  tongue 
hung  far  out  of  his  mouth,  and  his  eyes  gleamed 
horrible  and  ugly ;  he  thrust  out  his  nose  close 
against  the  Duckling,  showed  his  sharp  teeth, 
and  —  splash,  splash  !  —  on  he  went,  without  seiz- 
ing it. 

"  Oh,  Heaven  be  thanked  !  "  sighed  the  Duck- 
ling. "  I  am  so  ugly  that  even  the  dog  does  not 
like  to  bite  me  !  " 

And  so  it  lay  quite  quiet,  while  the  shots  rattled 
through  the  reeds  and  gun  after  gun  was  fired. 
At  last,  late  in  the  day,  all  was  still ;  but  the  poor 
Duckling  did  not  dare  to  rise  up  ;  it  waited  several 
hours  before  it  looked  round,  and  then  hastened 
away  out  of  the  moor  as  fast  as  it  could.  It  ran 
on  over  field  and  meadow ;  there  was  such  a  storm 
raging  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  from  one  place  to 
another. 

Towards  evening  the  Duck  came  to  a  little  mis- 
erable peasant's  hut.  This  hut  was  so  dilapidated 
that  it  did  not  itself  know  on  which  side  it  should 
fall ;  and  that's  why  it  remained  standing.  The 
storm  whistled  round  the  Duckling  in  such  a  way 
that  the  poor  creature  was  obliged  to  sit  down,  to 
stand  against  it ;  and  the  wind  blew  worse  and 
worse.  Then  the  Duckling  noticed  that  one  of 
the  hinges  of  the  door  had  given  way,  and  the 
door  hung  so  slanting  that  the  Duckling  could  slip 
through  the  crack  into  the  room  ;  and  that  is  what 
it  did. 

Here  lived  a  woman,  with  her  Cat  and  her  Hen. 
And  the  Cat,  whom  she  call  Sonnie,  could  arch 
his  back  and  purr,  he  could  even  give  out  sparks  ; 
but  for  that  one  had  to  stroke  his  fur  the  wrong 
way.  The  Hen  had  quite  little,  short  legs,  and 
therefore  she  was  called  Chickabiddy  Shortshanks  ; 
she  laid  good  eggs,  and  the  woman  loved  her  as 
her  own  child. 


THE    UGLY  DUCKLING. 


165 


In  the  morning  the  strange  Duckling  was  at 
once  noticed,  and  the  Cat  began  to  purr  and  the 
Hen  to  cluck. 

"  What 's  this  ?  "  said  the  woman,  and  looked 
all  round  ;  but  she  could  not  see  well,  and  there- 
fore she  thought  the  Duckling  was  a  fat  duck  that 


This  is  a  rare  prize  !  "  she  said, 
have 
hope 
We 


had  strayed.  ' 
"Now  I  shall 
duck's  eggs.  I 
it  is  not  a  drake 
must  try  that." 

And  so  the  Duck- 
ling was  admitted  on 
trial  for  three  weeks  ; 
but  no  eggs  came. 
And  the  Cat  was  mas- 
ter of  the  house,  and 
the  Hen  was  the  lady, 
and  always  said  "  We 
and  the  world  !  "  for 
she  thought  they  were 
half  the  world,  and  by 
far  the  better  half. 

The  Duckling 
thought  one  might 
have  a  different  opin- 
ion, but  the  Hen 
would  not  allow  it. 

"Can  you  lay 
eggs  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No." 

"Then  will  you 
nold  your  tongue  !  " 

And  the  Cat  said, 
"  Can  you    curve  your   back,  and  purr,  and  give 
out  sparks  ?" 

"  No." 

"  Then  you  will  please  have  no  opinion  of  your 
own  when  sensible  folks  are  speaking." 

And  the  Duckling  sat  in  a  corner  and  was  mel- 
ancholy; then  the  fresh  air  and  the  sunshine 
streamed  in  ;  and  it  was  seized  with  such  a  strange 
longing  to  swim  on  the  water,  that  it  could  not 
help  telling  the  Hen  of  it. 

"What  are  you  thinking  of?"  cried  the  Hen. 


"  You  have  nothing  to  do,  that 's  why  you  have 
these  fancies.  Lay  eggs,  or  purr,  and  they  will 
pass  over." 

"  But  it  is  so  charming  to  swim  on  the  water  !  " 
said  the  Duckling,  "  so  refreshing  to  let  it  close 
above  one's  head,  and  to  dive  down  to  the  bot- 
tom." 

"  Yes,  that  must  be 
a    mighty   pleasure, 
truly,"  quoth  the  Hen, 
"  I    fancy    you    must 
have  gone  crazy.   Ask 
the    Cat  about    it,  — 
he  's  the  cleverest  an- 
imal   I    know,  —  ask 
him  if  he  likes  to  swim 
the    water,  or    to 
I    won't 
myself. 


^12;=?-     on 


dive  down  : 
speak  about 
Ask  our  mistress,  the 
old  woman  ;  no  one  in 
the  word  is  cleverer 
than  she.  Do  you 
think  she  has  any 
desire  to  swim,  and 
to  let  the  water  close 
above  her  head  ?  " 

"  You  don't  under- 
stand me,"  said  the 
Duckling. 

"  W  e  don't  under- 
stand you?  Then 
pray  who  is  to  un- 
derstand you  ?  You 
surely  don't  pretend  to  be  cleverer  than  the  Cat 
and  the  woman  —  I  won't  say  anything  of  my- 
self. Don't  be  conceited,  child,  and  thank  your 
Muker  for  all  the  kindness  you  have  received. 
Did  you  not  get  into  a  warm  room,  and  have  you 
not  fallen  into  company  from  which  you  may  learn 
something?  But  you  are  a  chatterer,  and  it  is 
not  pleasant  to  associate  with  you.  You  may 
believe  me,  I  speak  for  your  good.  I  tell  you 
disagreeable  things,  and  by  that  one  may  always 
know   one's    true  friends!     Only   take    care   that 


166 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


you  learn  to  lay  eggs,  or  to  purr,  and  give  out 
sparks ! " 

"  I  think  I  will  go  out  into  the  wide  world," 
said  the  Duckling. 

"  Yes,  do  go,"  replied  the  Hen. 

And  so  the  Duckling  went  away.  It  swam  on 
the  water,  and  dived,  but  it  was  slighted  by  every 
creature  because  of  its  ugliness. 

Now  came  the  autumn.  The  leaves  in  the  for- 
est turned  yellow  and  brown  ;  the  wind  caught 
them  so  that  they  danced  about,  and  up  in  the  air 
it  was  very  cold.  The  clouds  hung  low,  heavy 
with  hail  and  snow-flakes,  and  on  the  fence  stood 
the  raven,  crying,  "  Croak !  croak  !  "  for  mere 
cold ;  yes,  it  was  enough  to  make  one  feel  cold  to 
think  of  this.  The  poor  little  Duckling  certainly 
had  not  a  good  time.  One  evening  —  the  sun  was 
just  setting  in  his  beauty  —  there  came  a  whole 
flock  of  great,  handsome  birds  out  of  the  bushes  ; 
they  were  dazzlingly  white,  with  long,  flexible 
necks  ;  they  were  swans.  They  uttered  a  very  pe- 
culiar cry,  spread  forth  their  glorious  great  wings, 
and  flew  away  from  that  cold  region  to  warmer 
lands,  to  fair  open  lakes.  They  mounted  so 
high,  so  high !  and  the  ugly  Duckling  felt  quite 
strangely  as  it  watched  them.  It  turned  round 
and  round  in  the  water  like  a  wheel,  stretched  out 
its  neck  towards  them,  and  uttered  such  a  strange, 
loud  cry  as  frightened  itself.  Oh  !  it  could  not 
forget  those  beautiful,  happy  birds  ;  and  so  soon 
as  it  could  see  them  no  longer,  it  dived  down  to 
the  very  bottom,  and  when  it  came  up  again  it 
was  quite  beside  itself.  It  knew  not  the  name  of 
those  birds,  and  knew  not  whither  they  were  fl}T- 
ing ;  but  it  loved  them  more  than  it  had  ever 
loved  any  one.  It  was  not  at  all  envious  of  them. 
How  could  it  think  of  wishing  to  possess  such 
loveliness  as  they  had  ?  It  would  have  been  glad 
if  only  the  ducks  would  have  endured  its  company 
—  the  poor,  ugly  creature  ! 

And  the  winter  grew  cold,  very  cold !  The 
Duckling  was  forced  to  swim  about  in  the  water, 
to  prevent  the  surface  from  freezing  entirely  ;  but 
every  night  the  hole  in  which  it  swam  about  be- 
came smaller  and  smaller.     It  froze  so  hard  that 


the  icy  covering  crackled  again  ;  and  the  Duck- 
ling was  obliged  to  use  its  legs  continually  to  pre- 
vent the  hole  from  freezing  up.  At  last  it  became 
exhausted,  and  lay  quite  still,  and  thus  froze  fast 
into  the  ice. 

Early  in  the  morning  a  peasant  came  by,  and 
when  he  saw  what  had  happened,  he  took  his 
wooden  shoe,  broke  the  ice -crust  to  pieces,  and 
carried  the  Duckling  home  to  his  wife.  Then  it 
came  to  itself  again.  The  children  wanted  to 
play  with  it  ;  but  the  Duckling  thought  they 
wanted  to  hurt  it,  and  in  its  terror  fluttered  up 
into  the  milk-pan,  so  that  the  milk  spurted  down 
into  the  room.  The  woman  clasped  her  hands,  at 
which  the  Duckling  flew  down  into  the  butter-tub, 
and  then  into  the  meal-barrel  and  out  again.  How 
it  looked  then  !  The  woman  screamed,  and  struck 
at  it  with  the  fire-tongs ;  the  children  tumbled 
over  one  another  in  their  efforts  to  catch  the 
Duckling ;  and  they  laughed  and  they  screamed  ! 
—  well  it  was  that  the  door  stood  open,  and  the 
poor  creature  was  able  to  slip  out  between  the 
shrubs  into  the  newly-fallen  snow  —  there  it  lay 
quite  exhausted. 

But  it  would  be  too  melancholy  if  I  were  to  tell 
all  the  misery  and  care  which  the  Duckling  had 
to  endure  in  the  hard  winter.  It  lay  out  on  the 
moor  among  the  reeds,  when  the  sun  began  to 
shine  again  and  the  larks  to  sing  :  it  was  a  beauti- 
ful spring. 

Then  all  at  once  the  Duckling  could  flap  its 
wings  :  they  beat  the  air  more  strongly  than  be- 
fore, and  bore  it  strongly  away ;  and  before  it 
well  knew  how  all  this  happened,  it  found  itself  in 
a  great  garden,  where  the  elder-trees  smelt  sweet, 
and  bent  their  long  green  branches  down  to  the 
canal  that  wound  through  the  region.  Oh,  here  it 
was  so  beautiful,  such  a  gladness  of  spring !  and 
from  the  thicket  came  three  glorious  white  swans  ; 
they  rustled  their  wings,  and  swam  lightly  on  the 
water.  The  Duckling  knew  the  splendid  creat- 
ures, and  felt  oppressed  by  a  peculiar  sadness. 

"  I  will  fly  away  to  them,  to  the  royal  birds ! 
and  they  will  beat  me,  because  I,  that  am  so  ugly, 
dare  to  come  near  them.     But  it  is  all  the  same. 


THE  FIR-TREE. 


161 


Better  to  be  killed  by  them  than  to  be  pursued  by 

ducks,  and  beaten  by  fowls,  and  pushed  about  by 

the  girl  who  takes  care  of  the  poultry  yard,  and  to 

suffer  hunger  in  winter  !  "     And  it  flew  out  into 

the  water,  and  swam  towards  the  beautiful  swans  : 

these  looked  at  it,  and  came  sailing  down  upon  it 

with  outspread  wings. 

"  Kill  me  !  "  said  the 

poor  creature,  and  bent 

its    head    down    upon 

the    water,    expecting 

nothing    but    death. 

But    what    was     this 

that  it  saw  in  the  clear 

water  ?    It  beheld  its 

own   image ;    and,  lo  ! 

it    was     no     longer    a 

clumsy  dark-gray  bird, 

ugly    and    hateful    to 

look  at,  but  a  —  swan  ! 

It  matters  nothing  if  one  is  born  in  a  duck-yard 
if  one  has  onlv  lain  in  a  swan's  egg. 

It  felt  quite  glad  at  all  the  need  and  misfortune 
it  had  suffered,  now  it  realized  its  happiness  in  all 
the  splendor  that  surrounded  it.  And  the  great 
swans  swam  round  it,  and  stroked  it  with  their 
beaks. 

Into  the  garden  came  little  children,  who  threw 
bread  and  corn  into  the  water  ;  and  the  youngest 


cried,  "  There  is  a  new  one  !  "  and  the  other  chil- 
dren shouted  joyously,  "  Yes,  a  new  one  has  ar- 
rived !  "  And  they  clapped  their  hands  and  danced 
about,  and  ran  to  their  father  and  mother  ;  and 
bread  and  cake  were  thrown  into  the  water ;  and 
they  all  said,  "  The  new  one  is  the  most  beauti- 
ful of  all !  so  young 
and  handsome  .'  "  and 
the  old  swans  bowed 
their  heads  before 
him.  Then  he  felt 
quite  ashamed,  and 
hid  his  head  under 
his  wings,  for  he  did 
not  know  what  to  do  ; 
he  was  so  happy,  and 
yet  not  at  all  proud. 
He  thought  how  he 
had  been  persecuted 
and  despised  ;  and 
now  he  heard  them  saying  that  he  was  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  birds.  Even  the  elder-tree 
bent  its  branches  straight  down  into  the  water 
before  him,  and  the  sun  shone  warm  and  mild. 
Then  his  wings  rustled,  he  lifted  his  slender  neck, 
and  cried  rejoicingly  from  the  depths  of  his 
heart,  — 

"  I  never  dreamed  of  so  much  happiness  when  I 
was  the  Ugly  Duckling  !  " 


THE   FIR-TREE. 


Out  in  the  woods  stood  a  nice  little  Fir-tree. 
The  place  he  had  was  a  very  good  one  ;  the  sun 
shone  on  him  ;  as  to  fresh  air,  there  was  enough 
of  that,  and  round  him  grew  many  large-sized 
comrades,  pines  as  well  as  firs.  But  the  little  Fir 
wanted  so  very  much  to  be  a  grown-up  tree. 

He  did  not  think  of  the  warm  sun  and  of  the 
fresh  air ;  he  did  not  care  for  the  little  cottage- 
children  that  ran  about  and  prattled  when  they 
were  in  the  woods  looking  for  wild  strawberries. 
The  children  often  came  with  a  whole  pitcher  full 
of  strawberries,  or  a  long  row  of  them  threaded 


on  a  straw,  and  sat  down  near  the  young  tree 
and  said,  "  Oh,  how  pretty  he  is  !  what  a  nice  little 
fir !  "  But  this  was  what  the  tree  could  not  bear 
to  hear. 

At  the  end  of  a  year  he  had  shot  up  a  good  deal, 
and  after  another  year  he  was  another  long  bit 
taller  ;  for  with  fir-trees  one  can  always  tell  by 
the  shoots  how  many  years  old  they  are. 

"  Oh,  were  I  but  such  a  high  tree  as  the  others 
are,"  sighed  he.  "  Then  I  should  be  able  to  spread 
out  my  branches,  and  with  the  tops  to  look  into 
the  wide   world !      Then   would    the   birds  build 


168 


STORIES  FROM  HANs    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


nests  among  my  branches ;  and  when  there  was 
a  breeze,  I  could  bend  with  as  much  stateliness  as 
the  others  ! " 

Neither  the  sunbeams,  nor  the  birds,  nor  the 
red  clouds  which  morning  and  evening  sailed  above 
him,  gave  the  little  tree  any  pleasure. 

In  winter,  when  the  snow  lay  glittering  on  the 
ground,  a  hare  would  often  come  leaping  along,  and 
jump  right  over  the  little  tree.  Oh,  that  made 
him  so  angry  !  But  two  winters  were  past,  and 
in  the  third  the  tree  was  so  large  that  the  hare 
was  obliged  to  go  round  it.  "  To  grow  and  grow, 
to  get  older  and  be  tall,"  thought  the  tree, — 
"  that,  after  all,  is  the  most  delightful  thing  in 
the  world !  "  , 


When  Christmas 


In  autumn  the 
wood-cutters  always 
came  and  felled  some 
of  the  largest  trees. 
This  happened  every 
year  ;  and  the  young 
Fir-tree,  that  had 
now  grown  to  a  very 
comely  size,  trembled 
at  the  sight ;  for  the 
magnificent  great 
trees  fell  to  the  earth 
with  noise  and  cracking,  the  branches  were  lopped 
off,  and  the  trees  looked  long  and  bare :  they 
were  hardly  to  be  recognized ;  and  then  they  were 
laid  in  carts,  and  the  horses  dragged  them  out 
of  the  wood. 

Where  did  they  go  to  ?  What  became  of 
them  ? 

In  spring,  when  the  Swallows  and  the  Storks 
came,  the  tree  asked  them,  "  Don't  you  know 
where  they  have  been  taken  ?  Have  you  not 
met  them  anywhere  ?  " 

The  Swallows  did  not  know  anything  about  it; 
but  the  Stork  looked  musing,  nodded  his  head, 
and  said,  "  Yes ;  I  think  I  know  ;  I  met  many 
ships  as  I  was  flying  hither  from  Egypt ;  on  the 
ships  were  magnificent  masts,  and  I  venture  to  as- 
sert that  it  was  they  that  smelt  so  of  fir.     I  may 


congratulate  you,  for  they  lifted    themselves   on 

high  most  majestically  !  " 

"  Oh,  were  I  but   old  enough  to  fly  across  the 

sea  !    But  how  does  the  sea  look  in  reality  ?  What 

it  is  like  ?  " 

"  That  would  take    a    long    time   to   explain," 

said  the  Stork,  and  with  these  words  off  he  went. 
"  Rejoice  in  thy  growth  !  "  said  the  Sunbeams, 

"  rejoice  in  thy  vigorous  growth,  and  in  the  fresh 

life  that  moveth  within  thee  !  " 

And   the   Wind  kissed  the  tree,   and  the  Dew 

wept  tears  over  him  ;  but  the  Fir  understood  it 

not. 

came,  quite  young  trees  were 
cut  down  ;  trees  which 
often  were  not  even 
as  large  or  of  the 
same  age  as  this  Fir- 
tree,  who  could  never 
rest,  but  always 
wanted  to  be  off. 
These  young  trees, 
and  they  were  always 
the  finest  looking,  re- 
tained their  branches ; 
they  were  laid  on 
carts,  and  the  horses 


drew  them  out  of  the  wood. 

"  Where  are  they  going  to  ?  "  asked  the  Fir. 
"  They  are  not  taller  than  I  ;  there  was  one  in- 
deed that  was  considerably  shorter ;  —  and  why 
do  they  retain  all  their  branches  ?  Whither  are 
they  taken  ? ' 


We  know !  we  know  ! "  chirped  the  Spar- 
rows. "  We  have  peeped  in  at  the  windows  in 
the  town  below !  We  know  whither  they  are 
taken  !  The  greatest  splendor  and  the  greatest 
magnificence  one  can  imagine  await  them.  We 
peeped  through  the  windows,  and  saw  them 
planted  in  the  middle  of  the  warm  room,  and  or- 
namented with  the  most  splendid  things,  —  with 
gilded  apples,  with  gingerbread,  with  toys,  and 
many  hundred  lights  !  " 

"And   then?"    asked  the    Fir-tree,    trembling 


THE  FIR-TREE. 


169 


ha  every  bough.     "  And  then  ?      What  happens 
then  ?  " 

"  We  did  not  see  anything  more  :  it  was  in- 
comparably beautiful." 

"  I  would  fain  know  if  I  am  destined  for  so 
glorious  a  career,"  cried  the  tree,  rejoicing.  "  That 
is  still  better  than  to  cross  the  sea  !  What  a  long- 
ing do  I  suffer  !  Were  Christmas  but  come  !  I 
am  now  tall,  and  my  branches  spread  like  the 
others  that  were  carried  off  last  year  !  Oh,  were 
I  but  already  on  the  cart !  Were  I  in  the  warm 
room  with  all  the  splendor  and  magnificence  ! 
Yes  ;  then  something  better,  something  still 
grander,  will  surely  follow,  or  wherefore  should 
they  thus  ornament  me  ?  Something  better,  some- 
thing still  grander,  must  follow  —  but  what  ?  Oh, 
how  I  long,  how  I  suffer !  I  do  not  know  myself 
what  is  the  matter  with  me  !  " 

"  Rejoice  in  our  presence  !  "  said  the  Air  and 
the  Sunlight ;   "  rejoice  in  thy  own  fresh  youth  !  " 

But  the  tree  did  not  rejoice  at  all ;  he  grew 
and  grew,  and  was  green  both  winter  and  sum- 
mer. People  that  saw  him  said,  "  What  a  fine 
tree  !  "  and  towards  Christmas  he  was  one  of  the 
first  that  was  cut  down.  The  axe  struck  deep 
into  the  very  pith ;  the  tree  fell  to  the  earth  with 
a  sigh  :  he  felt  a  pang  —  it  was  like  a  swoon  ;  he 
could  not  think  of  happiness,  for  he  was  sorrowful 
at  being  separated  from  his  home,  from  the  place 
where  he  had  sprung  up.  He  well  knew  that  he 
should  never  see  his  dear  old  comrades,  the  little 
bushes  and  flowers  around  him,  any  more ;  per- 
haps not  even  the  birds !  The  departure  was  not 
at  all  agreeable. 

The  tree  only  came  to  himself  when  he  was 
unloaded  in  a  courtyard  with  the  other  trees,  and 
heard  a  man  say,  "  That  one  is  splendid  !  we  don't 
want  the  others."  Then  two  servants  came  in 
rich  livery  and  carried  the  Fir-tree  into  a  large 
and  splendid  drawing-room.  Portraits  were  hang- 
ing on  the  walls,  and  near  the  white  porcelain 
stove  stood  two  large  Chinese  vases  with  lions  on 
the  covers.  There,  too,  were  large  easy-chairs, 
silken  sofas,  large  tables  full  of  pieture-books, 
and  full  of  toys  worth  hundreds  and  hundreds  of 


crowns  —  at  least  the  children  said  so.  And  the 
Fir-tree  was  stuck  upright  in  a  cask  that  was 
filled  with  sand  :  but  no  one  could  see  that  it  was 
a  cask,  for  green  cloth  was  hung  all  round  it,  and 
it  stood  on  a  large  gayly-colored  carpet.  Oh,  how 
the  tree  quivered  !  What  was  to  happen  ?  The 
servants,  as  well  as  the  young  ladies,  decorated  it. 
On  one  branch  there  hung  little  nets  cut  out  of 
colored  paper,  and  each  net  was  filled  with  sugar- 
plums ;  and  among  the  other  boughs  gilded  apples 
and  walnuts  were  suspended,  looking  as  though 
they  had  grown  there,  and  little  blue  and  white 
tapers  were  placed  among  the  leaves.  Dolls  that 
looked  for  all  the  world  like  men — the  tree  had 
never  beheld  such  before  —  were  seen  among  the 
foliage,  and  at  the  very  top  a  large  star  of  gold 
tinsel  was  fixed.  It  was  really  splendid  —  beyond 
description  splendid. 

"This  evening!"  said  they  all  ;  "how  it  will 
shine  this  evening !  " 

"  Oh,"  thought  the  tree,  "  if  the  evening  were 
but  come  !  If  the  tapers  were  but  lighted  !  And 
then  I  wonder  what  will  happen  !  Perhaps  the 
other  trees  from  the  forest  will  come  to  look  at, 
me !  Perhaps  the  sparrows  will  beat  against  the 
window-panes  !  I  wonder  if  I  shall  take  root  here,, 
and  winter  and  summer  stand  covered  with  ornar 
ments !  " 

He  knew  very  much  about  the  matter !  but  he 
was  so  impatient  that  for  sheer  longing  he  got  a 
pain  in  his  back,  and  this  with  trees  is  the  same 
thing  as  a  headache  with  us. 

The  candles  were  now  lighted.  What  brirrht- 
ness  !  What  splendor  !  The  tree  trembled  so  in 
every  bough  that  one  of  the  tapers  set  fire  to  the 
foliage.     It  blazed  up  splendidly. 

"  Help !  help !  "  cried  the  young  ladies,  and 
they  quickly  put  out  the  fire. 

Now  the  tree  did  not  even  dare  tremble.  What 
a  state  he  was  in  !  He  was  so  uneasy  lest  he  should 
lose  something  of  his  splendor,  that  he  was  quite 
bewildered  amidst  the  glare  and  brightness ;  when 
suddenly  both  folding-doors  opened,  and  a  troop 
of  children  rushed  in  as  if  they  would  upset  the 
tree.      The    older   persons  followed  quietly  ;    the 


170 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


little  ones  stood  quite  still.  But  it  was  only  for  a 
moment ;  then  they  shouted  so  that  the  whole 
place  reechoed  with  their  rejoicing ;  they  danced 
round  the  tree,  and  one  present  after  the  other 
was  pulled  off. 

"What  are  they  about?"  thought  the  tree. 
"What  is  to  happen  now!"  And  the  lights 
burned  down  to  the  very  branches,  and  as  they 
burned  down  they  were  put  out  one  after  the 
other,  and  then  the  children  had  permission  to 
plunder  the  tree.  So  they  fell  upon  it  with  such 
violence  that  all  its  branches  cracked  ;  if  it  had 
not  been  fixed  firmly  in  the  cask,  it  would  certainly 
have  tumbled  down. 

The  children  danced  about  with  their  beautiful 
playthings ;  no  one  looked  at  the  tree  except  the 
old  nurse,  who  peeped  between  the  branches  ;  but 
it  was  only  to  see  if  there  was  a  fig  or  an  apple 
left  that  had  been  forgotten. 

"  A  story  !  a  story  !  "  cried  the  children,  draw- 
ing a  little  fat  man  towards  the  tree.  He  seated 
himself  under  it,  and  said,  "  Now  we  are  in  the 
shade,  and  the  tree  can  listen  too.  But  I  shall 
tell  only  one  story.  Now  which  will  you  have  ; 
that  about  Ivedy-Avedy,  or  about  Klumpy-Dumpy 
who  tumbled  down-stairs,  and  yet  after  all  came 
to  the  throne  and  married  the  princess  ?  " 

"  Ivedy-Avedy,"  cried  some ;  "  Klumpy-Dumpy," 
cried  the  others.  There  was  such  a  bawling  and 
screaming  !  —  the  Fir-tree  alone  was  silent,  and 
he  thought  to  himself,  "  Am  I  not  to  bawl  with 
the  rest  ?  —  am  I  to  do  nothing  whatever  ?  "  for 
he  was  one  of  the  company,  and  had  done  what 
he  had  to  do. 

And  the  man  told  about  Klumpy-Dumpy  that 
tumbled  down,  who  notwithstanding  came  to  the 
throne,  and  at  last  married  the  princess.  And 
the  children  clapped  their  hands,  and  cried  out, 
"  Oh,  go  on  !  Do  go  on  !  "  They  wanted  to  hear 
about  Ivedy-Avedy  too,  but  the  little  man  only  told 
them  about  Klumpy-Dumpy.  The  Fir-tree  stood 
quite  still  and  absorbed  in  thought :  the  birds 
in  the  wood  had  never  related  the  like  of  this, 
"  Klumpy-Dumpy  fell  down-stairs,  and  yet  he 
married  the  princess  !     Yes,  yes  !   that  'a  the  way 


of  the  world  !  "  thought  the  Fir-tree,  and  believed 
it  all,  because  the  man  who  told  the  story  was  so 
good-looking.  "  Well,  well !  who  knows,  perhaps 
I  may  fall  down-stairs  too,  and  get  a  princess  as 
wife  !  "  And  he  looked  forward  with  joy  to  the 
morrow,  when  he  hoped  to  be  decked  out  again 
with  lights,  playthings,  fruits,  and  tinsel. 

"  I  won't  tremble  to-morrow  !  "  thought  the  Fir- 
tree.  "I  will  enjoy  to  the  full  all  my  splendor! 
To-morrow  I  shall  hear  again  the  story  of  Klumpj'- 
Dumpy,  and  perhaps  that  of  Ivedy-Avedy  too." 
And  the  whole  night  the  tree  stood  still  and  in 
deep  thought. 

In  the  morning  the  servant  and  the  housemaid 
came  in. 

"  Now  then  the  splendor  will  begin  again," 
thought  the  Fir.  But  they  dragged  him  out  of 
the  room,  and  up  the  stairs  into  the  loft  ;  and  here 
in  a  dark  corner,  where  no  daylight  could  enter, 
they  left  him.  "What's  the  meaning  of  this?" 
thought  the  tree.  "  What  am  I  to  do  here  ? 
What  shall  I  hear  now,  I  wonder  ?  "  And  he 
leaned  against  the  wall  lost  in  reverie.  Time 
enough  had  he  too  for  his  reflections  :  for  days 
and  nights  passed  on,  and  nobody  came  up  ;  and 
when  at  last  somebody  did  come,  it  was  only  to 
put  some  great  trunks  in  a  corner  out  of  the  way. 
There  stood  the  tree  quite  hidden  ;  it  seemed  as 
if  he  had  been  entirely  forgotten. 

"  'T  is  now  winter  out-of-doors  !  "  thought  the 
tree.  "  The  earth  is  hard  and  covered  with  snow ; 
men  cannot  plant  me  now,  and  therefore  I  have 
been  put  up  here  under  shelter  till  the  spring- 
time comes  !  How  thoughtful  that  is  !  How  kind 
man  is,  after  all !  If  it  only  were  not  so  dark 
here,  and  so  terribly  lonely !  Not  even  a  hare. 
And  out  in  the  woods  it  was  so  pleasant,  when 
the  snow  was  on  the  ground,  and  the  hare  leaped 
by;  yes  —  even  when  he  jumped  over  me:  but  I 
did  not  like  it  then.  It  is  really  terribly  lonely 
here !  " 

"  Squeak  !  squeak !  "  said  a  little  Mouse  at  the 
same  moment,  peeping  out  of  his  hole.  And  then 
another  little  one  came.  They  snuffed  about  the 
Fir-tree,  and  rustled  among  the  branches. 


THE  FIR-TREE. 


171 


'■'  It  is  dreadfully  cold,"  said  the  Mouse.  "  But 
for  that,  it  would  be  delightful  here,  old  Fir, 
would  n't  it  ?  " 

"  I  am  by  no  means  old,"  said  the  Fir-tree. 
"  There  's  many  a  one  considerably  older  than  I 
am." 

"Where  do  you  come  from,"  asked  the  Mice; 
"  and  what  can  you  do  ?  "  They  were  so  extremely 
curious.  "  Tell  us  about  the  most  beautiful  spot 
on  the  earth.  Have  you  never  been  there  ?  Were 
you  never  in  the  larder,  where  cheeses  lie  on  the 
shelves,  and  hams  hang  from  above ;  where  one 
dances  about  on  tallow  candles  ;  that  place  where 
one  enters  lean,  and  comes  out  again  fat  and 
portly?" 

"  I  know  no  such  place,"  said  the  tree.  "  But 
I  know  the  wood,  where  the  sun  shines,  and  where 
the  little  birds  sing."  And  then  he  told  all  about 
his  youth ;  and  the  little  Mice  had  never  heard 
the  like  before  ;  and  they  listened  and  said,  — 

"  Well,  to  be  sure  !  How  much  you  have  seen  ! 
How  happy  you  must  have  been!  " 

"  I !  "  said  the  Fir-tree,  thinking  over  what  he 
had  himself  related.  "  Yes,  in  reality  those  were 
happy  times."  And  then  he  told  about  Christmas 
Eve,  when  he  was  decked  out  with  cakes  and  can- 
dles. 

"  Oh,"  said  the  little  Mice,  "  how  fortunate  you 
have  been,  old  Fir-tree  !  " 

"  I  am  by  no  means  old,"  said  he.  "  I  came 
from  the  wood  this  winter ;  I  am  in  my  prime, 
and  am  only  rather  short  for  my  age." 

"  What  delightful  stories  you  know  !  "  said  the 
Mice :  and  the  next  night  they  came  with  four 
other  little  Mice,  who  were  to  hear  what  the  tree 
recounted ;  and  the  more  he  related,  the  more 
plainly  he  remembered  all  himself;  and  it  ap- 
peared as  if  those  times  had  really  been  happy 
times.  "But  they  may  still  come  —  they  may 
still  come.  Klumpy-Dumpy  fell  down-stairs,  and 
yet  he  got  a  princess  !  "  and  he  thought  at  the 
moment  _of  a  nice  little  Birch-tree  growing  out 
in  the  woods :  to  the  Fir,  that  would  be  a  real 
charming  princess. 

"  Who  is  Klumpy-Dumpy  ?  "  asked  the   Mice. 


So  then  the  Fir-tree  told  the  whole  fairy  tale,  for 
he  could  remember  every  single  word  of  it ;  and  the 
little  Mice  jumped  for  joy  up  to  the  very  top  of  the 
tree.  Next  night  two  more  Mice  came,  and  on 
Sunday  two  Rats,  even  ;  but  they  said  the  stories 
were  not  interesting,  which  vexed  the  little  Mice ; 
and  they,  too,  now  began  to  think  them  not  so 
very  amusing  either. 

"  Do  you  know  only  one  story  ? "  asked  the 
Rats. 

"  Only  that  one,"  answered  the  tree.  "  I  heard 
it  on  my  happiest  evening ;  but  I  did  not  then 
know  how  happy  I  was." 

"  It  is  a  very  stupid  story  !  Don't  you  know 
one  about  bacon  and  tallow  candles  ?  Can't  you 
tell  any  larder-stories  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  tree. 

"  Then  good-by,"  said  the  Rats  ;  and  they  went 
home. 

At  last  the  little  Mice  stayed  away  also  ;  and 
the  tree  sighed  :  "  After  all,  it  was  very  pleasant 
when  the  sleek  little  Mice  sat  round  me  and  list- 
ened to  what  I  told  them.  Now  that  too  is  over. 
But  I  will  take  good  care  to  enjoy  myself  when 
I  am  brought  out  again." 

But  when  was  that  to  be?  Why,  one  morning 
there  came  a  quantity  of  people  and  set  to  work 
in  the  loft.  The  trunks  were  moved,  the  tree  was 
pulled  out  and  thrown  —  rather  hard,  it  is  true  — 
down  on  the  floor,  but  a  man  drew  him  towards 
the  stairs,  where  the  daylight  shone. 

"Now  a  merry  life  will  begin  again,"  thought 
the  tree.  He  felt  the  fresh  air,  the  first  sunbeam, 
—  and  now  he  was  out  in  the  courtyard.  All 
passed  so  quickly,  there  was  so  much  going  on 
around  him,  that  the  tree  quite  forgot  to  look  to 
himself.  The  court  adjoined  a  garden,  and  all 
was  in  flower  ;  the  roses  hung  so  fresh  and  odorous 
over  the  balustrade,  the  lindens  were  in  blossom, 
the  Swallows  flew  by,  and  said  "  Quirre-vit !  my 
husband  is  come  !  "  but  it  was  not  the  Fir-tree  that 
they  meant. 

"  Now,  then,  I  shall  really  enjoy  life,"  said  he, 
exultingly,  and  spread  out  his  branches  ;  but,  alas  ! 
they  were  all  withered  and  yellow.     It  was  in  a 


172 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


corner  that  he  lay,  among  weeds  and  nettles.  The 
golden  star  of  tinsel  was  still  on  the  top  of  the 
tree,  and  glittered  in  the  sunshine. 

In  the  courtyard  some  of  the  merry  children 
were  playing  who  had  danced  at  Christmas  round 
the  Fir-tree,  and  were  so  glad  at  the  sight  of  him. 
One  of  the  youngest  ran  and  tore  off  the  golden 
star. 

"  Only  look  what  is  still  on  the  ugly  old  Christ- 
mas-tree ! "  said  he,  trampling  on  the  branches,  so 
that  they  all  cracked  beneath  his  feet. 

And  the  tree  beheld  all  the  beauty  of  the 
flowers,  and  the  freshness  in  the  garden  ;  he  be- 
held himself,  and  wished  he  had  remained  in  his 
dark  corner  in  the  loft :  he  thought  of  his  first 
youth  in  the  wood,  of  the  merry  Christmas  Eve, 
and  of  the  little  Mice  who  had  listened  with  so 
much  pleasure  to  the  story  of  Klumpy-Dumpy. 

"'Tis  over  —  'tis  past!"  said  the  poor  tree. 
"  Had  I  but  rejoiced  when  I  had  reason  to  do  so  ! 
But  now  't  is  past,  't  is  past !  " 

And  the  gardener's  boy  chopped  the  tree  into 
email  pieces  ;  there  was  a  whole  heap  hying  there. 
The  wood  flamed  up  splendidly  under  the  large 


brewing  copper,  and  it  sighed  so  deeply ! 
sigh  was  like  a  shot. 


Each 


III 


The  boys  played  about  in  the  court,  and  the 
youngest  wore  the  gold  star  on  his  breast  which 
the  tree  had  had  on  the  happiest  evening  of  his 
life.  However,  that  was  over  now,  —  the  tree 
gone,  the  story  at  an  end.  All,  all  was  over ; 
every  tale  must  end  at  last. 


THE   FLAX. 


The  Flax  stood  in  blossom  ;  it  had  pretty  little 
blue  flowers,  delicate  as  a  moth's  wings  and  even 
more  delicate.  The  sun  shone  on  the  Flax,  and 
the  rain  clouds  moistened  it,  and  this  was  just  as 
good  for  it  as  it  is  for  little  children  when  they 
are  washed,  and  afterward  get  a  kiss  from  their 
mother;  they  become  much  prettier,  and  so  did 
the  Flax. 

"  The  people  say  that  I  stand  uncommonly 
well,"  said  the  Flax,  "  and  that  I  'm  fine  and  long, 
and  shall  make  a  capital  piece  of  linen.  How 
happy  I  am  !  I  'm  certainly  the  happiest  of  be- 
ings. How  well  I  am  off  !  And  I  may  come  to 
something N.  How  the  sunshine  gladdens,  and  the 
rain  tastes  good  and  refreshes  me  !  I  'm  wonder- 
fully happy  ;  I  'm  the  happiest  of  beings." 

"  Yes,  yes,  yes  !  "  said  the  Hedge-stake.     "  You 


don't  know  the  world,  but  we  do,  for  we  have 
knots  in  us ; "  and  then  it  creaked  out  mourn- 
fully,  - 

"  Snip-snap-snurre, 
Bassellurre  ! 
The  song  is  done." 

"  No,  it  is  not  done,"  said  the  Flax.  "  To-mor- 
row the  sun  will  shine,  or  the  rain  will  refresh  us. 
I  feel  that  I  'in  growing,  I  feel  that  I  'm  in  blos- 
som !     I  'm  the  happiest  of  beings." 

But  one  day  the  people  came  and  took  the  Flax 
by  the  head  and  pulled  it  up  by  the  root.  That 
hurt ;  and  it  was  laid  in  water  as  if  they  were 
going  to  drown  it,  and  then  put  on  §the  fire 
as  if  it  was  going  to  be  roasted.  It  was  quite 
fearful ! 

"  One  can't  always  have  good  times,"  said  the 


THE  FLAX. 


173 


Flax.    "  One  must  make  one's  experiences,  and  so 
one  gets  to  know  something." 

But  bad  times  certainly  came.  The  Flax  was 
moistened,  and  roasted,  and  broken,  and  hackled. 
Yea,  it  did  not  even  know  what  the  operations 
were  called  that  they  did  with  it.  It  was  put  on 
the  spinning-wheel — whirr!  whirr!  whirr! — it 
was  not  possible  to  collect  one's  thoughts. 

"  I  have  been  uncommonly  happy,"  it  thought 
in  all  its  pain.  "  One  must  be  content  with  the 
good  one  has  enjoyed.  Contented!  contented! 
Oh  !  "  And  it  continued  to  say  that  when  it  was 
put  into  the  loom,  and  till  it  became  a  large,  beau- 
tiful piece  of  linen.  All  the  Flax,  to  the  last 
stalk,  was  used  in  making  one  piece. 

"  But  this  is  quite  remarkable  !  I  should  never 
have  believed  it  ! 
How  favorable  fort- 
une is  to  me  !  The 
Hedge-stake  is  well 
informed,  truly, 
with  its  — 

"  Snip-snap-snurre, 
Bassellurre  ! ' 

The  song  is  not  done 
by  any  means.  Now 
it  's  beginning  in 
earnest.  That 's 
quite      remarkable  ! 

If  I  've  suffered  something,  I  've  been  made  into 
something  !  I  'm  the  happiest  of  all !  How  strong 
and  fine  I  am,  how  white  and  long !  That 's 
something  different  from  being  a  mei-e  plant: 
even  if  one  bears  flowers,  one  is  not  attended  to, 
and  only  gets  watered  when  it  rains.  Now  I  'm 
attended  to  and  cherished  :  the  maid  turns  me 
over  every  morning,  and  I  get  a  shower  bath  from 
the  watering-pot  every  evening.  Yes,  the  clergy- 
man's wife  has  even  made  a  speech  about  me,  and  the  words  that  were  on  this  paper. 
says  I  'm  the  best  piece  in  the  whole  parish.  I 
cannot  possibly  be  happier  !  " 

Now  the  Linen  was  taken  into  the  house,  and 
put  under  the  scissors  :  how  they  cut  and  tore  it, 
and  then  pricked  it  with  needles !  That  was  not 
pleasant;  but    twelve  pieces  of    body  linen  cf  a 


kind  not  often  mei'ioned  by  name,  but  indispen- 
sable to  all  people,  were  made  of  it  —  a  whole 
dozen  ! 

"  Just  look  !  Now  something  has  really  been 
made  of  me  !  So  ;  that  was  my  destiny.  That 's 
a  real  blessing.  Now  I  shall  be  of  some  use  in  the 
world,  and  that 's  right,  that 's  a  true  pleasure ! 
We've  been  ma<io  into  twelve  things,  but  yet 
we  're  all  one  and  the  same  ;  we  're  just  a  dozen  : 
how  charming  \\vat  is  !  " 

Years  rolled  on,  and  now  they  would  hold  to- 
gether no  longer. 

"  It  must  be  over  one  day,"  said  each  piece. 
"  I  would  gladly  have  held  together  a  little  longer, 
but  one  must  not  ^xpect  impossibilities." 

They  were  now  torn  into  pieces  and  fragments. 

They  thought  it 
was  all  over  now, 
for  they  were  hacked 
to  shreds,  and  soft- 
ened, and  boiled  ; 
yes,  they  themselves 
did  not  know  all 
that  was  done  to 
them  ;  and  then  they 
became  beautiful 
white  paper. 

"  Now,  that   is  a 

surprise,    and    a 

glorious  surprise  !  "  said  the  Paper.     "  Now  I  'm 

finer  than  before,  and  I  shall  be  written  on  :  that 

is  remarkable  good  fortune." 

And  really  the  most  beautiful  stories  and  verses 
were  written  upon  it,  and  only  once  there  came  a 
blot ;  that  was  certainly  remarkable  good  fortune. 
And  the  people  heard  what  was  upon  it ;  it  was 
sensible  and  good,  and  made  people  much  more 
sensible  and  better  :  there  was  a  great  blessing  in 


"  That  ic  more  than  I  ever  imagined  when  I 
was  a  little  blue  flower  in  the  fields.  How  could 
I  fancy  tha*  I  should  ever  spread  joy  and  knowl- 
edge among  men  ?  I  can't  yet  understand  it  my- 
self, but  it  really  is  so.  I  have  done  nothing  my- 
self but  what  I  was  obliged  with  my  weak  powers 


174 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


to  do  fo;  my  own  preservation,  and  yet  I  have 
been  promoted  from  one  joy  and  honor  to  another. 
Each  time  when  I  think  '  the  song  is  done,'  it  be- 
gins again  in  a  higher  and  better  way.  Now  I 
shall  certainly  be  sent  about  to  journey  through 
the  world,  so  that  all  people  may  read  me.  That 
cannot  be  otherwise  ;  it 's  the  only  probable  thing. 
I  have  splendid  thoughts,  as  many  as  I  had  pretty 
flowers  in  the  old  times.  I  'm  the  happiest  of  be- 
ings." 

But  the  Paper  was  not  sent  on  its  travels,  —  it 
was  sent  to  the  printer,  and  everything  that  was 
written  upon  it  was  set  up  in  type  for  a  book,  or 
rather  for  many  hundreds  of  books,  for  in  this 
way  a  very  far  greater  number  could  derive  pleas- 
ure and  profit  from  the  book  than  if  the  one  paper 
on  which  it  was  written  had  run  about  the  world, 
to  be  worn  out  before  it  had  got  half  way. 

"  Yes,  that  is  certainly  the  wisest  way,"  thought 
the  Written  Paper.  "  I  really  did  not  think  of 
that.  I  shall  stay  at  home,  and  be  held  in  honor, 
just  like  an  old  grandfather ;  and  I  am  really  the 
grandfather  of  all  these  books.  Now  something 
can  be  effected ;  I  could  not  have  wandered  about 
thus.  He  who  wrote  all  this  looked  at  me  ;  every 
word  flowed  from  his  pen  right  into  me.  I  am  the 
happiest  of  all." 

Then  the  Paper  was  tied  together  in  a  bundle, 
and  thrown  into  a  tub  that  stood  in  the  wash- 
house. 

"  It 's  good  resting  after  work,"  said  the  Paper. 
"  It 's  very  right  that  one  should  collect  one's 
thoughts.  Now  I  'm  able  for  the  first  time  to 
think  of  what  is  in  me,  and  to  know  one's  self  is 
true  progress.  What  will  be  done  with  me  now  ? 
At  any  rate  I  shall  go  forward  again  :  I  'm  always 
•  going  forward ;  I  've  found  that  out." 

Now,  one  day  all  the  Paper  was  taken  out  and 
laid  by  on  the  hearth  ;  it  was  to  be  burned,  for  it 
might  not  be  sold  to  hucksters  to  be  used  for  cov- 
ering for  butter  and  sugar,  they  said.  And  all 
the  children  in  the  house  stood  round  about,  for 
they  wanted  to  see  the  Paper  burn,  that  flamed  so 
prettily,  and  afterwards  one  could  see  many  red 
eparks  among  the  ashes,  careering  here  and  there. 


One  after  another  faded  out  as  quick  as  the  wind; 
and  that  they  called  "  seeing  the  children  com? 
out  of  school,"  and  the  last  spark  was  the  old 
schoolmaster :  one  of  them  thought  he  had  already 
gone,  but  the  next  moment  there  came  another 
spark.  "  There  goes  the  schoolmaster  !  "  thev 
said.  Yes,  they  knew  all  about  it ;  they  should 
have  known  who  it  was  who  went  there :  we  shall 
get  to  know  it,  but  they  did  not.  All  the  old 
Paper,  the  whole  bundle,  was  laid  upon  the  fire, 
and  it  was  soon  alight.  "  Ugh  !  "  it  said,  and 
burst  out  into  bright  flame.  Ugh  !  that  was  not 
very  agreeable,  but  when  the  whole  was  wrapped 
in  bright  flames,  these  mounted  up  higher  than 
the  Flax  had  ever  been  able  to  lift  its  little  blue 
flowers,  and  glittered  as  the  white  Linen  had  never 
been  able  to  glitter.  All  the  written  letters 
turned  for  a  moment  quite  red,  and  all  the  words 
and  thoughts  turned  to  flame. 

"  Now  I  'm  mounting  straight  up  to  the  sun," 
said  a  voice  in  the  flame  ;  and  it  was  as  if  a  thou- 
sand voices  said  this  in  unison ;  and  the  flames 
mounted  up  through  the  chimney  and  out  at  the 
top,  and  more  delicate  than  the  flames,  invisible 
to  human  eyes,  little  tiny  beings  floated  there,  as 
many  as  there  had  been  blossoms  on  the  Flax. 
They  were  lighter  even  than  the  flame  from 
which  they  were  born  ;  and  when  the  flame  was 
extinguished,  and  nothing  remained  of  the  Paper 
but  black  ashes,  they  danced  over  it  once  more, 
and  where  they  touched  the  black  mass  the  little 
red  sparks  appeared.  The  children  came  out  of 
school,  and  the  schoolmaster  was  the  last  of  all. 
That  was  fun  !  And  the  children  sang  over  the 
dead  ashes,  — 

"  Snip-snap-snurre, 
Bassellurre  ! 
The  song  is  done." 

But  the  little  invisible  beings  all  said,  — 

"  The  song  is  never  done,  that  is  the  best  of  all. 

We  know  it,  and  therefore  we  're  the  happiest  of 

all." 

But  the  children    could    neither  hear  that  nor 

understand  it ;  nor  ought  they,  for  children  must 

not  know  everything. 


THE  SWINEHERD. 


175 


THE   SWINEHERD. 


There  was  once  a  poor  prince ;  be  had  a  king- 
dom that  was  very  small ;  still  it  was  quite  large 
enough  to  marry  upon  ;  and  he  wished  to  marry. 

It  was  certainly  rather  cool  of  him  to  say  to  the 
Emperor's  daughter,  "  Will  you  have  me  ?  "  But 
so  he  did  ;  for  his  name  was  renowned  far  and 
wide  ;  and  there  were  a  hundred  princesses  who 
would  have  answered,  "  Thank  you."  But  see 
what  she  said.     Now  we  will  hear. 

By  the  grave  of  the  prince's  father  there  grew 
a  rose-tree,  —  a  most  beautiful  rose-tree  ;  it  blos- 
somed only  once  in  every  five  years,  and  even  then 
bore  only  one  flower,  but  that  was  a  rose  that 
smelt  so  sweet  as  to  make  one  forget  all  cares  and 
sorrows. 

And  furthermore,  the  prince  had  a  nightingale, 
who  could  sing  in  such  a  manner  that  it  seemed 
as  though  all  sweet  melodies  dwelt  in  her  little 
throat.  So  the  princess  was  to  have  the  rose  and 
the  nightingale  ;  and  they  were  accordingly  put 
into  large  silver  caskets,  and  sent  to  her. 

The  emperor  had  them  brought  into  a  large 
hall,  where  the  princess  was  playing  at  "  making 
calls,"  with  the  ladies  of  the  court ;  they  never 
did  anything  else,  and  when  she  saw  the  caskets 
with   the   presents,    she    clapped    her   hands    for 

j°y- 

"  Ah,  if  it  were  but  a  little  pussy-cat !  "  ex- 
claimed she  ;  then  out  came  the  beautiful  rose. 

"  Oh,  how  prettily  it  is  made !  "  said  all  the 
court-ladies. 

"  It  is  more  than  pretty,"  said  the  emperor ; 
"  it  is  charming  !  " 

But  the  princess  touched  it,  and  was  almost 
ready  to  cry. 

"  Fie,  papa  !  "  said  she,  "  it  is  not  made  at  all ; 
it  is  natural !  " 

"  Fie  !  "  cried  all  the  court-ladies  ;  "  it  is  nat- 
ural !  " 

"  Let  us  see  what  is  in  the  other  casket,  before 
we  get  into  a  bad  humor,  proposed  the  emperor. 
So  the  nightingale  came  forth,   and  sang  so  de- 


lightfully that  at  first  no  one  could  say  anything 
ill-humored  of  it. 

"  Superbe  !  charment  ! "  exclaimed  the  ladies; 
for  they  all  used  to  chatter  French,  each  one 
worse  than  her  neighbor. 

"  How  much  the  bird  reminds  me  of  the  musical 
box  that  belonged  to  our  blessed  empress  !  "  re- 
marked an  old  knight.  "  Ah  yes  !  it  is  the  very 
same  tone,  the  same  execution." 

"Yes!  yes!"  said  the  emperor,  and  he  wept 
like  a  little  child. 

"  I  will  still  hope  that  it  is  not  a  real  bird," 
said  the  princess. 

"  Yet  it  is  a  real  bird,"  said  those  who  had 
brought  it. 

"  Well,  then  let  the  bird  fly,"  returned  the 
princess ;  and  she  positively  refused  to  see  the 
prince. 

However,  he  was  not  to  be  discouraged  ;  he 
daubed  his  face  over  brown  and  black,  pulled  his 
cap  over  his  ears,  and  knocked  at  the  door. 

"  Good  day,  emperor!  "  said  he.  "Can  I  have 
employment  at  the  palace  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there  are  so  many  that  want  a  place  !  " 
said  the  emperor  ;  "  well  let  me  see,  I  want  some 
one  to  take  care  of  the  pigs,  for  we  have  a  great 
many  of  them." 

So  the  prince  was  appointed  "  Imperial  Swine- 
herd." He  had  a  dirty  little  room  close  by  the 
pig-sty ;  and  there  he  sat  the  whole  day,  and 
woi-ked.  By  the  evening  he  had  made  a  pretty 
little  saucepan.  Little  bells  were  hung  all  around 
it ;  and  when  the  pot  was  boiling,  these  bells  tin- 
kled in  the  most  charming  manner,  and  played  the 
old  melody  :  — 

"Ah!  thou  dearest  Augustine  ! 
All  is  gone,  gone,  gone  !  " 

But  what  was  still  more  curious,  whoever  held 
his  finger  in  the  smoke  of  this  saucepan  immedi- 
ately smelt  all  the  dishes  that  were  cooking  on 
every  hearth  in  the  city :  this,  you  see,  was  some- 
thing quite  different  from  the  rose. 


176 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


It  was  delightful !  the  saucepan  was  kept  boil- 
ing all  the  evening,  and  the  whole  of  the  following 
day.  They  knew  perfectly  well  what  was  cook- 
ing at  every  fire  throughout  the  city,  from  the 
chamberlain's  to  the  cobbler's ;  the  court-ladies 
danced,  and  clapped  their  hands. 

"  We  know  who  has  soup  and  who  has  pancakes 
for  dinner  to-day,  who  has  cutlets,  and  who  has 
eggs.     How  interesting  !  " 

And  "  How  interesting  !  "  said  the  lord  stew- 
ard's wife. 

"  Yes,  but  keep  my  secret,  for  I  am  an  emper- 
or's daughter." 

"  Mercy  on  us,"  said  they  all. 

The  swineherd  — 
that  is  to  say  the 
prince,  for  no  one 
knew  that  he  was 
other  than  an  ill- 
favored  swineherd  — 
let  not  a  day  pass 
without  working  at 
something;  he  at  last 
constructed  a  rattle, 
which,  when  it  was 
swung  round,  played 
all  the  waltzes  and 
jig-tunes  which  have 
ever  been  heard  since 
the  creation  of  the 
world. 

"  Ah,  that  is  superbe.'"  said  the  princess  when 
she  passed  by ;  "  I  have  never  heard  prettier  com- 
positions !  Go  in  and  ask  him  the  price  of  the 
instrument ;  but  I  won't  kiss  him  !  " 

"  He  will  have  a  hundred  kisses  from  the  prin- 
cess !  "  said  the  court-lady  who  had  been  in  to 
ask. 

"  I  think  he  is  crazy !  "  said  the  princess,  and 
walked  on ;  but  when  she  had  gone  a  little  way, 
"  But  do  you  all  stand  before  me,  that  no  one  may     she  stopped  again.     "  One  must  encourage  art," 
see  us."  said   she;    "I  am  the   emperor's  daughter.     Tell 

And  the  court-ladies  placed  themselves  in  front  him,  he  shall,  as  on  yesterday,  have  ten  kisses  from 
of  her,  and  spread  out  their  dresses  ;  and  so  the  me,  and  may  take  the  rest  from  the  ladies  of  the 
swineherd  got  ten  kisses,  and  she  got  the  saucepan,      court." 


Now  the  princess  happened  to  walk  that  way  : 
and  when  she  heard  the  tune,  she  stood  quite  still, 
and  seemed  pleased  ;  for  she  could  play  "  Dearest 
Augustine  ;  "  it  was  the  only  piece  she  knew,  and 
she  played  it  with  one  finger. 

"  Why,  there  is  my  piece  !  "  said  the  princess  ; 
"  that  swineherd  must  certainly  have  been  well 
educated  !  Here  !  Go  in  and  ask  him  the  price 
of  the  instrument." 

And  so  one  of  the  court-ladies  must  run  in  ; 
however,  she  drew  on  wooden  slippers  first. 

"  What  will  you  take  for  the  saucepan  ?  "  in- 
quired the  lady. 

"  I  will  have  ten  kisses  from  the  princess,"  said 
the  swineherd. 

"  Mercy  on  us  !  "  said  the  lady. 

"  Yes,   I  cannot  sell  it  for  less," 
said  the  swineherd. 

"  Well,  what  does  he  say  ?  "  asked 
the  princess. 

"I  cannot  tell  you, 
really,"  replied  the  lady ; 
"it  is  too  bad!" 

"  Then  you  can 
whisper  it !  "  So  the 
lady  whispered  it. 

"  He  is  an  impu- 
dent fellow ! "  said  the 
princess,  and  she 
walked  on  ;  but  when 
she  had  gone  a  little 
prettily,  — 


way, 


the  bells   tinkled  so 


"  Ah  !  thou  dearest  Augustine  ! 
All  is  gone,  gone,  gone  !  " 

"  Stay,"  said  the  princess.  "  Ask  him  if  be  will 
have  ten  kisses  from  the  ladies  of  my  court." 

"  No,  thank  you  !  "  answered  the  swineherd  : 
"  ten  kisses  from  the  princess,  or  I  keep  the  sauce- 
pan myself." 

"  That  must  not  be,  either  !  "  said  the  princess ; 


THE  SWINEHERD. 


177 


"  Oh  !  but  we  should  not  like  that  at  all !  "  said 
the  court-ladies. 

"  What  are  you  muttering  ?  "  asked  the  prin- 
cess ;  "if  I  can  kiss  him,  surely  you  can!  Re- 
member, I  give  you  your  food  and  wages."  So  the 
court-ladies  were  obliged  to  go  to  him  again. 

"  A  hundred  kisses  from  the  princess !  "  said  he, 
"or  else  let  every  one  keep  his  own." 

"Stand  round!" 
.said  she  ;  and  all  the 
ladies  stood  round 
her  whilst  the  kiss- 
ing was  going  on. 

"  What  can  be 
the  reason  for  such 
a  crowd  close  by  the 
pig-sty  ?  "  said  the 
-emperor,  who  hap- 
pened just  then  to 
step  out  on  the  bal- 
cony. He  rubbed 
his  eyes  and  put  on 
his  spectacles. 
"  They  are  the  la- 
dies of  the  court  ; 
there  is  some  play 
going  on.  I  must 
go  down  and  see 
what  they  are 
about !  "  So  he 
pulled  up  his  slip- 
pers at  the  heel,  for  -; 
he  had  trodden  them 
down. 

Heh  there  !  what        ^ 
a  hurry  he  is  in. 

As  soon  as  he  had  got  into  the  courtyard,  he 
moved  very  softly,  and  the  ladies  were  so  much 
engrossed  with  counting  the  kisses,  that  all  might 
go  on  fairly,  that  they  did  not  perceive  the  em- 
peror.    He  rose  on  his  tiptoes. 

"  What  is  all  this  ?  "  said  he,  when  he  saw  what 
was  going  on,  and  he  boxed   the  princess's  ears 

S3 


with  his  slipper,  just  as  the  swineherd  was  taking 
the  eighty-sixth  kiss. 

"  Off  with  you  !  "  cried  the  emperor,  for  he  was 
very  angry  ;  and  both  princess  and  swineherd 
were  thrust  out  of  the  city. 

The  princess  now  stood  and  wept,  the  swine- 
herd scolded,  and  the  rain  poured  down. 

"  Oh,  how  miserable  I  am  !  "  said  the  princess. 

"  If  I  had  but  mar- 
ried the  handsome 
young  prince! 
Ah  !  how  unfortu- 
nate I  am  !  " 

And  the  swine- 
herd   went    behind 

i|\  /^7:v»j~i  p-Atwv"''  a  tree,  washed 
the  black-and-brown 
color  from  his  face, 
threw  off  his  dirty 
clothes,  and  stepped 
forth  in  his  princely 
robes;  he  looked 
so  noble  that  the 
princess  could  not 
help  bowing  before 
him. 

"I  am  come  to  de- 
spise thee,"  said  he. 
"  Thou  wouldst  not 
have  an  honorable 
prince  !  thou  couldst 
not  prize  the  rose 
and  the  nightin- 
gale, but  thou  wast 
ready  to  kiss  the 
swineherd    for    the 

sake   of  a   trumpery   plaything.     Now  thou  hast 

thy  deserts !  " 

He  then  went  back  to  his  own  little  kingdom, 

and  shut  the  door  of  his  palace  in  her  face.     Now 

she  might  well  sing,  — 


'  All !  thou  dearest  Augustine ! 
All  is  goue,  gone,  gone  !  " 


178 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


THE    LOVERS. 


A  Top  and  a  little  Ball  were  together  in  a 
drawer  among  some  other  toys  ;  and  the  Top  said 
to  the  Ball,  — 

"  Shall  we  not  be  lovers,  as  we  live  together  in 
the  same  box  ?  " 

But  the  Ball,  which  had  a  coat  of  morocco 
leather,  and  was  just  as  conceited  as  any  fine  lady, 
would  make  no  answer  to  such  a  proposal.  The 
next  day  came  the  little  boy  to  whom  the  toys  be- 
longed :  he  painted  the  Top  red  and  yellow,  and 
hammered  a  brass  nail  into  it ;  and  it  looked  splen- 
did when  the  Top  turned  round. 

"  Look  at  me  !  " 
he  cried  to  the  little 
Ball.  "  What  do  you 
say  now?  Shall  we 
not  be  engaged  to 
each  other  ?  We  suit 
one  another  so  well ! 
You  jump  and  I 
dance  !  No  one  could 
be  happier  than  we  gy 
two  should  be."  ~*M 

"  Indeed  !  Do  you 
think  so  ?  "  replied  ^^M 
the  little  Ball.  "Per- 
haps you  do  not 
know  that  my  papa  and  my  mamma  were  morocco 
slippers,  and  that  I  have  a  Spanish  cork  inside 
me?" 

"  Yes,  but  I  am  made  of  mahogany,"  said  the 
Top ;  "  and  the  mayor  himself  turned  me.  He 
has  a  turning  lathe  of  his  own,  and  it  amuses  him 
greatly." 

"  Can  I  depend  on  that  ?  "  asked  the  little  Ball. 

"  May  I  never  be  whipped  again  if  it  is  not 
true  !  "  replied  the  Top. 

"  You  can  speak  well  for  yourself,"  observed  the 
Ball,  "but  I  cannot  grant  your  request.  I  am  as 
good  as  engaged  to  a  swallow  :  every  time  I  leap 
up  into  the  air  he  puts  his  head  out  of  the  nest 
and  says,  '  Will  you  ?  '     And  now  I  have  silently 


said  '  Yes,'  and  that  is  as  good  as  half  engaged 
but  I  promise  I  will  never  forget  you." 

"  Yes,  that  will  be  much  good !  "  said  the  Top. 
And  they  spoke  no  more  to  each  other. 
Next  day  the  Ball  was  taken  out  by  the  boy. 
The  Top  saw  how  she  flew  high  into  the  air,  like 
a  bird ;  at  last  one  could  no  longer  see  her. 
Each  time  she  came  back  again,  but  gave  a  high 
leap  when  she  touched  the  earth,  and  that  was 
done  either  from  her  longing  to  mount  up  again, 
or  because  she  had  a  Spanish  cork  in  her  body. 
But  the  ninth  time  the  little  Ball  remained  ab- 
sent, and  did  not 
come  back  again  ; 
and  the  boy  sought 
and  sought,  but  she 
was  gone. 

"  I  know  very  well 
where  she  is !  "  sighed 
the  Top.  "  She  is  in 
the  Swallow's  nest, 
and  has  married  the 
Swallow ! " 

The  more  the  Top 
thought  of  this,  the 
more  it  longed  for 
the  Ball.  Just  be- 
cause it  could  not  get  the  Ball,  its  love  increased  ; 
and  the  fact  that  the  Ball  had  chosen  another 
formed  a  peculiar  feature  in  the  case.  So  the 
Top  danced  round  and  hummed,  but  always 
thought  of  the  little  Ball,  which  became  more 
and  more  beautiful  in  his  fancy.  Thus  several 
years  went  by,  and  now  it  was  an  old  love. 

And  the  Top  was  no  longer  young !  But  one 
day  he  was  gilt  all  over ;  never  had  he  looked  so 
handsome  ;  he  was  now  a  golden  Top,  and  sprang 
till  he  hummed  again.  Yes,  that  was  something 
worth  seeing  !  But  all  at  once  he  sprang  too  high, 
and  —  he  was  gone  ! 

They  looked  and  looked,  even  in  the  cellar,  but 
he  was  not  to  be  found.    Where  could  he  be? 


LITTLE   GLAUS  AND  BIG   GLAUS. 


179 


He  had  jumped  into  the  dust-box,  where  all 
kinds  of  things  were  lying  :  cabbage  stalks,  sweep 
ings,  and  dust  that  had  fallen  down  from  the 
roof. 

"  Here  's  a  nice  place  to  lie  in !  The  gilding 
will  soon  leave  me  here.  Among  what  a  rabble 
have  I  alighted  !  " 

And  then  he  looked  sideways  at  a  long  leafless 
cabbage  stump,  and  at  a  curious  round  thing  like 
an  old  apple  ;  but  it  was  not  an  apple  —  it  was  an 
old  Ball,  which  had  lain  for  years  in  the  roof-gut- 
ter and  was  quite  saturated  with  water. 

"  Thank  goodness,  here  comes  one  of  us,  with 
whom  one  can  talk  !  "  said  the  little  Ball,  and 
looked  at  the  gilt  Top.  "  I  am  really  morocco, 
worked  by  maidens'  hands,  and  have  a  Spanish 
cork  within  me  ;  but  no  one  would  think  it,  to  look 
at  me.  I  was  very  near  marrying  a  swallow,  but  I 
fell  into  the  gutter  on  the  roof,  and  have  lain  there 
full  five  years,  and  become  quite  wet  through. 
You  may  believe  me,  that 's  a  long  time  for  a 
young  girl." 

But  the  Top  said  nothing.  He  thought  of  his 
old  love ;  and  the  more  he  heard,  the  clearer  it  be- 
came to  him  that  this  was  she.     Then  came  the 


servant-girl,  and  wanted  to  turn  out  the  dust-box. 
"  Aha  !  there  's  a  gilt  top  !  "  she  cried.  And  so 
the  Top  was  brought  again  to  notice  and  honor, 
but  nothing  was  heard  of  the  little  Ball.    And  the 


Top  spoke  no  more  of  his  old  love ;  for  that  dies 
away  when  the  beloved  object  has  lain  for  five 
years  in  a  roof-gutter  and  got  wet  through ;  yes, 
one  does  not  know  her  again  when  one  meets  her 
in  the  dust-box. 


LITTLE   CLAUS   AND    BIG   CLAUS. 


There  lived  in  a  village  two  men  who  both 
had  the  same  name  ;  they  were  called  Claus  ;  but 
one  of  them  had  four  horses,  and  the  other  had 
only  one  horse  ;  so  in  order  to  tell  one  from  the 
other,  people  called  the  owner  of  the  four  horses, 
"  Big  Claus,"  and  him  who  had  only  one,  "  Little 
Claus."  Now  we  shall  hear  what  happened  to  the 
two,  for  this  is  a  true  story. 

The  whole  week  through  Little  Claus  was 
obliged  to  plow  for  Big  Claus,  and  lend  him  his 
one  horse  ;  and,  in  return,  Big  Claus  lent  him  all 
his  four  horses,  but  only  on  one  day  of  the  week, 
and  that  was  Sunday.  Then  how  proudly  Little 
Claus  would  smack  his  whip  over  all  five  horses  ! 
they  were  as  good  as  his  own  on  that   one   day. 


The  sun  shone  brightly,  and  all  the  bells  in  the 
church  tower  were  ringing  merrily  as  the  people 
passed  by,  dressed  in  their  best  clothes,  with  their 
prayer-books  under  their  arms.  They  were  going 
to  hear  the  clergyman  preach,  and  they  looked  at 
Little  Claus  plowing  with  his  five  horses,  and  he 
was  so  proud  that  he  smacked  his  whip,  and  said, 
"  Cup,  all  my  horses  !  " 

"  You  must  not  say  that,"  said  Big  Claus  ;  "  for 
only  one  of  them  belongs  to  you."  But  when  an- 
other lot  of  people  went  by  to  church,  Little  Claus 
forgot  what  he  ought  to  say,  and  called  out, 
"  G'up,  all  my  horses  !  " 

"  Now  I  tell  you  not  to  say  that  again,"  said 
Big  Claus;  "  for  if  you  do,  I  shall  hit  your  horse 


180 


STORIES  FROM  HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


on  the  head,  so  that  he  will  drop  dead  on  the  spot, 
and  that  will  be  the  end  of  him." 

"  I  promise  you  I  will  not  say  it  any  more," 
said  the  other ;  but  as  soon  as  people  came  by, 
nodding  to  him,  and  wishing  him  "  Good  day," 
he  became  so  pleased,  and  thought  how  grand 
it  looked  to  have  five  horses  plowing  in  his 
field,  that  he  cried  out  again,  "  G'up,  all  my 
horses  !  " 

"  I  '11  gup  your  horses  for  you,"  said  Big  Glaus  ; 
and,  seizing  a  carriage  weight,  he  struck  the  one 
horse  of  Little  Claus  on  the  head,  and  he  fell 
dead  instantly. 

"  Ah  !  now  I  have  no  horse  at  all,"  said  Little 
Claus,  and  he  began  to  weep.  But  after  a  while 
he  took  off  the  dead  horse's  skin,  and  hung  the 
hide  to  dry  in  the 
wind.  Then  he  put 
the  dry  skin  into  a 
bag,  and  placing  it 
over  his  shoulder, 
went  out  into  the  next 
town  to  sell  the  horse's 
hiae. 

He  had  a  very  long 
way  to  go,  and  had  to 
pass  through  a  dark, 
gloomy  forest.  Presently  a  storm  arose,  and  he 
lost  his  way,  and  before  he  discovered  the  right 
path,  evening  came  on,  and  it  was  still  a  long  way 
to  the  town,  and  too  far  to  return  home  before 
night. 

Near  the  road  stood  a  large  farm-house.  The 
shutters  outside  the  windows  were  closed,  but 
lights  shone  through  the  crevices  and  at  the  top. 
"  I  might  get  permission  to  stay  here  for  the 
night,"  thought  Little  Claus  ;  so  he  went  up  to 
the  door  and  knocked. 

The  farmer's  wife  opened  the  door  ;  but  when 
she  heard  what  he  wanted,  she  told  him  to  go 
away,  as  her  husband  would  not  allow  her  to  ad- 
mit strangers. 

"  Then  I  shall  be  obliged  to  lie  out  here,"  said 
Little  Claus  to  himself,  and  the  farmer's  wife 
shut  the  door  in  his  face. 


Near  to  the  farm-house  stood  a  large  hay-stack, 
and  between  it  and  the  house  was  a  small  shed, 
with  a  thatched  roof. 

"  I  can  lie  up  there,"  said  Little  Claus,  as  he 
saw  the  roof  ;  "  it  will  make  a  famous  bed,  but  I 
hope  the  stork  will  not  fly  down  and  bite  my 
legs  ; "  for  on  it  stood  a  living  stork,  whose  nest 
was  in  the  roof. 

So  Little  Claus  climbed  to  the  roof  of  the  shed, 
and  while  he  turned  himself  to  get  comfortable,  he 
discovered  that  the  wooden  shutters,  which  were 
closed,  did  not  reach  to  the  tops  of  the  windows 
of  the  farm-house,  so  that  he  could  see  into  a  room 
in  which  a  large  table  was  laid  out,  with  wine, 
roast  meat,  and  a  splendid  fish,  The  farmer's  wife 
and  the  sexton  were  sitting  at  the  table  together  ; 

and  she  filled  his  glass, 
,v-^  and   helped  him  plen- 

teously  to  fish,  for 
that  was  something 
he  was  fond  of. 

"  If  I  could  only  get 
some,  too,"  thought 
Little  Claus ;  and  he 
stretched  his  neck 
toward  the  window. 
Oh,  what  a  lovely  pie 
he  could  see  there  !     Oh,  but  that  was  a  feast ! 

Now  he  heard  some  one  riding  down  the  road, 
toward  the  farm-house.  It  was  the  woman's  hus- 
band coming  home.  He  was  a  good  man,  but 
still  he  had  a  very  strange  prejudice,  —  he  could 
not  bear  the  sight  of  a  sexton.  If  one  appeared 
before  him,  he  would  put  himself  in  a  terrible 
rage.  And  so  it  was  that  the  sexton  had  gone  to 
visit  the  farmer's  wife  during  her  husband's  ab- 
sence from  home,  and  the  good  woman  had  placed 
before  him  the  best  she  had  in  the  house  to  eat. 
When  she  heard  the  farmer  coming  she  was  fright- 
ened, and  begged  the  sexton  to  hide  himself  in  a 
large  empty  chest  that  stood  in  the  room.  He  did 
so,  for  he  knew  her  husband  could  not  endure  the 
sight  of  a  sexton.  The  woman  then  quickly  put 
away  the  wine,  and  hid  all  the  rest  of  the  nice 
things  in  the  oven ;  for  if  her  husband  had  seen 


LITTLE    CLAUS  AND  BIG  GLAUS. 


181 


them  he  would  have  asked  what  they  were  brought 
out  for. 

"  Oh  dear !  "  sighed  Little  Claus  from  the  top 
of  the  shed,  as  he  saw  all  the  good  things  disap- 
pear. 

"  Is  any  one  up  there  ? "  asked  the  farmer, 
looking  up  and  discovering  Little  Claus.  "  Why 
are  you  lying  up  there  ?  Come  down,  and  come 
into  the  house  with  me."  So  Little  Claus  came 
down  and  told  the  farmer  how  he  had  lost  his 
way,  and  begged  for  a  night's  lodging. 

'•All  right,"  said  the  farmer;  "but  we  must 
have  something  to  eat  first." 

The  woman  received  them  both  very  kindly, 
laid  the  cloth  on  a  large  table,  and  placed  before 
them  a  dish  of  groats.  The  farmer  was  very 
hungry,  and  ate  his  groats  with  a  good  appetite, 
but  Little  Claus  could  not  help  thinking  of  the 
nice  roast  meat,  fish,  and  pies,  which  he  knew 
were  in  the  oven.  Under  the  table,  at  his  feet, 
lay  the  sack  containing  the  horse's  skin,  which  he 
intended  to  sell  at  the  next  town.  Now  Little 
Claus  did  not  relish  the  groats  at  all,  so  he  trod 
with  his  foot  on  the  sack  under  the  table,  and  the 
dry  skin  squeaked  quite  loud.  "  Hush  !  "  said 
Little  Claus  to  his  sack,  at  the  same  time  tread- 
ing upon  it  again,  till  it  squeaked  louder  than  be- 
fore. 

"  Hallo  !  what  have  you  got  in  your  sack  ?  " 
asked  the  farmer. 

"  Oh,  it  is  a  conjurer,"  said  Little  Claus  ;  "and 
he  says  we  need  not  eat  groats,  for  he  has  conjured 
the  oven  full  of  roast  meat,  fish,  and  pie." 

"  Wonderful !  "  cried  the  farmer,  and  he  opened 
the  oven  door  ;  and  there  lay  all  the  nice  things 
hidden  byr  the  farmer's  wife,  but  which  he  sup- 
posed had  been  conjured  there  by  the  wizard  un- 
der the  table.  The  woman  dared  not  say  any- 
thing ;  so  she  placed  the  things  before  them,  and 
they  both  ate  of  the  fish,  the  meat,  and  the 
pastry. 

Then  Little  Claus  trod  again  upon  his  sack, 
and  it  squeaked  as  before. 

"  What  does  he  say  now?  "  asked  the  farmer. 

"  He    says,"  replied  Little  Claus,  "  that  there 


are  three  bottles  of  wine  for  us,  standing  in  the 
corner,  by  the  oven." 

So  the  woman  was  obliged  to  bring  out  the  wine 
also,  which  she  had  hidden,  and  the  farmer  drank 
it  till  he  became  quite  merry.  He  would  have 
liked  such  a  conjurer  as  Little  Claus  carried  in 
his  sack.  "Could  he  conjure  up  the  devil?" 
asked  the  farmer.  "  I  should  like  to  see  him  now, 
while  I  am  so  merry." 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  replied  Little  Claus,  "  my  conjurer 
can  do  anything  I  ask  him,  — can  you  not?"  he 
asked,  treading  at  the  same  time  on  the  sack  till 
it  squeaked.  "Do  you  hear?  he  answers  'Yes,' 
but  he  fears  that  we  shall  not  like  to  look  at 
him." 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  afraid.  What  will  he  be  like  ?  " 
"  Well,  he  is  very  much  like  a  sexton." 
"  Ha !  "  said  the  farmer ;  "  then  he  must  be 
ugly.  Do  you  know  I  cannot  endure  the  sight  of 
a  sexton.  However,  that  does  n't  matter,  I  shall 
know  who  it  is  ;  so  I  shall  not  mind.  Now  then, 
I  have  got  up  my  courage,  but  don't  let  him  come 
too  near  me." 

"  Stop,  I  must  ask  the  conjurer,"  said  Little 
Claus ;  so  he  trod  on  the  bag,  and  stooped  his  ear 
down  to  listen. 


What  does  he 


say 


9  " 


"  He  says  that  you  must  go  and  open  that  large 
chest  which  stands  in  the  corner,  and  you  will  see 
the  devil  crouching  down  inside  ;  but  you  must 
hold  the  lid  firmly,  that  lie  may  not  slip  out." 

"Will  you  come  and  help  me  hold  it?"  said 
the  farmer  going  toward  the  chest  in  which  his 
wife  had  hidden  the  sexton,  who  now  lay  inside, 
very  much  frightened.  The  farmer  lifted  the  lid 
a  very  little  way,  and  peeped  in. 

"  Eh  !  "  cried  he,  springing  backwards.  "  Ah, 
I  saw  him,  and  he  is  exactly  like  our  sexton.  How 
dreadful  it  is  !  "  So  after  that  he  was  obliged  to 
drink  again,  and  they  sat  and  drank  till  far  into 
the  night. 

"You  must  sell  your  conjurer  to  me,"  said  the 
farmer ;  "  ask  as  much  as  you  like,  I  will  pay  it ; 
indeed,  I  would  give  you  directly  a  whole  bushel 
of  gold." 


182 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


"  No,  indeed,  I  cannot,"  said  Little  Claus ; 
"  only  think  how  much  profit  I  could  make  out  of 
this  conjurer." 

"  But  I  should  like  to  have  him,"  said  the 
farmer,  still  continuing  his  entreaties. 

"  Well,"  said  Little  Claus  at  length,  "  you  have 
been  so  good  as  to  give  me  a  night's  lodging,  I 
will  not  refuse  you ;  you  shall  have  the  conjurer 
for  a  bushel  of  money,  but  I  will  have  quite  full 
measure." 

"So  you  shall," 
said  the  farmer ;  "  but 
you  must  take  away 
the  chest  as  well.  I 
would  not  have  it  in 
the  house  another 
hour;  there  is  no 
knowing  if  he  may 
not  be  still  there." 

So  Little  Claus  gave 
the  farmer  the  sack 
containing  the  dried 
horse's  skin,  and  re- 
ceived in  exchange  a 
bushel  of  money  — 
full  measure.  The 
Farmer  also  gave  him 
a  wheel -barrow  on 
which  to  carry  away 
the  chest  and  the 
gold. 

"Farewell,"  said 
Little  Claus,  as  he 
went  off  with  h  i  s 
money  and  the  great 
chest,    in    which    the 

sexton  lay  still  concealed.  On  one  side  of  the 
forest  was  a  broad,  deep  river  ;  the  water  flowed 
so  rapidly  that  very  few  were  able  to  swim  against 
the  stream.  A  new  bridge  had  lately  been  built 
across  it,  and  in  the  middle  of  this  bridge  Little 
Claus  stopped,  and  said,  loud  enough  to  be  heard 
by  the  sexton,  — 

"  Now,  what  shall  I  do  with  this  stupid  chest  ? 
it  is  as  heavy  as  if  it  were  full  of  stones  :  I  shall 


be  tired  if  I  roll  it  any  farther,  so  I  may  as  well 

throw  it  into  the  river ;  if  it  swims  after  me  to  my 

house,  well  and  good,  and  if  not,  it  will  not  much 

matter." 

So  he  seized  the  chest  in  his  hand,  and  lifted  it 

up  a  little,  as  if  he  were  going  to  throw  it  into 

the  water. 

"  No,  leave    it    alone,"  cried    the   sexton  from 

within  the  chest ;  "  let  me  out  first." 

"  Oh,"  exclaimed 
Little  Claus,  pretend- 
ing to  be  frightened, 
"  he  is  in  there  still, 
is  he  ?  I  must  throw 
him  into  the  river, 
that  he  may  be 
drowned." 

"Oh  no!  Oh  no!" 
cried  the  sexton  ;  "  I 
will  give  you  a  whole 
bushel  full  of  money 
if    you    will    let    me 

go-" 

"Why,  that  is  an- 
other matter,"  said 
Little  Claus,  opening 
the  chest.  The  sexton 
crept  out,  pushed  the 
empty  chest  into  the 
water,  and  went  to 
his  house ;  then  he 
measured  out  a  whole 
bushel  full  of  gold  for 
Little  Claus,  who  had 
already  received  one 
from  the  farmer,  so 
that  now  he  had  a  barrow  full. 

"  I  have  been  well  paid  for  my  horse,"  said  he 
to  himself  when  he  reached  home,  entered  his  own 
room,  and  emptied  all  his  money  into  a  heap  on 
the  floor.  "  How  vexed  Big  Claus  will  be  when 
he  finds  how  rich  I  have  become  all  through  my 
one  horse;  but  I  shall  not  tell  him  exactly  how  it 
all  happened."  Then  he  sent  a  boy  to  Big  Claus 
to  borrow  a  bushel  measure. 


LITTLE    CLAUS  AND   BIG    CLAUS. 


183 


"  What  can  he  want  it  for  ? "  thought  Big 
Claus  ;  so  he  smeared  the  bottom  of  the  measure 
with  tar,  that  some  of  whatever  was  put  into  it 
might  stick  there  and  remain.  And  so  it  hap- 
pened ;  for  when  the  measure  returned  three  new 
silver  florins  were  sticking  to  it. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  said  Big  Claus  ;  so 
he  ran  off  directly  to  Little  Claus,  and  asked, 
"  Where  did  you  get  so  much  money  ?  " 

"  Oh,  for  my  horse's  hide  ;  I  sold  it  yesterday." 

"  It  was  certainly  well  paid  for  then,"  said  Big 
Claus  ;  and  he  ran  home  to  his  house,  seized  a 
hatchet,  and  knocked  all  his  four  horses  on  the 
head,  flayed  off  their  skins,  and  took  them  to  the 
town  to  sell.  "  Hides,  hides !  who'll  buy  hides?  " 
he  cried,  as  he  went  through  the  streets.  All  the 
shoemakers  and  tanners  came  running,  and  asked 
how  much  he  wanted  for  them. 

"  A  bushel  of  money  for  each,"  replied  Big 
Claus. 

"  Are  you  mad  ?  "  they  all  cried  ;  "  do  you  think 
we  have  money  to  spend  by  the  bushel?  " 

"Hides,  hides!"  he  cried  again,  "who'll  buy 
hides?  "  but  to  all  who  inquired  the  price  his  an- 
swer was,  "  A  bushel  of  money." 

"  He  is  making  fools  of  us,"  said  they  all ;  then 
the  shoemakers  took  their  straps,  and  the  tanners 
their  leather  aprons,  and  began  to  beat  Big  Claus. 

"Hides,  hides!"  they  cried,  mocking  him; 
"yes,  we'll  mark  your  hide  for  you,  till  it  is  black 
and  blue." 

"  Out  of  the  town  with  him,"  said  they.  And 
Big  Claus  was  obliged  to  run  as  fast  as  he  could ; 
he  had  never  before  been  so  thoroughly  beaten. 

"Ah,"  said  he,  as  he  came  to  his  house,  "Little 
Claus  shall  pay  me  for  this ;  I  will  beat  him  to 
death." 

Now  it  happened  that  the  old  grandmother  of 
Little  Claus  died.  She  had  been  cross,  unkind, 
and  really  spiteful  to  him  ;  but  he  was  very  sorry, 
and  took  the  dead  woman  and  l;ud  her  in  his 
warm  bed  to  see  if  he  could  bring  her  to  life  again. 
There  he  determined  that  she  should  lie  the  whole 
night,  while  he  seated  himself  in  a  chair  in  a  cor- 
ner of  the  room,  as  he  had  often  done  before. 


During  the  night,  as  he  sat  there,  the  door 
opened,  and  in  came  Big  Claus  with  a  hatchet. 
He  knew  well  where  Little  Claus's  bed  stood  ;  sc 
he  went  right  up  to  it,  and  struck  the  old  grand- 
mother on  the  head,  thinking  it  must  be  Little 
Claus. 

"  There,"  cried  he,  "  now  you  cannot  make  a 
fool  of  me  again  ;  "  and  then  he  went  home. 

"  That  is  a  very  wicked  man,"  thought  Little 
Claus  ;  "  he  meant  to  kill  me.  It  is  a  good  thing 
for  my  old  grandmother  that  she  was  already  dead, 
or  he  would  have  taken  her  life." 

Then  he  dressed  his  old  grandmother  in  her  best 
clothes,  borrowed  a  horse  of  his  neighbor,  and 
harnessed  it  to  a  cart.  Then  he  placed  the  old 
woman  on  the  back  seat,  so  that  she  might  not  fall 
out  as  he  drove,  and  rode  away  through  the  wood. 
By  sunrise  they  reached  a  large  inn,  where  Little 
Claus  stopped  and  went  to  get  something  to  eat. 

The  landlord  was  a  rich  man,  and  a  good  man, 
too ;  but  as  passionate  as  if  he  had  been  made  of 
pepper  and  snuff. 

"  Good-morning,"  said  he  to  Little  Claus  ;  "  you 
are  come  betimes  to-day." 

"  Yes,"  said  Little  Claus  ;  "  I  am  going  to  the 
town  with  my  old  grandmother  ;  she  is  sitting  at 
the  back  of  the  wagon,  but  I  cannot  bring  her  into 
the  room.  Will  you  take  her  a  glass  of  mead? 
but  you  must  speak  very  loud,  for  she  cannot  hear 
well." 

"Yes,  certainly  I  will,"  replied  the  landlord; 
and,  pouring  out  a  glass  of  mead,  he  carried  it  out 
to  the  dead  grandmother,  who  sat  upright  in  the 
cart. 

"  Here  is  a  glass  of  mead  from  your  grandson," 
said  the  landlord.  The  dead  woman  did  not  an- 
swer a  word,  but  sat  quite  still. 

"Do  you  not  hear?"  cried  the  landlord,  as 
loud  as  he  could  ;  "here  is  a  glass  of  mead  from 
your  grandson." 

Again  and  again  he  bawled  it  out,  but  as  she  did 
not  stir  he  flew  into  a  passion,  and  threw  the  glass 
of  mead  in  her  face ;  it  struck  her  on  the  nose,  and 
she  fell  backwards  out  of  the  cart,  for  she  was  only 
seated  there,  not  tied  in. 


184 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


"  Mercy  !  "  cried  Little  Claus,  and  sprang  out 
of  the  door,  and  seized  hold  of  the  landlord  by 
the  throat ;  "  you  have  killed  my  grandmother ; 
see,  here  is  a  great  hole  in  her  forehead." 

"  Oh,  how  unfortunate,"  said  the  landlord, 
wringing  his  hands.  "  This  all  comes  of  my  fiery 
temper.  Dear  Little  Claus,  I  will  give  you  a 
whole  bushel  of  money,  and  will  bury  your  grand- 
mother as  if  she  were  my  own ;  only  keep  silent, 
or  else  they  will  cut  off  my  head,  and  that  would 
be  disagreeable." 

So  it  happened  that  Little  Claus  received  an- 
other bushel  of  money,  and  the  landlord  buried 
his  old  grandmother  as  if  she  had  been  his  own. 

When  now  Little  Claus  reached  home  again,  he 
immediately  sent  a  boy  to  Big  Claus,  requesting 
him  to  lend  him  a  bushel  measure.  "  How  is 
this  ?  "  thought  Big  Claus  ;  "  did  I  not  kill  him? 
I  must  gp  and  see  for  myself."  So  he  went  to 
Little  Claus,  and  took  the  bushel  measure  with 
him.  "  How  did  you  get  all  this  money?"  asked 
Big  Claus,  staring  with  wide  open  eyes  at  his 
neighbor's  treasures. 

"  You  killed  my  grandmother  instead  of  me," 
said  Little  Claus,  "  so  I  have  sold  her  for  a  bushel 
of  money." 

"  That  is  a  good  price,  any  way,"  said  Big  Claus. 
So  he  went  home,  took  a  hatchet,  and  killed  his  old 
grandmother  with  one  blow.  Then  he  placed  her 
on  a  cart,  and  drove  into  the  town  to  the  apoth- 
ecary, and  asked  him  if  he  would  buy  a  dead 
body. 

"  Whose  is  it,  and  where  did  you  get  it  ?  "  asked 
the  apothecary. 

"  It  is  my  grandmother,"  he  replied  ;  "  I  struck 
her  dead  for  a  bushel  of  money." 

"  Heaven  preserve  us !  "  cried  the  apothecary, 
"  you  are  out  of  your  mind.  Don't  say  such 
things,  or  you  will  lose  your  head."  And  then 
he  talked  to  him  seriously  about  the  wicked  deed 
he  had  done,  and  told  him  that  such  a  wicked  man 
would  surely  be  punished.  Big  Claus  got  so 
frightened  that  he  rushed  out  of  the  apothecary 
shop,  jumped  into  the  cart,  whipped  up  his  horses, 
and  drove  home    quickly.      The   apothecary  and 


all  the  people  thought  him  mad,  and  let  him  drive 
where  he  liked. 

"  You  shall  pay  for  this,"  said  Big  Claus,  as 
soon  as  he  got  into  the  high-road,  —  "that  you 
shall,  Little  Claus."  So  as  soon  as  he  reached 
home  he  took  the  largest  sack  he  could  find,  and 
went  over  to  Little  Claus.  "  You  have  played  me 
another  trick,"  said  he.  "  First,  I  killed  all  my 
horses,  and  then  my  old  grandmother,  and  it  is  all 
your  fault ;  but  you  shall  not  make  a  fool  of  me 
any  more."  So  he  laid  hold  of  Little  Claus  round 
the  body,  and  pushed  him  into  the  sack,  which  he 
took  on  his  shoulders,  saying,  "  Now  I  'm  going  to 
drown  you  in  the  river." 

He  had  a  long  way  to  go  before  he  reached  the 
river,  and  Little  Claus  was  not  a  very  light  weight 
to  carry.  The  road  led  by  the  church,  and  as  they 
passed  he  could  hear  the  organ  playing  and  the 
people  singing  beautifully.  Big  Claus  put  down 
the  sack  close  to  the  church  door,  and  thought  he 
might  as  well  go  in  and  hear  a  psalm  before  he 
went  any  farther.  Little  Claus  could  not  possibly 
get  out  of  the  sack,  and  all  the  people  were  in 
church;  so  in  he  went. 

"  Oh  dear,  oh  dear,"  sighed  Little  Claus  in  the 
sack,  as  he  turned  and  twisted  about ;  but  he 
found  he  could  not  loosen  the  string  with  which  it 
was  tied.  Presently  an  old  cattle  driver,  with 
snowy  hair,  passed  by,  carrying  a  large  staff  in  his 
hand,  with  which  he  drove  a  large  herd  of  cows 
and  oxen  before  him.  They  stumbled  against  the 
sack  in  which  lay  Little  Claus,  and  turned  it  over. 
"Oh  dear,"  sighed  Little  Claus,  "I  am  so  young, 
and  going  so  soon  to  heaven." 

"  And  I,  poor  fellow,"  said  the  drover,  —  "  I, 
who  am  so  old  already,  cannot  get  there." 

"  Open  the  sack,"  cried  Little  Claus  ;  "  creep 
into  it  instead  of  me,  and  you  will  soon  be 
there." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  replied  the  drover,  open- 
ing the  sack,  from  which  sprang  Little  Claus  as 
quickly  as  possible.  "  Will  you  take  care  of  my 
cattle  ? "  said  the  old  man,  as  he  crept  into  the 
bag. 

"  Yes,"  said  Little  Claus,  and  he  tied  up  the 


LITTLE   GLAUS  AND  BIG    CLAVS. 


185 


sack,  and  then  walked  off  with  all  the  cows  and 
oxen. 

When  Big  Claus  came  out  of  church,  he  took  up 
the  sack,  and  placed  it  on  his  shoulders.  It  ap- 
peared to  have  become  lighter,  for  the  old  drover 
was  not  half  so  heavy  as  Little  Claus. 

"How  light  he  seems  now,"  said  he.  "Ah,  it 
is  because  I  have  been  to  a  church."  So  he 
walked  on  to  the  river,  which  was  deep  and  broad, 
and  threw  the  sack  containing  the  old  drover  into 
the  water,  believing  it  to  be  Little  Claus.  "  There 
you  may  lie  !  "  he  exclaimed  ;  "you  will  play  me 
no  more  tricks  now."  Then  he  turned  to  go  home, 
but  when  he  came  to  a  place  where  two  roads 
crossed,  there  was  Little  Claus  driving  the  cattle. 
"  How  is  this  ?  "  said 
Big  Claus.  "Did  I 
not  drown  you  just 
now  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Little 
Claus ;  "  you  threw 
me  into  the  river 
about  half  an  hour 
ago." 

"  But  wherever  did 
you  get  all  these  fine 
beasts?"  asked  Big 
Claus. 

"  These  beasts  are 
sea-cattle,"  replied  Little  Claus.  "  I  '11  tell  vou  the 
whole  story,  and  thank  you  for  drowning  me  ;  I 
am  above  you  now  ;  I  am  really  very  rich.  I  was 
frightened,  to  be  sure,  while  I  lay  tied  up  in  the 
sack,  and  the  wind  whistled  in  my  ears  when  you 
threw  me  into  the  river  from  the  bridge,  and  I 
sank  to  the  bottom  immediately ;  but  I  did  not 
hurt  myself,  for  I  fell  upon  beautifully  soft  grass 
which  grows  clown  there  ;  and,  in  a  moment,  the 
sack  opened,  and  the  sweetest  little  maiden  came 
towards  me.  She  had  snow-white  robes,  and  a 
wreath  of  green  leaves  on  her  wet  hair.  She  took 
me  by  the  hand,  and  said,  '  So  you  are  come,  Lit- 
tle Claus,  and  here  are  some  cattle  for  you  to  be- 
gin with.  About  a  mile  farther  on  the  road,  there 
is  another  herd  for  you.'     Then  I  saw  that  the 

24 


river  formed  a  great  highway  for  the  people  who 
live  in  the  sea.  They  were  walking  and  driving 
here  and  there  from  the  sea  to  the  land  at  the 
spot  where  the  river  terminates.  The  bed  of  the 
river  was  covered  with  the  loveliest  flowers  and 
sweet,  fresh  grass.  The  fish  swam  past  me  as 
rajiidly  as  the  birds  do  here  in  the  air.  How 
handsome  all  the  people  were,  and  what  fine  cat- 
tle were  grazing  on  the  hills  and  in  the  valleys  !  " 
"  But  why  did  you  come  up  again,"  said  Big 
Claus,  "  if  it  was  all  so  beautiful  down  there  ?  I 
should  not  have  done  so." 

"  Well,"  said  Little  Claus,  "  it  was  good  policy 
on  my  part ;  you  heard  me  say  just  now  that  I 
was  told  by  the  sea-maiden  to  go  a  mile  farther  on 

the  road,  and  I  should 
find  a  whole  herd  of 
cattle.  By  the  road 
she  meant  the  river, 
for  she  could  not  travel 
any  other  way  ;  but  I 
knew  the  winding  of 
the  river,  and  how  it 
bends,  sometimes  io- 
the  right  and  some- 
times to  the  left,  and 
it  seemed  a  long  way, 
so  I  chose  a  shorter 
one ;  and,  by  coming 
up  to  the  land,  and  then  driving  across  the  fields 
back  again  to  the  river,  I  shall  save  half  a  mile, 
and  get  all  my  cattle  more  quickly." 

"  What  a  lucky  fellow  you  are !  "  exclaimed 
Big  Claus.  "  Do  you  think  I  should  get  any  sea- 
cattle  if  I  went  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  river  '?  " 
"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  said  Little  Claus;  "but  I 
cannot  carry  you  there  in  a  sack,  you  are  too 
heavy.  However,  if  you  will  go  there  first,  and 
then  creep  into  a  sack,  I  will  throw  you  in  with 
the  greatest  pleasure." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Big  Claus  ;  "  but  remem 
ber,  if  I  do  not  get  any  sea-cattle  down  there,  I 
shall  come  up  again  and  give  you  a  good  thrash- 
ing." 

"  No,  now,  don't  be  too  fierce  about  it !  "  said 


186 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


Little  Claus,  as  they  walked  on  towards  the  river. 
When  they  approached  it,  the  cattle,  who  were 
~very  thirsty,  saw  the  stream,  and  ran  down  to 
•drink. 

"  See  what  a  hurry  they  are  in,"  said  Little 
Claus,  "  they  are  longing  to  get  down  again." 

"  Come.  Help  me,  make  haste,"  said  Big 
Claus,  "  or  you  '11  get  beaten."  So  he  crept  into 
a  large  sack,  which  had  been  lying  across  the 
back  of  one  of  the  oxen. 


"  Put  in  a  stone,"  said  Big  Claus,  "  or  I  may 
not  sink." 

"  Oh,  there  's  not  much  fear  of  that,"  he  replied  ; 
still  he  put  a  large  stone  into  the  bag,  and  then 
tied  it  tightly,  and  gave  it  a  push. 

"  Plump !  "  In  went  Big  Claus,  and  immedi- 
ately sank  to  the  bottom  of  the  river. 

"  I  'm  afraid  he  will  not  find  any  cattle,"  said 
Little  Claus,  and  then  he  drove  his  own  beasts 
homeward. 


THE   DARNING-NEEDLE. 


Theke  was  once  a  darning-needle,  who  thought 
herself  so  fine,  she  imagined  she  was  an  embroider- 
ing needle. 

"  Take  care,  and  mind  you  hold  me  tight !  "  she 
said  to  the  Fingers  that  took  her  out.  "  Don't 
let  me  fall !  If  I  fall  on  the  ground  I  shall  cer- 
tainly never  be  found  again,  for  I  am  so  fine ! " 

"  That 's  as  it  may  be,"  said  the  Fingers  ;  and 
they  grasped  her  round  the  body. 

"  See,  I  'm  coming  with  a  train  !  "  said  the 
Darning-needle,  and  she  drew  a  long  thread  after 
her,  but  there  was  no  knot  in  the  thread. 

The  Fingers  pointed  the  needle  just  at  the 
cook's  slipper,  in  which  the  upper  leather  had 
burst,  and  was  to  be  sewn  together. 

"  That 's  vulgar  work,"  said  the  Darning- 
needle.  "  I  shall  never  get  through.  I  'm  break 
ing  !  I  'm  breaking  !  "  And  she  really  broke. 
"  Did  I  not  say  so  ?  "  said  the  Darning-needle ; 
"  I  'm  too  fine  ! " 

"  Now  it 's  quite  useless,"  said  the  Fingers  ;  but 
they  were  obliged  to  hold  her  fast,  all  the  same  ; 
for  the  cook  dropped  some  sealing-wax  upon  the 
needle,  and  pinned  her  handkerchief  together  with 
it  in  front. 

"  So,  now  I  'm  a  breast-pin  !  "  said  the  Darning- 
needle.  "  I  knew  very  well  that  I  should  come  to 
honor :  when  one  is  something,  one  comes  to  some- 
thing !  " 

And  she  laughed  quietly  to  herself  —  and  one 
can    never    see    when    a    darning-needle    laughs. 


There  she  sat,  as  proud  as  if  she  was  in  a  state 
coach,  and  looked  all  about  her. 

"  May  I  be  permited  to  ask  if  you  are  of  gold  ?  " 
she  inquired  of  the  pin,  her  neighbor.  "  You  have 
a  very  pretty  appearance,  and  a  peculiar  head,  but 
it  is  only  little.  You  must  take  pains  to  grow,  for 
it's  not  every  one  that  has  sealing-wax  dropped 
upon  him." 

And  the  Darning-needle  drew  herself  up  so 
proudly  that  she  fell  out  of  the  handkerchief  right 
into  the  sink,  which  the  cook  was  rinsing  out. 

"Now  we're  going  on  a  iournev,"  said  the 
Darning-needle.     "  If  I  only  don't  get  lost !  " 

But  she  really  was  lost. 

"I  'm  too  fine  for  this  world,"  she  observed,  as 
she  lay  in  the  gutter.  "  But  I  know  who  I  am, 
and  there  's  always  something  in  that !  " 

So  the  Darning-needle  kept  her  proud  behavior, 
and  did  not  lose  her  good-humor.  And  things  of 
many  kinds  swam  over  her,  chip  and  straws  and 
pieces  of  old  newspapers. 

"  Only  look  how  they  sail !  "  said  the  Darning- 
needle.  "  They  don't  know  what  is  under  them  ! 
I  'm  here,  I  remain  firmly  here.  See,  there  goes  a 
chip  thinking  of  nothing  in  the  world  but  of  him- 
self—  of  a  chip  !  There  's  a  straw  going  by  now. 
How  he  turns  !  how  he  twirls  about !  Don't  think 
only  of  yourself,  you  might  easily  run  up  against 
a  stone.  There  swims  a  bit  of  newspaper. 
What 's  written  upon  it  has  long  been  forgotten, 
and  yet  it  gives  itself  airs.     I  sit  quietly  and  pa- 


THE  DARNING-NEEDLE. 


187 


tiently  here.     I  know  who  I  am,  and  I  shall  re- 
main what  I  am." 

One   day  something   lay  close    beside    her  that 


glittered  splendidly ;  then  the  Darning-needle  be- 
lieved that  it  was  a  diamond  ;  but  it  was  a  bit  of 
broken  bottle ;  and  because  it  shone,  the  Darning- 
needle  spoke  to  it,  introducing  herself  as  a  breast- 
pin. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  a  diamond  ?"  she  observed. 

"  Why,  yes,  something  of  that  kind." 

And  then  each  believed  the  other  to  be  a  very 
valuable  thing;  and  they  began  speaking  about 
the  world,  and  how  very  conceited  it  was. 

"  I  have  been  in  a  lady's  box,"  said  the  Darn- 
ing-needle, "  and  this  lady  was  a  cook.  She  had 
five  fingers  on  each  hand,  and  I  never  saw  any- 
thing so  conceited  as  those  five  fingers.  And  yet 
they  were  only  there  that  they  might  take  me  out 
of  the  box  and  put  me  back  into  it." 

"  Were  they  of  good  birth  ?  "  asked  the  Bit  of 
Bottle. 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  the  Darning-needle,  "  but 
very  haughty.  There  were  five  brothers,  all  of 
the  finger  family.  They  kept  very  proudly  to- 
gether, though  they  were  of  different  lengths  :  the 
outermost,  the  thumblkig,  was  short  and  fat ;  he 
walked  out  in  front  of  the  ranks,  and  only  had 
one  joint  in  his  back,  and  could  only  make  a 
single  bow  ;  but  he  said  that  if  be  were  hacked 


off  a  man,  that  man  was  useless  for  service  in  war. 
Daintymouth,  the  second  finger,  thrust  himself 
into  sweet  and  sour,  pointed  to  sun  and  moon,  and 
gave  the  impression  when  they  wrote.  Long- 
man, the  third,  looked  at  all  the  others  over  his 
shoulder.  Goldborder,  the  fourth,  went  about 
with  a  golden  belt  round  his  waist ;  and  little 
Playman  did  nothing  at  all,  and  was  proud  of  it. 
There  was  nothing  but.  bragging  among  them, 
and  therefore  I  went  away." 

"  And  now  we  sit  here  and  glitter !  "  said  the 
Bit  of  Bottle. 

At  that  moment  more  water  came  into  the 
gutter,  so  that  it  overflowed,  and  the  Bit  of  Bot- 
tle was  carried  away. 

"  So  he  is  disposed  of,"  observed  the  Darning- 
needle.  "I  remain  here,  I  am  too  fine.  But 
that 's  my  pride,  and  my  pride  is  honorable." 
And  proudly  she  sat  there,  and  had  many  great 
thoughts.  "  I  could  almost  believe  I  had  been 
born  of  a  sunbeam,  I  'm  so  fine !  It  really  appears 
as  if  the  sunbeams  were  always  seeking  for  me 
under  the  water.  Ah  !  I  'm  so  fine  that  my  mother 
cannot  find  me.  If  I  had  my  old  eye,  which  broke 
off,  I  think  I  should  cry  ;  but,  no,  I  should  not  do 
that:  it 's  not  genteel  to  cry." 

One  day  a  couple  of  street  boys  lay  grubbing 
in  the  gutter,  where  they  sometimes  found  old 
nails,  farthings,  and  similar  treasures.  It  was 
dirty  work,  but  they  took  great  delight  in  it. 


"  Oh  ! "  cried  one,  who  had  pricked  himself 
with  the  Darning-needle,  "there's  a  fellow  for 
you!" 


188 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


"  I  'm  not  a  fellow  ;  I  'm  a  young  lady  !  "  said 
the  Darning-needle. 

But  nobody  listened  to  her.  The  sealing-wax 
had  come  off,  and  she  had  turned  black  ;  but  black 
makes  one  look  slender,  and  she  thought  herself 
finer  even  than  before. 

"  Here  comes  an  egg-shell  sailing  along  !  "  said 
the  boys  ;  and  they  stuck  the  Darning-needle  fast 
in  the  egg-shell. 

"  White  walls,  and  black  myself !  that  looks 
well,"  remarked  the  Darning-needle.  "  Now  one 
can  see  me.  I  only  hope  I  shall  not  be  sea- 
sick ! "     But   she   was   not   seasick   at   all.     "  It 


is  good  against  seasickness,  if  one  has  a  steel 
stomach,  and  does  not  forget  that  one  is  a  little 
more  than  an  ordinary  person  !  Now  my  seasick- 
ness is  over.  The  finer  one  is,  the  more  one  can 
bear." 

"  Crack  !  "  went  the  egg-shell,  for  a  wagon  went 
over  her. 

"  Good  heavens,  how  it  crushes  one  !  "  said  the 
Darning-needle.  "  I  'm  getting  seasick  now,  — 
I  "m  quite  sick." 

But  she  was  not  realty  sick,  though  the  wagon 
went  over  her ;  she  lay  there  at  full  length,  and 
there  she  may  lie. 


THE   RED   SHOES. 


There  was  once  a  little  girl,  —  a  very  nice, 
pretty  little  girl.  But  in  summer  she  had  to  go 
barefoot,  because  she  was  poor,  and  in  winter  she 
wore  thick  wooden  shoes,  so  that  her  little  instep 
became  quite  red,  altogether  red. 

In  the  middle  of  the  village  lived  an  old  shoe- 
maker's wife  ;  she  sat  and  sewed,  as  well  as  she 
could,  a  pair  of  little  shoes,  of  old  strips  .of  red 
cloth  ;  they  were  clumsy  enough,  but  well  meant, 
and  the  little  girl  was  to  have  them.  The  little 
girl's  name  was  Karen. 

On  the  day  when  her  mother  was  buried  she 
received  the  red  shoes  and  wore  them  for  the  first 
time.  They  were  certainly  not  suited  for  mourn- 
ing ;  but  she  had  no  others,  and  therefore  thrust 
her  little  bare  feet  into  them  and  walked  behind 
the  plain  deal  coffin. 

Suddenly  a  great  carriage  came  by,  and  in  the 
carriage  sat  an  old  lady  :  she  looked  at  the  little 
girl  and  felt  pity  for  her,  and  said  to  the  clergy- 
man, — 

"  Give  me  the  little  girl,  and  I  will  provide  for 
her." 

Karen  thought  this  was  for  the  sake  of  the 
shoes ;  but  the  old  lady  declared  they  were  hid- 
eous ;  and  they  were  burned.  But  Karen  her- 
self was  clothed  neatly  and  properly  :  she  was 
taught  to  read  and  to  sew,  and  the  people  saw 


she  was  agreeable.  But  her  mirror  said,  "You  are 
much  more  than  agreeable  ;  you  are  beautiful." 

Once  the  queen  traveled  through  the  country, 
and  had  her  little  daughter  with  her ;  and  the 
daughter  whs  a  princess.  And  the  people  flocked 
toward  the  castle,  and  Karen  too  was  among 
them  ;  and  the  little  princess  stood  in  a  fine  white 
dress  at  a  window,  and  let  herself  be  gazed  at. 
She  had  neither  train  nor  golden  crown,  but  she 
wore  splendid  red  morocco  shoes ;  they  were  cer- 
tainly far  handsomer  than  those  the  shoemaker's 
wife  had  made  for  little  Karen.  Nothing  in  the 
world  can  compare  with  red  shoes  ! 

Now  Karen  was  old  enough  to  be  confirmed  : 
new  clothes  were  made  for  her,  and  she  was  to 
have  new  shoes.  The  rich  shoemaker  in  the  town 
took  the  measure  of  her  little  feet ;  this  was  done 
in  his  own  house,  in  his  little  room,  and  there 
stood  great  glass  cases  with  neat  shoes  and  sh'ining 
boots.  It  had  quite  a  charming  appearance,  but 
the  old  lady  could  not  see  well,  and  therefore  took 
no  pleasure  in  it.  Among  the  shoes  stood  a  red 
pair,  just  like  those  which  the  princess  had  worn. 
How  beautiful  they  were  !  The  shoemaker  also 
said  they  had  been  made  for  a  count's  child,  but 
they  had  not  fitted. 

"  That  must  be  patent  leather,"  observed  the 
old  lady,  "the  shoes  shine  so  !  " 


THE  RED   SHOES. 


188 


"  Yes,  they  shine  ! "  replied  Karen  ;  and  they 
fitted  her,  and  were  bought.  But  the  old  lady 
did  not  know  that  they  were  red  ;  for  she  would 
never  have  allowed  Karen  to  go  to  her  Confirma- 
tion in  red  shoes ;  and  that  is  what  Karen  did. 

Every  one  was  looking  at  her  shoes.  And  when 
she  went  across  the  church  porch,  toward  the  door 
of  the  choir,  it  seemed  to  her  as  if  the  old  pictures 
on  the  tombstones,  the  portraits  of  clergymen  and 
clergymen's  wives,  in  their  stiff  collars  and  long 
black  garments,  fixed  their  eyes  upon  her  red 
shoes.  And  she  thought  of  her  shoes  only,  when 
the  priest  laid  his  hand  upon  her  head  and  spoke 
holy  words.  And  the  organ  pealed  solemnly,  the 
children  sang  with  their  fresh  sweet  voices,  and 
the  old  precentor  sang  too  ;  but  Karen  thought 
only  of  her  red  shoes. 

In  the  afternoon  the  old  lady  was  informed  by 
every  one  that  the  shoes  were  red ;  and  she  said 
it  was  naughty  and  unsuitable,  and  that  when 
Karen  went  to  church  in  future,  she  should  always 
go  in  black  shoes,  even  if  they  were  old. 

Next  Sunday  was  Sacrament  Sunday.  And 
Karen  looked  at  the  black  shoes,  and  looked  at  the 
red  ones  —  looked  at  them  again  —  and  put  on  the 
red  ones. 

The  sun  shone  gloriously;  Karen  and  the  old 
lady  went  along  the  foot-path  through  the  fields, 
and  it  was  rather  dusty. 

By  the  church  door  stood  an  old  invalid  soldier 
with  a  crutch  and  a  long  beard  ;  the  beard  was 
rather  red  than  white,  for  it  was  red  altogether: 
and  he  bowed  down  almost  to  the  ground,  and 
asked  the  old  lady  if  he  might  dust  her  shoes. 
And  Karen  also  stretched  out  her  little  foot. 

"  Look,  what  pretty  dancing  shoes  !  "  said  the 
old  soldier.     "Fit  so  tightly  when  you  dance  !  " 

And  he  tapped  the  soles  with  his  hand.  And 
the  old  lady  gave  the  soldier  an  alms,  and  went 
into  the  church  with  Karen. 

And  every  one  in  the  church  looked  at  Karen's 
red  shoes,  and  all  the  pictures  looked  at  them. 
And  while  Karen  knelt  in  the  church  she  only 
thought  of  her  red  shoes  ,  and  she  forgot  to  sing 
her  psalm,  and  forgot  to  say  her  prayer. 


Now  all  the  people  went  out  of  church,  and  the 
old  lady  stepped  into  her  carriage.  Karen  lifted 
up  her  foot  to  step  in  too ;  then  the  old  soldier 
said,  — 

"  Look,  what  beautiful  dancing  shoes  !  " 

And  Karen  could  not  resist :  she  was  obliged  to 
dance  a  few  steps ;  and  when  she  once  began,  her 
legs  went  on  dancing.  It  was  just  as  though 
the  shoes  had  obtained  power  over  her.  She 
danced  round  the  corner  of  the  church  —  she 
could  not  help  it;  the  coachman  was  obliged  to 
run  behind  her  and  seize  her :  he  lifted  her  into 
the  carriage,  but  her  feet  went  on  dancing,  so 
that  she  kicked  the  good  old  lady  violently.  At 
last  they  took  off  her  shoes  and  her  legs  became 
cpiet. 

At  home  the  shoes  were  put  away  in  a  cup- 
board ;  but  Karen  could  not  resist  looking  at 
them. 

Now  the  old  lady  became  very  ill,  and  it  was 
said  she  would  not  recover.  She  had  to  be  nursed 
and  waited  on  ;  and  this  was  no  one's  duty  so 
much  as  Karen's.  But  there  was  to  be  a  great 
ball  in  the  town,  and  Karen  was  invited.  She 
looked  at  the  old  lady  who  could  not  recover ; 
she  looked  at  the  i-ed  shoes,  and  thought  there 
would  be  no  harm  in  it.  She  put  on  the  shoes, 
and  that  she  might  very  well  do  ;  but  they  went 
to  the  ball  and  began  to  dance. 

But  when  she  wished  to  go  to  the  right  hand, 
the  shoes  danced  to  the  left,  and  when  she  wanted 
to  go  up-stairs  the  shoes  danced  downward,  down 
into  the  street  and  out  at  the  town  gate.  She 
danced,  and  was  obliged  to  dance,  straight  out  into 
the  dark  wood. 

There  was  something  glistening  up  among  the 
trees,  and  she  thought  it  was  the  moon,  for  she 
saw  a  face.  But  it  was  the  old  soldier  with  the 
red  beard  :  he  sat  and  nodded,  and  said,  — 

"Look,  what  beautiful  dancing  shoes  !  " 

Then  she  was  frightened,  and  wanted  to  throw 
away  the  red  shoes  ;  but  they  clung  fast  to  her. 
And  she  tore  off  her  stockings :  but  the  shoes  had 
grown  fast  to  her  feet.  And  she  danced  and  was 
compelled  to  go  dancing  over  field  and  meadow, 


190 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


in  rain  and  sunshine,  by  night  and  by  day  ;  but 
it  was  most  dreadful  at  night. 

She  danced  out  into  the  open  church-yard ;  but 
the  dead  there  do  not  dance ;  they  have  far  better 
things  to  do.  She  wished  to  sit  down  on  the  poor 
man's  grave,  where  the  bitter  fern  grows  ;  but 
there  was  no  peace  nor  rest  for  her.  And  when 
she  danced  toward  the  open  church  door,  she  saw 
there  an  angel  in  long  white  garments,  with 
wino-s  that  reached  from  his  shoulders  to  his  feet ; 
his  countenance  was  serious  and  stern,  and  in  his 
hand  he  held  a  sword  that  was  broad  and  gleam- 
ing. 

"  Thou  shalt  dance  !  "  he  said  —  "dance  on  thy 
red  shoes,  till  thou  art  pale  and  cold,  and  till  thy 
body  shrivels  to  a  skeleton.  Thou  shalt  dance 
from  door  to  door ;  and  where  proud,  haughty 
children  dwell,  shalt  thou  knock,  that  they  may 
hear  thee,  and  be  afraid  of  thee !  Thou  shalt 
dance,  dance ! " 

"  Mercy  !  "  cried  Karen. 

But  she  did  not  hear  what  the  angel  answered, 
for  the  shoes  carried  her  away  —  carried  her 
through  the  door  on  to  the  field,  over  stock  and 
stone,  and  she  was  always  obliged  to  dance. 

One  morning  she  danced  past  a  door  which  she 
knew  well.  There  was  a  sound  of  psalm-singing 
within,  and  a  coffin  was  carried  out,  adorned  with 
flowers.  Then  she  knew  that  the  old  lady  was 
dead,  and  she  felt  that  she  was  deserted  by  all, 
and  condemned  by  the  angel  of  heaven. 

She  danced,  and  was  compelled  to  dance  —  to 
dance  in  the  davk  night.  The  shoes  carried  her  on 
over  thorn  and  brier ;  she  scratched  herself  till  she 
bled  ;  she  danced  away  across  the  heath  to  a  little 
lonely  house.  Here  she  knew  the  executioner 
dwelt ;  and  she  tapped  with  her  fingers  on  the 
panes,  and  called,  — 

"Come  out,  come  out!  I  cannot  come  in,  for 
I  must  dance  !  " 

And  the  executioner  said, — 

"  You  probably  don't  know  who  I  am  ?  I  cut 
off  the  bad  people's  heads  with  my  axe,  and  mark 
how  my  axe  rings  !  " 

"  Do  not  strike  off  my  head,"  said  Karen,  "  for 


if  you  do  I  cannot  repent  of  my  sin.     But  strike 
off  my  feet  with  the  red  shoes  !  " 

And  then  she  confessed  all  her  sin,  and  the  exe- 
cutioner cut  off  her  feet  with  the  red  shoes ;  but 
the  shoes  danced  away  with  the  little  feet  over  the 
fields  and  into  the  deep  forest. 

And  he  cut  her  a  pair  of  wooden  feet,  with 
crutches,  and  taught  her  a  psalm,  which  the  crimi- 
nals always  sing  ;  and  she  kissed  the  hand  that 
had  held  the  axe,  and  went  away  across  the  heath. 

"  Now  I  have  suffered  pain  enough  for  the  red 
shoes,"  said  she.  "  Now  I  will  go  into  the  church, 
that  they  may  see  me." 

And  she  went  quickly  toward  the  church  door  ; 
but  when  she  came  there  the  red  shoes  danced  be- 
fore her,  so  that  she  was  frightened  and  turned 
back. 

The  whole  week  through  she  was  sorrowful, 
and  wept  many  bitter  tears  ;  but  when  Sunday 
came,  she  said,  — 

"  Now  I  have  suffered  and  striven  enough  !  I 
think  that  I  am  just  as  good  as  many  of  those  who 
sit  in  the  church  and  carry  their  heads  high." 

And  then  she  went  boldly  on  ;  but  she  did  not 
get  farther  than  the  church-yard  gate  before  she 
saw  the  red  shoes  dancing  along  before  her  :  then 
she  was  seized  with  terror,  and  turned  back,  and 
repented  of  her  sin  right  heartily. 

And  she  went  to  the  parsonage,  and  begged  to 
be  taken  there  as  a  servant.  She  promised  to  be 
industrious,  and  to  do  all  she  could  :  she  did  not 
care  for  wages,  and  only  wished  to  be  under  a  roof 
and  with  good  people.  The  clergyman's  wife  pit- 
ied her,  and  took  her  into  her  service.  And  she 
was  industrious  and  thoughtful.  Silently  she  sat 
and  listened  when  in  the  evening  the  pastor  read 
the  Bible  aloud.  All  the  little  ones  were  very 
fond  of  her ;  but  when  they  spoke  of  dress  and 
splendor  and  beauty  she  would  shake  her  head. 

Next  Sunday  they  all  went  to  church,  and  she 
was  asked  if  she  wished  to  go  too ;  but  she  looked 
sadly,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  at  her  crutches. 
And  then  the  others  went  to  hear  God's  word  ;  but 
she  went  alone  into  her  little  room,  which  was  only 
large  enough  to  contain  her  bed  and  a  chair.    And 


THE  NIGHTINGALE. 


191 


here  she  sat  with  her  hymn-book;  and  as  she  read 
it  with  a  pious  mind,  the  wind  bore  the  notes  of 
the  organ  over  to  her  from  the  church  ;  and  she 
lifted  up  her  face,  wet  with  tears,  and  said,  — 

"  O  Lord,  help  me  !  " 

Then  the  sun  shone  so  brightly ;  and  before  her 
stood  the  angel  in  the  white  garments,  the  same 
she  had  seen  that  night  at  the  church  door.  But 
he  no  longer  grasped  the  sharp  sword  :  he  held  a 
green  branch  covered  with  roses ;  and  he  touched 
the  ceiling,  and  it  rose  up  high  and  wherever  he 
touched  it  a  golden  star  gleamed  forth  ;  and  he 
touched  the  walls,  and  they  spread  forth  widely, 
and  she  saw  the  organ  which  was  pealing  its  rich 
sounds ;  and  she  saw  the  old  pictures  of  clergymen 
and  their  wives  ;  and  the  congregation  sat  in  the 
decorated  seats,  and  sang  from  their  hymn-books. 
The  church  had  come  to  the  poor  girl  in  her  nar- 
row room,  or  her  chamber  had  become  a  church. 
She  sat  in  the  chair  with  the  rest  of  the  clergy- 
man's people ;  and  when  they  had  finished  the 
psalm,  and  looked  up,  they  nodded  and  said,  — 

"  That  was  right,  that  you  came  here,  Karen." 


"  It  was  mercy  !  "  said  she. 

And  the  organ  sounded  its  glorious  notes  ;  and 
the  children's  voices  singing  in  chorus  sounded 
sweet  and  lovely ;  the  clear  sunshine  streamed  so 


warm  through  the  window  upon  the  chair  in  which 
Karen  sat  ;  and  her  heart  became  so  filled  with 
sunshine,  peace,  and  joy  that  it  broke.  Her  soul 
flew  on  the  sunbeams  to  heaven  ;  and  there  was 
nobody  who  asked  after  the  Red  Shoes  ! 


THE   NIGHTINGALE. 


In  China,  you  must  know,  the  emperor  is  a 
Chinaman,  and  all  whom  he  has  about  him  are 
Chinamen  too.  It  happened  a  good  many  years 
ago,  but  that's  just  why  it's  worth  while  to  hear 
the  story,  before  it  is  forgotten.  The  emperor's 
palace  was  the  most  splendid  in  the  world ;  it  was 
made  entirely  of  porcelain,  very  costly,  but  so  del- 
icate and  brittle  that  one  had  to  take  care  how  one 
touched  it.  In  the  garden  were  to  be  seen  the 
most  wonderful  flowers,  and  to  the  costliest  of 
them  silver  bells  were  tied,  which  sounded,  so  that 
nobody  should  pass  by  without  noticing  the  flow- 
ers. Yes,  everything  in  the  emperor's  garden 
was  admirably  arranged.  And  it  extended  so  far, 
that  the  gardener  himself  did  not  know  where  the 
end  was.  If  a  man  went  on  and  on,  he  came  into 
a  glorious  forest  with  high  trees  and  deep  lakes. 
The  wood    extended    straight    down    to  the    sea, 


which  was  blue  and  deep  ;  great  ships  could  sail 
to  and  fro  beneath  the  branches  of  the  trees ;  and 
in  the  trees  lived  a  Nightingale,  which  sang  so 
splendidly  that  even  the  poor  fisherman,  who  had 
many  other  things  to  do,  stopped  still  and  listened, 
when  he  had  gone  out  at  night  to  throw  out  his 
nets,  and  heard  the  Nightingale. 

"  How  beautiful  that  is  !  "  he  said  ;  but  he  was 
obliged  to  attend  to  his  property,  and  thus  forgot 
the  bird.  But  when  in  the  next  night  the  bird 
sans  again,  and  the  fisherman  heard  it,  he  ex- 
claimed  again,  "  How  beautiful  that  is  !  " 

From  all  the  countries  of  the  world  travelers 
came  to  the  city  of  the  emperor  and  admired  it, 
and  the  palace,  and  the  garden,  but  when  they 
heard  the  Nightingale,  they  said,  "  That  is  the 
best  of  all !  " 

And  the  travelers  told  of   it  when   they  came 


192 


STORIES  FROM  HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


home ;  and  the  leai'ned  men  wrote  many  books 
about  the  town,  the  palace,  and  the  garden.  But 
they  did  not  forget  the  Nightingale ;  that  was 
placed  highest  of  all ;  and  those  who  were  poets 
wrote  most  magnificent  poems  about  the  Nightin- 
gale in  the  wood  by  the  deep  lake. 

The  books  went  through  all  the  world,  and  a 
few  of  them  once  came  to  the  emperor.  He  sat 
in  his  golden  chair,  and  read,  and  read :  every 
moment  he  nodded  his  head,  for  it  pleased  him  to 
peruse  the  masterly  descriptions  of  the  city,  the 
palace,  and  the  garden.  "  But  the  Nightingale  is 
the  best  of  all !  "  —  it  stood  written  there. 

"  What 's  that  ?  "  exclaimed  the  emperor.  "  I 
don't  know  the 
Nightingale  at  all ! 
Is  there  such  a  bird 
in  mj  empire,  and 
even  in  my  garden  ? 
I  've  never  heard  of 
that.  To  think  that 
I  should  have  to 
learn  such  a  thing 
for  the  first  time 
from  books !  " 

And  hereupon 
he  called  his  cava- 
lier. This  cavalier 
was  so  grand  that 
if  any  one  lower  in  rank  than  himself  dared  to 
speak  to  him,  or  to  ask  him  any  question,  he  an- 
swered nothing  but  "  P  !  "  —  and  that  meant 
nothing. 

"  There  is  said  to  be  a  wonderful  bird  here 
called  a  Nightingale  !  "  said  the  emperor.  "  They 
say  it  is  the  best  thing  in  all  my  great  empire. 
Why  have  I  never  heard  anything  about  it?" 

"  I  have  never  heard  him  named,"  replied  the 
cavalier.  "  He  has  never  been  introduced  at 
court." 

"  I  command  that  he  shall  appear  this  evening, 
and  sing  before  me,"  said  the  emperor.  "All  the 
world  knows  what  I  possess,  and  I  do  not  know  it 
myself ! " 

"  I  have  never  heard  him  mentioned,"  said  the 


cavalier.      "  I    will   seek    for    him.      I    will    find 
him." 

But  where  was  he  to  be  found  ?  The  cavalier 
ran  up  and  down  all  the  staircases,  through  halls 
and  passages,  but  no  one  among  all  those  whom 
he  met  had  heard  talk  of  the  Nightingale.  And  the 
cavalier  ran  back  to  the  emperor,  and  said  that  it 
must  be  a  fable  invented  by  the  writers  of  books. 
"  Your  imperial  majesty  cannot  believe  how 
much  is  written  that  is  fiction,  besides  something 
that  they  call  the  black  ai't." 

"  But  the  book  in  which  I  read  this,"  said  the 
emperor,  "  was  sent  to  me  by  the  high  and  mighty 
Emperor  of  Japan,  and  therefore  it  cannot  be  a 
*  falsehood.      I    will 

hear  the  Nightin- 
gale !  It  must  be 
here  this  evening  ' 
It  has  my  imperial 
favor ;  and  if  it 
does  not  come,  all 
the  court  shall  be 
trampled  upon 
after  the  court  has 
supped ! " 

"  Tsing-pe  ! "  said 
the  cavalier ;  and 
again  he  ran  up  and 
down  all  the  stair- 
cases, and  through  all  the  halls  and  corridors  ;  and 
half  the  court  ran  with  him,  for  the  courtiers  did 
not  like  being  trampled  upon. 

"  Then  there  was  a  great  inquiry  after  the  won- 
derful Nightingale,  which  all  the  world  knew  ex- 
cepting the  people  at  court. 

At  last  they  met  with  a  poor  little  girl  in  the 
kitchen,  who  said, — 

"  The  Nightingale  ?  I  know  it  well ;  yes,  it 
can  sing  gloriously.  Every  evening  I  get  leave  to 
carry  my  poor  sick  mother  the  scraps  from  the  ta- 
ble. She  lives  down  by  the  strand,  and  when  I 
get  back  and  am  tired,  and  rest  in  the  wood,  then 
I  hear  the  Nightingale  sing.  And  then  the  water 
comes  into  my  eyes,  and  it  is  just  as  if  my  mother 
kissed  me ! " 


^■vtittt* 


THE  NIGHTINGALE. 


193 


"  Little  kitchen  girl,"  said  the  cavalier,  "  I  will 
get  you  a  place  in  the  kitchen,  with  permission 
to  see  the  emperor  dine,  if  you  will  lead  us  to 
the  Nightingale,  for  it  is  announced  for  this  even- 
ing." 

So  they  all  went  out  into  the  wood  where  the 
Nightingale  was  accustomed  to  sing ;  half  the 
court  went  forth.  When  they  were  in  the  midst  of 
their  journey  a  cow  began  to  low. 

"  Oh !  "  cried  the  court  pages,  >l  now  we  have  it ! 
That  shows  a  wonderful  power  in  so  small  a 
creature  !     I  have  certainly  heard  it  before." 

"  No,  those  are  cows  lowing  !  "  said  the  little 
kitchen  girl.  "  We  are  a  long  way  from  the 
place  yet." 

Now  the  frogs  began  to  croak  in  the  marsh. 

"  Glorious ! "  said  the  Chinese  court  preacher. 
*'  Now  I  hear  it  —  it  sounds  just  like  little  church 
bells." 

"  No,  those  are  frogs  !  "  said  the  little  kitchen- 
maid.      "  But  now  I  think  we  shall  soon  hear  it." 

And  then  the  Nightingale  began  to  sing. 

"  That  is  it !  "  exclaimed  the  little  girl.  "  List- 
en, listen  !  and  yonder  it  sits." 

And  she  pointed  to  a  little  gray  bird  up  in  the 
boughs. 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  "  cried  the  cavalier.  "  I  should 
never  have  thought  it  looked  like  that !  How 
simple  it  looks  !  It  must  certainly  have  lost  its 
color  at  seeing  such  grand  people  around." 

"  Little  Nightingale  !  "  called  the  little  kitchen- 
maid,  quite  loudly,  "  our  gracious  emperor  wishes 
you  to  sing  before  him." 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure  !  "  replied  the 
Nightingale,  and  began  to  sing  most  delightfully. 

"  It  sounds  just  like  glass  bells  !  "  said  the  cav- 
alier. "And  look  at  its  little  throat,  how  it's 
working  !  It 's  wonderful  that  we  should  never 
have  heard  it  before.  That  bird  will  be  a  great 
success  at  court." 

"  Shall  I  sing  once  more  before  the  emperor  ?  " 
asked  the  Nightingale,  for  it  thought  the  emperor 
was  present. 

"  My  excellent  little  Nightingale,"  said  the  cav- 
alier, "  I  have  great  pleasure  in  inviting  you  to  a 

25 


court  festival  this  evening,  when  you  shall  charm 
his  imperial  majesty  with  your  beautiful  singing.''' 

"  My  song  sounds  best  in  the  greenwood  !  " 
replied  the  Nightingale ;  still  it  came  willingly 
when  it  heard  what  the  emperor  wished. 

The  palace  was  festively  adorned.  The  walls 
and  the  flooring,  which  were  of  porcelain,  gleamed 
in  the  rays  of  thousands  of  golden  lamps.  The 
most  glorious  flowers,  which  could  ring  clearly, 
had  been  placed  in  the  passages.  There  was  a 
running  to  and  fro,  and  a  thorough  draught,  and 
all  the  bells  rang  so  loudly  that  one  could  not  hear 
one's  self  speak. 

In  the  midst  of  the  great  hall,  where  the  em- 
peror sat,  a  golden  perch  had  been  placed,  on 
which  the  Nightingale  was  to  sit.  The  whole 
court  was  there,  and  the  little  cook-maid  had  got 
leave  to  stand  behind  the  door,  as  she  had  now  re- 
ceived the  title  of  a  real  court  cook.  All  were  in 
full  dress,  and  all  looked  at  the  little  gray  bird,  to 
which  the  emperor  nodded. 

And  the  Nightingale  sang  so  gloriously  that 
the  tears  came  into  the  emperor's  eyes,  and  the 
tears  ran  down  over  his  cheeks ;  and  then  the 
Nightingale  sang  still  more  sweetly,  that  went 
straight  to  the  heart.  The  emperor  was  so  much 
pleased  that  he  said  the  Nightingale  should  have 
his  golden  slipper  to  wear  round  its  neck.  But 
the  Nightingale  declined  this  with  thanks,  saying 
it  had  already  received  sufficient  reward. 

"I  have  seen  tears  in  the  emperor's  eyes  — 
that  is  the  real  treasure  to  me.  An  emperor's 
tears  have  a  peculiar  power.  I  am  rewarded 
enough  !  "  And  then  it  sang  again  with  a  sweet, 
glorious  voice. 

"  That's  the  most  amiable  coquetry  I  ever  saw  !  " 
said  the  ladies  who  stood  round  about,  and  then 
they  took  water  in  their  mouths  to  gurgle  when 
any  one  spoke  to  them.  They  thought  they 
should  be  nightingales  too.  And  the  lackeys 
and  chambermaids  reported  that  they  were  sat- 
isfied too ;  and  that  was  saying  a  good  deal,  for 
they  are  the  most  difficult  to  please.  In  short, 
the  Nightingale  achieved  a  real  success. 

It  was  now  to  remain  at  court,  to  have  its  own 


194 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


cage,  with  liberty  to  go  out  twice  every  day  and 
once  at  night.  Twelve  servants  were  appointed 
when  the  Nightingale  went  out,  each  of  whom  had 
a  silken  string  fastened  to  the  bird's  leg,  which 
they  held  very  tight.  There  was  really  no  pleas- 
ure in  an  excursion  of  that  kind. 

The  whole  city  spoke  of  the  wonderful  bird, 
and  when  two  people  met,  one  said  nothing  but 
"  Nightin,"  and  the  other  said  "  gale  ;  "  and  then 
they  sighed,  and  understood  one  another.  Eleven 
peddlers'  children  were  named  after  the  bird,  but 
not  one  of  them  could  sing  a  note. 

One  day  the  emperor  received  a  large  parcel, 
on  which  was  written  "  The  Nightingale." 

"  There  we  have  a  new  book  about  this  cele- 
brated bird,"  said  the  emperor. 

But  it  was  not  a  book,  but  a  little  work  of  art 
contained  in  a  box,  an  artificial  nightingale,  which 
was  to  sing  like  a  natural  one,  and  was  brilliantly 
ornamented  with  diamonds,  rubies,  and  sapphires. 
So  soon  as  the  artificial  bird  was  wound  up,  he 
could  sing  one  of  the  pieces  that  he  really  sang, 
and  then  his  tail  moved  up  and  down,  and  shone 
with  silver  and  gold.  Round  his  neck  hung  a 
little  ribbon,  and  on  that  was  written,  "  The 
Emperor  of  China's  Nightingale  is  poor  compared 
to  that  of  the  Emperor  of  Japan." 

"  That  is  capital  !  "  said  they  all,  and  he 
who  had  brought  the  artificial  bird  immediately 
received  the  title,  Imperial  Head-Nightingale- 
Bringer. 

"  Now  they  must  sing  together ;  what  a  duet 
that  will  be  !  " 

And  so  they  had  to  sing  together  ;  but  it  did 
not  sound  very  well,  for  the  real  Nightingale  sang 
in  its  own  way,  and  the  artificial  bird  sang  waltzes. 

"That's  not  his  fault,"  said  the  play-master; 
"  he  's  quite  perfect,  and  very  much  in  my  style." 

Now  the  artificial  bird  was  to  sing  alone.  He 
had  just  as  much  success  as  the  real  one,  and  then 
it  was  much  handsomer  to  look  at  —  it  shone  like 
bracelets  and  breastpins. 

Three-and-thirty  times  over  did  it  sing  the  same 
piece,  and  yet  was  not  tired.  The  people  would 
gladly  have  heard  it  again,  but  the  emperor  said 


that  the  living  Nightingale  ought  to  sing  some 
thing  now.  But  where  was  it?  No  one  had 
noticed  that  it  had  flown  away  out  of  the  open 
window,  back  to  the  greenwood. 

"  But  what  is  become  of  that?"  said  the  em- 
peror. 

And  all  the  courtiers  abused  the  Nightingale, 
and  declared  that  it  was  a  very  ungrateful  creature. 

"  We  have  the  best  bird,  after  all,"  said  they. 

And  so  the  artificial  bird  had  to  sing  again, 
and  that  was  the  thirty-fourth^time  that  they  list- 
ened to  the  same  piece.  For  all  that  they  did  not- 
know  it  quite  by  heart,  for  it  was  so  very  difficult. 
And  the  play-master  praised  the  bird  particularly  ; 
yes,  he  declared  that  it  was  better  than  a  nightin- 
gale, not  only  with  regard  to  its  plumage  and  the 
many  beautiful  diamonds,  but  inside  as  well. 

"  For  you  see,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  above 
all,  your  imperial  majesty,  with  a  real  nightingale 
one  can  never  calculate  what  is  coming,  but  in 
this  artificial  bird  everything  is  settled.  '  One  can 
explain  it  ;  one  can  open  it,  and  make  people  un- 
derstand where  the  waltzes  come  from,  how  they 
go,  and  how  one  follows  up  another." 

"  Those  are  quite  our  own  ideas,"  they  all  said. 

And  the  speaker  received  permission  to  show 
the  bird  to  the  people  on  the  next  Sunday.  The 
people  were  to  hear  it  sing  too,  the  emperor  com- 
manded ;  and  they  did  hear  it,  and  were  as  much 
pleased  as  if  they  had  all  got  tipsy  upon  tea,  for 
that 's  quite  the  Chinese  fashion  ;  and  they  all  said, 
"  Oh  !  "  and  held  up  their  forefingers  and  nodded. 
But  the  poor  fisherman,  who  had  heard  the  real 
Nightingale,  said,  — 

"  It  sounds  pretty  enough,  and  the  melodies  re- 
semble each  other,  but  there  's  something  wanting, 
though  I  know  not  what !  " 

The  real  Nightingale  was  banished  from  the 
country  and  empire.  The  artificial  bird  had  its 
place  on  a  silken  cushion  close  to  the  emperor's 
bed ;  all  the  presents  it  had  received,  gold  and 
precious  stones,  were  ranged  about  it ;  in  title  it 
had  advanced  to  be  the  High  Imperial  After-Din- 
ner-Singer, and  in  rank,  to  number  one  on  the  left 
hand  ;  for  the  emperor    considered  that  side  the 


THE  NIGHTINGALE. 


195 


most  important  on  which  the  heart  is  placed,  and 
even  in  an  emperor  the  heart  is  on  the  left  side ; 
and  the  play-master  wrote  a  work  of  five-and- 
twenty  volumes  about  the  artificial  bird  ;  it  was 
very  learned  and  very  long,  full  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult Chinese  words  ;  but  yet  all  the  people  de- 
clared that  they  had  read  it,  and  understood 
it,  for  fear  of  being 
considered  stupid,  and 
having  their  bodies 
trampled  on. 

So  a  whole  year 
went  by.  The  em- 
peror, the  court,  and 
all  the  other  Chinese 
knew  every  little  twit- 
ter in  the  artificial 
bird's  song  by  heart. 
But  just  for  that  rea- 
son it  pleased  them 
best  —  they  could  sing 
with  it  themselves, 
and  they  did  so.  The 
street  boys  sang, 
"Tsi-tsi-tsi-glug- 
glug  !  "  and  the  em- 
peror himself  sang  it 
too.  Yes,  that  was 
certainly  famous. 

But  one  evening, 
when  the  artificial 
bird  was  singing  its 
best,  and  the  em- 
peror lay  in  bed  list- 
ening to  it,  something 
inside  the  bird  said, 
"  Whizz  !  "  something  cracked.  "  Whir-r-r  !  "  All 
the  wheels  ran  round,  and  then  the  music  stopped. 

The  emperor  immediately  sprang  out  of  bed, 
and  caused  his  body  physician  to  be  called  ;  but 
what  could  he  do?  Then  they  sent  for  a  watch- 
maker, and  after  a  good  deal  of  talking  and  inves- 
tigation, the  bird  was  put  into  something  like 
order;  but  the  watchmaker  said  that  the  bird 
must   be  carefully   treated,  for  the  barrels    were 


i^.  _^a-  - 


worn,  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  put  new  ones 
in  in  such  a  manner  that  the  music  would  go. 
There  was  a  great  lamentation  ;  only  once  in  a 
year  was  it  permitted  to  let  the  bird  sing,  and 
that  was  almost  too  much.  But  then  the  play- 
master  made  a  little  speech,  full  of  heavy  words, 
and    said   this  was  just  as  good  as  before — and 

so  of  course  it  was  as 
good  as  before. 

Now  five  years  had 
gone  by,  and  a  real 
grief  came  upon  the 
whole  nation.  The 
Chinese  were  really 
fond  of  their  em- 
peror, and  now  he 
was  ill,  and  could  not, 
it  was  said,  live  much 
longer.  Already  a 
new  emperor  had 
been  chosen,  and  the 
people  stood  out  in 
the  street  and  asked 
the  cavalier  how  their 
old  emperor  did. 

"  P  !  "  said  he,  and 
shook  his  head. 

Cold  and  pale  lay 
the  emperor  in  his 
great  gorgeous  bed  ; 
the  whole  court 
thought  him  dead, 
and  each  one  ran 
to  pay  homage  to 
the  new  ruler.  The 
chamberlains  ran  out 
to  talk  it  over,  and  the  ladies'-maids  had  a  great 
coffee  party.  All  about  in  all  the  halls  and  pas- 
sages cloth  had  been  laid  down  so  that  no  footstep 
could  be  heard,  and  therefore  it  was  quiet  there, 
quite  quiet.  But  the  emperor  was  not  dead  yet; 
stiff  and  pale  he  lay  on  the  gorgeous  bed  with  the 
long  velvet  curtains  and  the  heavy  gold  tassels  ; 
high  up,  a  window  stood  open,  and  the  moon 
shone  in  upon  the  emperor  and  the  artificial  bird. 


196 


STORIES  FROM  HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


The  poor  emperor  could  scarcely  breathe  ;  it 
was  just  as  if  something  lay  upon  his  chest :  he 
opened  his  eyes,  and  then  he  saw  that  it  was  Death 
who  sat  upon  his  chest,  and  had  put  on  his  golden 
crown,  and  held  in  one  hand  the  emperor's  sword, 
and  in  the  other  his  beautiful  banner.  And  all 
around,  from  among  the  folds  of  the  splendid  vel- 
vet curtains,  strange  heads  peered  forth  ;  a  few 
very  ugly,  the  rest  quite  lovely  and  mild.  These 
were  all  the  emperor's  bad  and  good  deeds,  that 
stood  before  him  now  that  Death  sat  upon  his 
heart. 

"Do  you  remember  this?"  whispered  one  to 
the  other.  "  Do  you  remember  that  ?  "  and  then 
they  told  him  so  much  that  the  perspiration  ran 
from  his  forehead. 

"  I  did  not  know  that ! "  said  the  emperor. 
"Music!  music!  the  great  Chinese  drum  !"  he 
cried,  "  so  that  I  need  not  hear  all  they  say  !  " 

And  they  continued  speaking,  and  Death  nod- 
ded like  a  Chinaman  to  all  they  said. 

"Music!  music!"  cried  the  emperor.  "You 
little  precious  golden  bird,  sing,  sing !  I  have 
given  you  gold  and  costly  presents ;  I  have  even 
hung  my  golden  slipper  around  your  neck  —  sing 
now,  sing!  " 

But  the  bird  stood  still;  no  one  was  there  to 
wind  him  up,  and  he  could  not  sing  without  that ; 
but  Death  continued  to  stare  at  the  emperor  with 
his  great  hollow  eyes,  and  it  was  quiet,  fearfully 
quiet. 

Then  there  sounded  from  the  window,  suddenly, 
the  most  lovely  song.  It  was  the  little  live  Night- 
ingale, that  sat  outside  on  a  spray.  It  had  heard 
of  the  emperor's  sad  plight,  and  had  come  to  sing 
to  him  of  comfort  and  hope.  And  as  it  sang  the 
spectres  grew  paler  and  paler;  the  blood  ran 
quicker  and  more  quickly  through  the  emperor's 
weak  limbs  ;  and  even  Death  listened,  and  said,  — 

"  Go  on,  little  Nightingale,  go  on  !  " 

"  But  will  you  give  me  that  splendid  golden 
sword?  Will  you  give  me  that  rich  banner? 
Will  you  give  me  the  emperor's  crown  ?  " 

And  Death  gave  up  each  of  these  treasures  for 
a  song.     And  the  Nightingale  sang  on  and  on  ; 


and  it  sang  of  the  quiet  church-yard  where  the 
white  roses  grow,  where  the  elder-blossom  smells 
sweet,  and  where  the  fresh  grass  is  moistened  by 
the  tears  of  survivors.  Then  Death  felt  a  longing 
to  see  his  garden,  and  floated  out  at  the  window 
in  the  form  of  a  cold,  white  mist. 

"  Thanks  !  thanks  !  "  said  the  emperor.  "  You 
heavenly  little  bird  !  I  know  you  well.  I  ban- 
ished you  from  my  country  and  empire,  and  yet 
you  have  charmed  away  the  evil  faces  from  my 
couch,  and  banished  Death  from  my  heart !  How 
can  I  reward  you  ?  " 

"  You  have  rewarded  me  ! "  replied  the  Night- 
ingale. "  I  have  drawn  tears  from  your  eyes, 
when  I  sang  the  first  time  —  I  shall  never  forget 
that.  Those  are  the  jewels  that  rejoice  a  singer's 
heart.  But  now  sleep  and  grow  fresh  and  strong 
again.     I  will  sing  you  something." 

And  it  sang,  and  the  emperor  fell  into  a  sweet 
slumber.  Ah  !  how  mild  and  refreshing  that 
sleep  was  !  The  sun  shone  upon  him  through  the 
windows,  when  he  awoke  refreshed  and  restored  ; 
not  one  of  his  servants  had  yet  returned,  for  they 
all  thought  he  was  dead  ;  only  the  Nightingale 
still  sat  beside  him  and  sang. 

"  You  must  always  stay  with  me,"  said  the  em- 
peror. "  You  shall  sing  as  you  please ;  and  I'll 
break  the  artificial  bird  into  a  thousand  pieces." 

"  Not  so,"  replied  the  Nightingale.  "  It  did 
well  as  long  as  it  could  ;  keep  it  as  you  have  done 
till  now.  I  cannot  build  my  nest  in  the  palace  to 
dwell  in  it,  but  let  me  come  when  I  feel  the  wish  ; 
then  I  will  sit  in  the  evening  on  the  spray  yonder 
by  the  window,  and  sing  you  something,  so  that 
you  may  be  glad  and  thoughtful  at  once.  I  will 
sing  of  those  who  are  happy  and  of  those  who 
suffer.  I  will  sing  of  good  and  of  evil  that  remain 
hidden  round  about  you.  The  little  singing  bird 
flies  far  around,  to  the  poor  fisherman,  to  the 
peasant's  roof,  to  every  one  who  dwells  far  away 
from  you  and  from  your  court.  I  love  your  heart 
more  than  your  crown,  and  yet  the  crown  has  an 
air  of  sanctity  about  it.  I  will  come  and  sing  to 
you  —  but  one  thing  you  must  promise  me." 

"  Everything !  "    said    the    emperor ;    and    he 


THE  PRINCESS   ON  THE  PEA. 


197 


stood  there  in  his  imperial  robes,  which  he  had 
put  on  himself,  and  pressed  the  sword  which  was 
heavy  with  gold  to  his  heart. 

"  One  thing  I  beg  of  you  :  tell  no  one  that  you 
have  a  little  bird  who  tells  you  everything.     Then 


it  will  go  all  the  better."     And  the  Nightingale 
flew  away. 

The  servants  came  in  to  look  to  their  dead  em- 
peror, and  —  yes,  there  he  stood,  and  the  emperor 
said  "  Good-morning  !  " 


THE   PRINCESS    ON   THE    PEA. 


There  was  once  a  prince  who  wanted  to  marry 
a  princess  ;  but  she  was  to  be  a  real  princess.     So 


\ \  \   AW ''  ■'  rS£         •  •"■   Wm 


he  traveled  about,  all  through  the  world,  to  find 
a  real  one,  but  everywhere  there  was  something 
in  the  way.  There  were  princesses  enough,  but 
whether  they  were  real  princesses  he  could  not 
quite  make  out:  there  was  always  something  that 
did  not  seem  quite  right.  So  he  came  home  again, 
and  was  quite  sad  :  for  he  wished  so  mv.ch  to  have 
a  real  princess. 

One  evening  a  terrible  stov.n  came  on.  It  light- 
ened and  thundered,  the  rata  streamed  down  ;  it  was 
quite  fearful  !  Then  there  was  a  knocking  at  the 
town  gate,  and  the  old  king  went  out  to  open  it. 

It  was  a  princess  who  stood  outside  the  gate. 
But,  mercy !  how  she  looked,  from  the  rain  and 
the  rough  weather !  The  water  ran  down  from 
her  hair  and  her  clothes ;  it  ran  in  at  the  points 
of  her  shoes,  and  out  at  the  heels  ;  and  yet  she 
declared  that  she  was  a  real  princess. 

"  Yes,  we  will  soon  find  that  out,'"  thought  the 
>ld  queen.      But  she  said  nothing,  only  went  into 


the  bedchamber,  took  all  the  bedding  off,  and  put 
a  pea  on  the  flooring  of  the  bedstead  ;  then  she 
took  twenty  mattresses  and  laid  them  upon 
the  pea,  and  then  twenty  eider-down  beds 
upon  the  mattresses.  On  this  the  princess 
had  to  lie  all  night.  In  the  morning  she  was 
asked  how  she  had  slept. 

"  Oil,  miserably !  "  said  the  princess.  "  I 
scarcely  closed  my  eyes  all  night  long.  Good- 
ness knows  what  was  in  my  bed.  I  lay  upon 
something  hard,  so  that  I  am  black  and  blue 
all  over.     It  is  quite  dreadful !  " 

Now  they  saw  that  she  was  a  real  prin- 
cess, for  through  the  twenty  mattresses  and 
the  twenty  eider-down  beds  she  had  felt  the 
pea.  No  one  but  a  real  princess  could  be  so 
delicate. 

So  the  prince  took  her  for  his  wife,  for  now  he 
knew  that  he  had  a  true  princess ;  and  the  pea 
was  put  in  the  museum,  and  it  is  there  now,  un- 
less somebody  has  carried  it  off. 
Look  you,  this  is  a  true  story. 


198 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


HOLGER   DANSKE. 


In  Denmark  there  lies  a  castle  named  Kron- 
borg.  It  lies  close  by  the  Ore  Sound,  where  the 
ships  pass  through  by  hundreds  every  day  — 
English,  Russian,  and  likewise  Prussian  ships. 
And  they  salute  the  old  castle  with  cannons  — 
"  Boom  !  "  And  the  castle  answers  with  a 
"  Boom  !  "  for  that 's  what  the  cannons  say  in- 
stead of  "  Good-day  "  and  "  Thank  you  !  "  In 
winter  no  ships  sail  there,  for  the  whole  sea  is 
covered  with  ice  quite  across  to  the  Swedish  coast; 
but  it  has  quite  the  look  of  a  high-road.  There 
wave  the  Danish  flag  and  the  Swedish  flag,  and 
Danes  and  Swedes  say 
"Good-day"  and 
"Thank  you!"  to 
each  other,  not  with 
cannons,  but  with  a 
friendly  grasp  of  the 
hand ;  and  one  gets 
white  bread  and  bis- 
cuits from  the  other 
—  for  strange  fare 
tastes  best.  But  the 
most  beautiful  of  all 
is  the  old  Kronborg; 
and  here  it  is  that 
Holger  Danske  sits  in  the  deep  dark  cellar,  where 
nobody  goes.  He  is  clad  in  iron  and  steel,  and  leans 
his  head  on  his  strong  arm  ;  his  long  beard  hangs 
down  over  the  marble  table,  and  has  grown  into 
it.  He  sleeps  and  dreams,  but  in  his  dreams  he 
sees  everything  that  happens  up  here  in  Den- 
mark. Every  Christmas  Eve  comes  an  angel,  and 
tells  him  that  what  he  has  dreamed  is  right,  and 
that  he  may  go  to  sleep  in  quiet,  for  that  Den- 
mark is  not  yet  in  any  real  danger  ;  but  when  once 
such  a  danger  comes,  then  old  Holger  Danske  will 
rouse  himself,  so  that  the  table  shall  burst  when 
he  draws  out  his  beard  !  Then  he  will  come  forth 
and  strike,  so  that  it  shall  be  heard  in  all  the 
countries  in  the  world." 

An  old  grandfather  sat  and  told  his  little  grand- 


son all  this  about  Holger  Danske  ;  and  the  little 
boy  knew  that  what  his  grandfather  told  him  was 
true.  And  while  the  old  man  sat  and  told  his 
story,  he  carved  an  image  which  was  to  represent 
Holger  Danske,  and  to  be  fastened  to  the  prow 
of  a  ship  ;  for  the  old  grandfather  was  a  carver 
of  figure-heads,  that  is,  one  who  cuts  out  the 
figures  fastened  to  the  front  of  ships,  and  from 
which  every  ship  is  named.  And  here  he  had  cut 
out  Holger  Danske,  who  stood  there  proudly  with 
his  long  beard,  and  held  the  broad  battle-sword 
in  one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  leaned  upon 

the  Danish  arms. 

And  the  old  grand- 
father told  so  much 
about  distinguished 
men  and  women,  that 
it  appeared  at  last  to 
the  little  grandson  as 
if  he  knew  as  much 
as  Holger  Danske  him- 
self, who,  after  all, 
could  only  dream  ;  and 
when  the  little  fellow 
was  in  his  bed,  he 
thought  so  much  of  it, 
that  he  actually  pressed  his  chin  against  the  cover- 
let, and  fancied  he  had  a  long  beard  that  had 
grown  fast  to  it. 

But  the  old  grandfather  remained  sitting  at 
his  work,  and  carved  away  at  the  last  part  of  it ; 
and  this  was  the  Danish  coat  of  arms.  When  he 
had  done,  he  looked  at  the  whole,  and  thought  of 
all  he  had  read  and  heard,  and  that  he  had  told 
this  evening  to  the  little  boy ;  and  he  nodded,  and 
wiped  his  spectacles,  and  put  them  on  again,  and 
said, — 

"  Yes,  in  my  time  Holger  Danske  will  probably 
not  come  ;  but  the  boy  in  the  bed  yonder  may 
get  to  see  him,  and  be  there  when  the  push  really 
comes." 

And   the    old  grandfather  nodded   again  ;  and 


HOLGER  DANSKE. 


199 


the  more  he  looked  at  Holger  Danske  the  more 
plain  did  it  become  to  him  that  it  was  a  good 
image  he  had  carved.  It  seemed  really  to  gain 
color,  and  the  armor  appeared  to  gleam  like  iron 
and  steel ;  the  hearts  in  the  Danish  arms  became 
redder  and  redder,  and  the  lions  with  the  golden 
crowns  on  their  heads  leaped  up.1 

"That's  the  most  beautiful  coat  of  arms  there 
is  in  the  world  !  "  said  the  old  man.  "  The  lions 
are  strength,  and  the  heart  is  gentleness  and 
love  !  " 

And  he  looked  at  the  uppermost  lion,  and 
thought  of  King  Canute,  who  bound  great  Eng- 
land to  the  throne  of  Denmark  ;  and  he  looked 
at  the  second  lion,  and  thought  of  Waldemar, 
who  united  Denmark  and  conquered  the  Wendish 
lands ;  and  he  glanced  at  the  third  lion,  and 
remembered  Margaret,  who  united  Denmark, 
Sweden,  and  Norway.  But  while  he  looked  at  the 
red  hearts,  they  gleamed  more  brightly  than  be- 
fore; they  became  flames,  and  his  heart  followed 
each  of  them. 

The  first  heart  led  him  into  a  dark,  narrow 
prison  ;  there  sat  a  prisoner,  a  beautiful  woman, 
the  daughter  of  King  Christian  IV.,  Eleanor  Ul- 
feld  ; 2  and  the  flame,  which  was  shaped  like  a 
rose,  attached  itself  to  her  bosom  and  blossomed, 
so  that  it  became  one  with  the  heart  of  her,  the 
noblest  and  best  of  all  Danish  women. 

And  his  spirit  followed  the  second  flame,  which 
led  him  out  upon  the  sea,  where  the  cannons  thun- 
dered and  the  ships  lay  shrouded  in  smoke  ;  and 
the  flame  fastened  itself  in  the  shape  of  a  ribbon 
of   honor  on  the  breast   of  Hvitfeld,  as  he  blew 


himself  and  his  ship  into  the  air,  that  he  might 
save  the  fleet.3 

And  the  third  flame  led  him  to  the  wretched 
huts  of  Greenland,  where  preacher  HansEgede4 
wrought,  with  love  in  every  word  and  deed  :  the 
flame  was  a  star  on  his  breast,  another  heart  in 
the  Danish  arms. 

And  the  spirit  of  the  old  grandfather  flew  on 
before  the  waving  flames,  for  his  spirit  knew 
whither  the  flames  desired  to  go.  In  the  humble 
room  of  the  peasant  woman  stood  Frederick  VI., 
writing  his  name  with  chalk  on  the  beam.5  The 
flame  trembled  on  his  breast,  and  trembled  in  his 
heart ;  in  the  peasant's  lowly  room  his  heart,  too, 
became  a  heart  in  the  Danish  arms.  And  the  old 
grandfather  dried  his  eyes,  for  he  had  known 
King  Frederick  with  the  silvery  locks  and  the 
honest  blue  eyes,  and  had  lived  for  him  :  he  folded 
his  hands,  and  looked  in  silence  straight  before 
him.  Then  came  the  daughter-in-law  of  the  old 
grandfather,  and  said  it  was  late,  he  ought  now  to 
rest ;  and  the  supper  table  was  spread. 

"  But  it  is  beautiful,  what  you  have  done, 
grandfather  !  "  said  she.  "  Holger  Danske,  and  all 
our  old  coat  of  arms  !  It  seems  to  me  just  as  if  I 
had  seen  that  face  before  !  " 

"  No,  that  can  scarcely  be,"  replied  the  old 
grandfather ;  "  but  I  have  seen  it,  and  I  have 
tried  to  carve  it  in  wood  as  I  have  kept  it  in  my 
memory.  It  was  when  the  English  lay  in  front  of 
the  wharf,  on  the  Danish  second  of  April,6  when 
we  showed  that  we  were  old  Danes.  In  the  Den- 
mark on  board  which  I  was,  in  Steen  Bille's 
squadron,  I  had  a  man  at  my  side  —  it  seemed  as 


1  The  Danish  arms  consist  o£  three  lions  between  nine  hearts. 

2  This  highly  gifted  princess  was  the  wife  of  Corfitz  Ulfeld, 
who  was  accused  of  high  treason.  Her  only  crime  was  the  most 
faithful  love  to  her  unhappy  consort;  but  she  was  compelled  to 
pass  twenty-two  years  in  a  horrible  dungeon,  until  her  persecutor, 
Queen  Sophia  Amelia,  was  dead. 

3  In  the  naval  battle  in  Kjiige  Bay  botween  the  Danes  and 
the  Swedes,  in  1710,  Hvitfeld's  ship,  the  Dannebrog,  took  fire.  To 
save  the  town  of  Kjijge,  and  the  Danish  fleet  which  was  being 
driven  by  the  wind  toward  his  vessel,  he  blew  himself  and  his 
whole  crew  into  the  air. 

4  Hans  Egede  went  to  Greenland  in  1721  and  toiled  there  dur- 
ing  fifteen   years   amoug   incredible   hardships   and   privations. 


Not  only  did  he  spread  Christianity,  but  exhibited  in  himself  a 
remarkable  example  of  a  Christian  man. 

5  On  a  journey  on  the  west  coast  of  Jutland,  the  king  visited 
an  old  woman.  When  he  had  already  quitted  her  house,  the 
woman  ran  after  him  and  begged  him,  as  a  remembrance,  to 
write  his  name  upon  a  beam  ;  the  king  turned  back,  and  com- 
plied. During  his  whole  life-time  he  felt  and  worked  for  the 
peasant  class  ;  therefore  the  Danish  peasants  begged  to  be  al- 
lowed to  carry  his  coffin  to  the  royal  vault  at  Roeskilde,  four 
Danish  miles  from  Copenhagen. 

6  On  the  2d  of  April,  1801,  occurred  the  sanguinary  naval  bat- 
tle between  the  Danes  and  the  English  under  Sir  Hyde  Parkei 
and  Nelson. 


200 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


if  the  bullets  were  afraid  of  him  !  Merrily  he 
sang  old  songs,  and  shot  and  fought  as  if  he  were 
something  more  than  a  man.  I  remember  his 
face  yet  but  whence  he  came,  and  whither  he 
went,  I  know  not  —  nobody  knows.  I  have  often 
thought  he  might  have  been  old  Holger  Danske 
himself,  who  had  swum  down  from  the  Kronborg, 
and  aided  us  in  the  hour  of  danger  :  that  was  my 
idea,  and  there  stands  his  picture." 

And  the  statue  threw  its  great  show  up  against 
the  wall,  and  even  over  part  of  the  ceiling  ;  it  looked 
as  though  the  real  Holger  Danske  were  standing 
behind  it,  for  the  shadow  moved;  but  this  might 
have  been  because  the  flame  of  the  candle  did  not 
burn  steadily.  And  the  daughter-in-law  kissed 
the  old  grandfather,  and  led  him  to  the  great  arm- 
chair by  the  table  ;  and  she  and  her  husband,  who 
was  the  son  of  the  old  man,  and  father  of  the  little 
boy  in  the  bed,  sat  and  ate  their  supper  ;  and  the 
grandfather  spoke  of  the  Danish  lions  and  of  the 
Danish  hearts,  of  strength  and  of  gentleness  ;  and 
quite  clearly  did  he  explain  that  there  was  another 
strength  besides  the  power  that  lies  in  the  sword  ; 
and  he  pointed  to  the  shelf  on  which  were  the  old 
books,  where  stood  the  plays  of  Holberg,  which 
had  been  read  so  often,  for  they  were  very  amus- 
ing ;  one  could  almost  fancy  one  recognized  the 
people  of  by-gone  days  in  them. 

"  See, -he  knew  how  to  strike,  too,"  said  the  grand- 
father :  "  he  scourged  the  foolishness  and  preju- 
dice of  the  people  so  long  as  he  could  "  —  and 
the  grandfather  nodded  at  the  mirror,  above  which 
stood  the  calendar,  with  the  "  Round  Tower  " 1 
on  it,  and  said,  "  Tycho  Brahe  was  also  one  who 
used  the  sword,  not  to  cut  into  flesh  and  bone, 
but  to  build  up  a  plainer  way  among  all  the  stars 
of  heaven.  And  then  he  whose  father  belonged  to 
my  calling,  the  son  of  the  old  figure-head  carver, 
he  whom  we  have  ourselves  seen  with  his  silver 
hairs  and  his  broad  shoulders,  he  whose  name  is 

1  The  astronomical  observatory  at  Copenhagen. 


spoken  of  in  all  lands  !  Yes,  he  was  a  sculptor  ;  1 
am  only  a  carver.  Yes,  Holger  Danske  may  come 
in  many  forms,  so  that  one  hears  in  every  country 
in  the  world  of  Denmark's  strength.  Shall  we 
now  drink  the  health  of  Bertel  ?  "  2 

But  the  little  lad  in  the  bed  saw  plainly  the  old 
Kronborg  with  the  Ore  Sound,  the  real  Holger 
Danske,  who  sat  deep  below,  with  his  beard  grown 
through  the  marble  table,  dreaming  of  all  that 
happens  up  here.  Holger  Danske  also  dreamed  of 
the  little  humble  room  where  the  carver  sat ;  he 
heard  all  that  passed,  and  nodded  in  his  sleep,  and 
said,  — 

"  Yes,  remember  me,  ye  Danish  folk  ;  remem- 
ber me.     I  shall  come  in  the  hour  of  need." 


And  without  by  the  Kronborg  shone  the  bright 
day,  and  the  wind  carried  the  notes  of  the  hunt- 
ing-horn over  from  the  neighboring  land;  the 
ships  sailed  past,  and  saluted —  "  Boom  !  boom  !  " 
and  from  the  Kronborg  came  the  reply,  "  Boom ! 
boom ! "  But  Holger  Danske  did  not  awake, 
however  loudly  they  shot,  for  it  was  only  "  Good- 
day"  and  "  Thank  you  !  "  There  must  be  another 
kind  of  shooting  before  he  awakes  ;  but  he  will 
awake,  for  there  is  faith  in  Holger  Danske. 
2  Birtel  Thonvafdsen. 


THE   SHEPHERDESS  AND    THE    CHIMNEY- SWEEP. 


201 


THE   SHEPHERDESS   AND    THE   CHIMNEY-SWEEP. 


Have  you   ever   seen  a  very,  very  old  clothes- 
press,  quite  black  with  age,  on  which  all  sorts  of 
flourishes  and  foliage  were  carved  ?     Just  such  a 
one  stood  in  a  certain  room.    It  was  a  legacy  from 
a    grandmother,   and   it  was    carved  from  top  to 
bottom    with    roses  and  tulips  ;  the  most  curious 
flourishes    were    to    be   seen    on    it,  and  between 
them  little  stags  popped  out  their  heads  with  zig- 
zag  antlers.     But   on  the  top  a  whole  man  was 
carved.     True,  he  was  laughable  to  look  at ;  for 
he  showed  his  teeth,  — laughing  one  could  not  call 
it,  —  had  goat's  legs,  little  horns  on  his  head,  and 
a    long    beard.     The 
children  in  the  room 
always    called    him 
General-clothes-press- 
inspector- head -super- 
intendent    Goatslegs, 
for  this  was    a   name 
difficult  to  pronounce, 
and  there  are  very  few 
who  get  the  title ;  but 
to  cut  him  out  in  wood 
—  that  was  no  trifle. 
However,     there      he 
was.    He  looked  down 
upon    the     table     and 
toward  the  mirror,  for  there  a  charming  little  por- 
celain shepherdess  was  standing.    Her  shoes  were 
gilded,  her  gown  was  tastefully  looped  up  with  a 
red  rose,  and  she  had  a  golden  hat  and  cloak ;  in 
short,  she  was  most  exquisite.     Close  by  stood  a 
little  chimney-sweep,    as  black  as    a    coal,  but  of 
porcelain  too.     He  was  just  as  clean  and  pretty  as 
another  ;  as  to  his  being  a  sweep,  that  was  only 
what  he   represented  ;    and   the  porcelain   manu- 
facturer could  just  as  well  have  made  a  prince  of 
him  as  a  chimney-sweep,   if  he  had  chosen  ;  one 
was  as  easy  as  the  other. 

There  he  stood  so  prettily  with  his  ladder,  and 
with  a  little  round  face  as  fair  and  as  rosy  as  that 
of  the  shepherdess.      In  reality  this  was  a  fault ; 

26 


for  a  little  black  he  certainly  ought  to  have  been. 
He  was  quite  close  to  the  shepherdess  ;  both  stood 
where  they  had  been  placed  ;  and  as  soon  as  they 
were  put  there,  they  had  mutually  promised  each 
other  eternal  fidelity ;  for  they  suited  each  other 
exactly  —  they  were  young,  they  were  of  the  same 
porcelain,  and  both  equally  fragile. 

Close  to  them  stood  another  figure  three  times 
as  large  as  they  were.  It  was  an  old  Chinese, 
that  could  nod  his  head.  He  was  of  porcelain  too, 
and  said  that  he  was  grandfather  of  the  little 
shepherdess ;  but  this  he  could  not  prove.  He  as- 
serted, moreover,  that 
he  had  authority  over 
her,  and  that  was  the 
reason  he  had  nodd- 
ed his  assent  to  the 
General-clothes  -  press- 
inspector  -  head  -  super- 
intendent Goatslegs, 
who  paid  his  ad- 
dresses to  the  shep- 
herdess. 

"  In  him,"  said  the 
old  Chinese,  "  you  will 
have  a  husband  who, 
I  verily  believe,  is  of 
mahogany.  You  will  be  Mrs.  Goatslegs,  the  wife 
of  a  General-clothes-press-inspector-head-superin- 
tendent, who  has  his  shelves  full  of  plate,  be- 
sides what  is  hidden  in  secret  drawers  and  re- 
cesses." 

"  I  will  not  go  into  the  dark  cupboard,"  said 
the  little  shepherdess  ;  "  I  have  heard  say  that  he 
has  eleven  wives  of  porcelain  in  there  already." 

"  Then  you  may  be  the  twelfth,"  said  the  Chi- 
nese. "  To-night,  as  soon  as  the  old  clothes-press 
cracks,  as  sure  as  I  am  a  Chinese,  we  will  keep 
the  wedding."  And  then  he  nodded  his  head,  and 
fell  asleep. 

But  the  little  shepherdess  wept,  and  looked  at 
her  beloved — at  the  porcelain  chimney-sweep. 


202 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


"  I  implore  you,"  said  she,  "  fly  hence  with  me  ; 
for  here  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  remain." 

"  I  will  do  all  you  ask,"  said  the  little  chim- 
ney-sweep. "  Let  us  leave  this  place.  I  think 
my  trade  will  enable  me  to  support  you." 

"  If  we  were  only  down  from  the  table,"  said 
she.  "  I  shall  not  be  happy  till  we  are  far  from 
here,  and  free." 

He  consoled  her,  and  showed  her  how  she  was 
to  set  her  little  foot  on  the  carved  border  and  on 
the  gilded  foliage  which  twined  around  the  leg  of 
the  table,  brought  his  ladder  to  her  assistance,  and 
at  last  both  were  on  the  floor ;  but  when  they 
looked  toward  the  old  clothes-press,  they  observed 
a  great  stir.  All  the  carved  stags  stretched  their 
heads  out  farther,  raised  their  antlers,  and  turned 
round  their  heads.  The  General-clothes-press-in- 
spector-head-superintendent gave  a  jump,  and 
called  to  the  old  Chinese,  "  They  are  eloping,  they 
are  eloping ! " 

At  this  she  grew  a  little  frightened,  and  jumped 
quickly  over  the  ridge  into  the  drawer. 

Here  lay  three  or  four  packs  of  cards,  which 
were  not  complete,  and  a  little  puppet-show,  which 
was  set  up  as  well  as  it  was  possible  to  do.  A 
play  was  being  performed,  and  all  the  ladies,  Di- 
amonds as  well  as  Hearts,  Clubs,  and  Spades,  sat 
in  the  front  row,  and  fanned  themselves  with 
the  tulips  they  held  in  their  hands,  while  behind 
them  stood  the  varlets.  The  play  was  about 
two  persons  who  could  not  have  each  other,  at 
which  the  shepherdess  wept,  for  it  was  her  own 
history. 

"  I  cannot  bear  it  longer,"  said  she  ;  "  I  must 
get  out  of  the  drawer." 

But  when  she  had  got  down  on  the  floor,  and 
looked  up  to  the  table,  she  saw  that  the  old  Chi- 
nese was  awake,  and  that  his  whole  body  was  rock- 
ing. 

"  The  old  Chinese  is  coming  !  "  cried  the  little 
shepherdess ;  and  down  she  fell  on  her  porcelain 
knee,  so  frightened  was  she. 

"  A  thought  lias  struck  me,"  said  the  chimney- 
sweep ;  "  let  us  creep  into  the  great  pot-pourri 
jar  that  stands  in  the  corner  ;  there  we  can  lie  on 


roses  and  lavender,  and  if  he  comes  after  us,  throw 
dust  in  his  eyes." 

"  'Tis  of  no  use,"  said  she.  "  Besides,  I  know 
that  the  old  Chinese  and  the  Pot-pourri  Jar  were 
once  betrothed  ;  and  when  one  has  been  once  on 
such  terms,  a  little  regard  always  lingers  behind. 
No ;  for  us  there  is  nothing  left  but  to  wander 
forth  into  the  wide  world." 

"  Have  you  really  courage  to  go  forth  with  me 
into  the  wide  world  ?  "  asked  the  chimney-sweep 
tenderly.  "  Have  you  considered  how  large  it  is, 
and  that  we  can  never  come  back  here  again  !  " 

"  I  have,"  said  she. 

And  the  sweep  gazed  fixedly  upon  hei\  and  then 
said,  "  My  way  lies  up  the  chimney.  Have  you 
really  courage  to  go  with  me  through  the  stove, 
and  to  creep  through  all  the  flues  ?  We  shall  then 
get  into  the  main  flue,  after  which  I  am  not  at  a 
loss  what  to  do.  Up  we  mount,  then,  so  high, 
that  they  can  never  reach  us ;  and  at  the  top  is  an 
opening  that  leads  out  into  the  world." 

And  he  led  her  toward  the  door  of  the  stove. 

"  It  looks  quite  black,"  said  she ;  but  still  she 
went  with  him,  and  on  through  all  the  intricacies 
of  the  interior,  and  through  the  flues,  where  a 
pitchy  darkness  reigned. 

"  We  are  now  in  the  chimney,"  said  she  ;  "  and 
behold,  behold,  above  us  is  shinning  the  loveliest 
star!" 

It  was  a  real  star  in  the  sky  that  shone  straight 
down  upon  them,  as  if  to  show  them  the  way. 
They  climbed  and  they  crept  higher  and  higher. 
It  was  a  frightful  way  ;  but  he  lifted  her  up,  he 
held  her,  and  showed  her  the  best  places  on  which 
to  put  her  little  porcelain  feet ;  and  thus  they 
reached  the  top  of  the  chimney,  and  seated  them- 
selves on  the  edge  of  it ;  for  they  were  tired,  which 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at. 

The  heaven  and  all  its  stars  were  above  them, 
and  all  the  roofs  of  the  town  below  them ;  they 
could  see  far  around,  far  away  into  the  world. 
The  poor  shepherdess  had  never  pictured  it  to 
herself  thus ;  she  leaned  her  little  head  on  her 
sweep,  and  wept  so  bitterly  that  all  the  gilding  of 
her  girdle  came  off. 


'WHAT   THE   GOOD-MAN  DOES  IS  SURE   TO   BE  RIGHT! 


203 


"  Oh,  this  is  too  much  !  "  said  she  ;  "  I  cannot 
bear  it.  The  world  is  too  large.  Oh,  were  I  but 
again  on  the  little  table  under  the  looking-glass  ! 
I  shall  never  be  hapjuy  till  I  am  there  again.  I 
have  followed  you  into  the  wide  world ;  now,  if 
you  really  love  me,  you  may  follow  me  home 
again." 

And  the  chimney-sweep  spoke  sensibly  to  her, 
spoke  to  her  about  the  old  Chinese  and  the  Gen- 
eral-clothes-press-inspector-  head  -  superintendent ; 
but  she  sobbed  so  violently,  and  kissed  her  little 
sweep  so  passionately,  that  he  was  obliged  to  give 
way,  although  it  was 
not  right  to  do  so. 

So  now  down  they 
climbed  again  with 
great  difficulty,  crept 
through  the  flue,  and 
into  the  stove,  where 
they  listened  behind 
the  door,  to  discover 
if  anybody  was  in  the 
room.  It  was  quite 
still ;  they  peeped,  and 
there,  on  the  floor,  in 
the  middle  of  the  room, 
lay  the  old  Chinese.  He  had  fallen  from  the  table 
in  trying  to  follow  the  fugitives,  and  was  broken 
in  three  pieces;  his  whole  back  was  but  a  stump, 
and  his  head  had  rolled  into  a  corner,  while  Gen- 
eral-clothes-press-inspector-head-superintendent 
Goatslegs  was  standing  where  he  had  ever  stood, 
absorbed  in  thought. 

"  How  dreadful !  "  said  the  little  shepherdess. 
"  My  old  grandfather  is  dashed  to  pieces,  and  we 
are  the  cause.  I  never  can  survive  the  accident." 
And  she  wrung  her  little  hands  in  agony. 


"  He  can  be  mended,"  said  the  chimney-sweep  ; 
"  he  can  easily  be  mended.  Only  do  not  be  so 
hasty.  If  we  glue  his  back  together,  and  rivet  his 
neck  well,  he  will  be  as  good  as  new,  and  will 
be  able  to  say  enough  disagreeable  things  to  us 
vet." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  said  she  ;  and  then  they 
clambered  up  again  to  the  table  on  which  they 
had  stood  before. 

"You  see,"  said  the    sweep,   "we    might  have 
spared  ourselves  these  disagreeables,  after  all." 
"  If  we  had  but  mended  my  old  grandfather  !  " 

said  the  shepherdess. 
"  Does  it  cost  much  ?  " 
And  mended  he 
was.  The  family  had 
his  back  glued,  and  his 
neck  riveted,  so  that 
he  was  as  good  as  new, 
except  that  he  could 
not  nod. 

"  M  eseem  s,  you 
have  grown  haughty 
since  you  were  dashed 
to  pieces,"  said  Gen- 
eral -  clothes  -  press-in- 
spector-head-superintendent Goatslegs.  "  How- 
ever, I  think  there  is  not  so  very  much  to  be  proud 
of.     Am  I  to  have  her,  or  am  I  not?  " 

The  chimney-sweep  and  the  little  shepherdess 
looked  so  touchingly  at  the  old  Chinese ;  they 
feared  he  would  nod,  but  he  could  not,  and  it  was 
disagreeable  to  him  to  tell  a  stranger  that  he  had 
constantly  a  rivet  in  his  neck.  So  the  little  porce- 
lain personages  remained  together.  They  blessed 
the  old  grandfather's  rivet,  and  loved  each  other 
till  they  fell  to  pieces. 


l^-as^O- 


"WHAT   THE   GOOD-MAN   DOES   IS   SURE    TO   BE   RIGHT!" 


I  AM  going  to  tell  you  a  story  that  was  told  to 
me  when  I  was  a  little  one,  and  which  I  like  bet- 
ter and  better  the  oftener  I  think  of  it.  For  it  is 
with  stories  as  with  some  men  and  women,  the 


older   they  grow  the   pleasanter  they  grow,  and 
that  is  delightful ! 

Of   course  you    have  been    into    the    country? 
Well,  then,  you  must  have  seen  a  regularly  poor 


204 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


old  cottage.  Moss  and  weeds  spring  up  amid  the 
thatch  of  the  roof,  a  stork's  nest  decorates  the  chim- 
ney (the  stork  can  never  be  dispensed  with),  the 
walls  are  aslant,  the  windows  low  (in  fact,  only  one 
of  them  can  be  shut),  the  baking-oven  projects 
forward,  and  an  elder-bush  leans  over  the  gate, 
where  you  will  see  a  tiny  pond  with  a  duck  and 
ducklings  in  it,  close  under  a  knotted  old  willow- 
tree.  Yes,  and  then  there  is  a  watch-dog  that 
barks  at  every  passer-by. 

Just  such  a  poor  little  cottage  as  this  was  the 
one  in  my  story,  and  in  it  dwelt  a  husband  and 
wife.  Few  as  their  possessions  were,  one  of  them 
they  could  do  without,  and  that  was  a  horse,  that 
used  to  graze  in  the  ditch  beside  the  high-road. 
The  good-man  rode  on  it  to  town,  he  lent  it  to 
his  neighbors,  and  received  slight  services  from 
them  in  return,  but  still  it  would  be  more  profita- 
ble to  sell  the  horse,  or  else  exchange  it  for  some- 
thing they  could  make  of  more  frequent  use.  But 
which  should  they  do?  sell,  or  exchange? 

"  Why,  you  will  find  out  what  is  best,  good- 
man,"  said  the  wife.  "Isn't  this  market-day? 
Come,  ride  off  to  the  town  —  get  money,  or  what 
you  can  for  the  horse  —  whatever  you  do  is  sure 
to  be  right.     Make  haste  for  the  market !  " 

So  she  tied  on  his  neckerchief  —  for  that  was  a 
matter  she  understood  better  than  he —  she  tied  it 
with  a  double  knot,  and  made  him  look  quite 
spruce  ;  she  dusted  his  hat  with  the  palm  of  her 
hand  ;  and  she  kissed  him  and  sent  him  off,  rid- 
ing the  horse  that  was  to  be  either  sold  or  bar- 
tered.    Of  course,  he  would  know  what  to  do. 

The  sun  was  hot,  and  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky. 
The  road  was  dusty,  and  such  a  crowd  of  folk 
passed  on  their  way  to  market.  Some  in  wagons, 
some  on  horseback,  some  on  their  own  legs.  A 
fierce  sun  and  no  shade  all  the  way. 

A  man  came  driving  a  cow  —  as  pretty  a  cow 
as  could  be.  "  That  creature  must  give  beautiful 
milk,"  thought  the  peasant ;  "  it  would  not  be  a 
bad  bargain  if  I  got  that.  I  say,  you  fellow  with 
the  cow !  "  he  began  aloud ;  "  let 's  have  some  talk 
together.  Look  you,  a  horse,  I  believe,  costs  more 
than  a  cow,  but  it  is    all  the  same    to    me,  as  I 


have  more  use  for  a  cow  —  shall  we  make  an  ex 
change  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  !  "  was  the  answer,  and  the  bar- 
gain was  made. 

The  good-man  might  just  as  well  now  turn  back 
homeward  —  he  had  finished  his  business.  But 
he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  go  to  market,  so  to 
market  he  must  go,  if  only  to  look  on,  so,  with 
his  cow,  he  continued  on  his  way.  He  trudged 
fast,  so  did  the  cow,  and  soon  they  overtook  a 
man  who  was  leading  a  sheep  —  a  sheep  in  good 
condition,  well  clothed  with  wool. 

"  I  should  very  much  like  to  have  that !  " 
thought  the  peasant.  "  It  would  find  pasture 
enough  by  our  road-side,  and  in  winter  we  might 
take  it  into  our  own  room.  And  really  it  would 
be  more  reasonable  for  us  to  be  keeping  a  sheep 
than  a  cow.     Shall  we  exchange  ?  " 

Yes,  the  man  who  owned  the  sheep  was  quite 
willing  ;  so  the  exchange  was  made,  and  the  good- 
man  now  went  on  with  his  sheep.  Presently  there 
passed  him  a  man  with  a  big  goose  under  his 
arm. 

"  Well,  you  have  got  a  heavy  fellow  there !  " 
quoth  the  peasant.  "  Feathers  and  fat  in  plenty! 
How  nicely  we  could  tie  her  up  near  our  little 
pond,  and  it  would  be  something  for  the  good- 
wife  to  gather  up  the  scraps  for.  She  has  often 
said  :  'If  we  had  but  a  goose ! '  Now  she  can 
have  one  —  and  she  shall,  too !  Will  you  ex- 
change? I  will  give  you  my  sheep  for  your  goose, 
and  say  '  thank  you  '  besides." 

The  other  had  no  objection,  so  the  peasant  had 
his  will  and  his  goose.  He  was  now  close  to  the 
town  ;  he  was  wearied  with  the  heat  and  the 
crowd,  folk  and  cattle  pushing  past  him,  throng- 
ing on  the  road,  in  the  ditch,  and  close  up  to  the 
turnpike-man's  cabbage-garden,  where  his  one  hen 
was  tied  up,  lest  in  her  fright  she  should  lose  her 
way  and  be  carried  off.  It  was  a  short-backed 
hen  :  she  winked  with  one  eye,  crying,  "  Cluck, 
cluck  ! "  What  she  was  thinking  of  I  can't  say, 
but  what  the  peasant  thought  on  seeing  her,  was 
this  :  "  That  is  the  prettiest  hen  I  have  ever  seen 
—  much  prettier  than  any  of  our  parson's  chickens. 


WHAT   THE   GOOD-MAN  DOES  IS  SURE   TO  BE  RIGHT!' 


205 


I  should  very  much  like  to  have  her.  A  hen  can 
always  pick  up  a  grain  here  and  there — can  pro- 
vide for  herself.  I  almost  think  it  would  be  a 
good  plan  to  take  her  instead  of  the  goose.  Shall 
we  exchange  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Exchange  ?  "  re- 
peated the  owner  ;  "  not  a  bad  idea  !  "  So  it  was 
done  ;  the  turnpike-man  got  the  goose,  the  peas- 
ant the  hen. 

He  had  transacted  a  deal  of  business  since  first 
starting  on  his  wajr  to  the  town  ;  hot  was  he,  and 
wearied  too  :  he  must  have  a  dram  and  a  bit  of 
bread.  He  was  on  the  point  of  entering  an  inn, 
when  the  innkeeper  met  him  in  the  doorway 
swinging  a  sack  chock-full  of  something. 

"  What  have  you  there  ? "  asked  the  peas- 
ant. 

"  Mellow  apples,"  was  the  answer,  "  a  whole 
sackful  for  swine." 

"  What  a  quantity  !  would  n't  my  wife  like  to 
see  so  many  !  Why,  the  last  year  we  had  only 
one  single  apple  on  the  whole  tree  at  home.  Ah ! 
I  wish  my  wife  could  see  them !  " 

"  Well,  what  will  you  give  me  for  them  ?  " 

"  Give  for  them  ?  why,  I  will  give  you  my  hen." 
So  he  gave  the  hen,  took  the  apples,  and  entered 
the  inn,  and  going  straight  up  to  the  bar,  set  his 
sack  upright  against  the  stove  without  consider- 
ing that  there  was  a  fire  lighted  inside.  A  good 
many  strangers  were  present,  among  them  two 
Englishmen,  both  with  their  pockets  full  of  gold 
and  fond  of  laying  wagers,  as  Englishmen  in 
stories  are  wont  to  do. 

Presently  there  came  a  sound  from  the  stove, 
"Suss  —  suss  —  suss!"  the  apples  were  roasting. 
"  What  is  that  ?  "  folk  asked,  and  soon  heard  the 
whole  history  of  the  horse  that  had  been  ex- 
changed, first  for  a  cow,  and  lastly  for  a  sack  of 
rotten  apples. 

"  Well !  won't  you  get  a  good  sound  cuff  from 
your  wife,  when  you  go  home  ?  "  said  one  of  the 
Englishmen.  "  Something  heavy  enough  to  fell 
an  ox,  I  warn  you !  " 

"  I  shall  get  kisses,  not  cuffs,"  replied  the  peas- 
ant. "  My  wife  will  say,  '  Whatever  the  good- 
man  does  is  right.'  " 


"  A  wager  ! "  cried  the  Englishmen,  "  for  a 
hundred  pounds  ? " 

"  Say  rather  a  bushelful,"  quoth  the  peasant, 
and  I  can  only  lay  my  bushel  of  apples  with  my- 
self and  the  good-wife,  but  that  will  be  more  than 
full  measure,  I  trow." 

"  Done  !  "  cried  they.  And  the  innkeeper's 
cart  was  brought  out  forthwith,  the  Englishmen 
got  into  it,  the  peasant  got  into  it,  the  rotten  ap- 
ples got  into  it,  and  away  they  sped  to  the  peas- 
ant's cottage. 

"  Good  evening,  wife." 

"  Same  to  you,  good-man." 

"  Well,  I  have  exchanged  the  horse,  not  sold  it." 

"  Of  course,"  said  the  wife,  taking  his  hand, 
and  in  her  eagerness  to  listen  noticing  neither  the 
sack  nor  the  strangers. 

"  I  exchanged  the  horse  for  a  cow." 

"  Oh  !  how  delightful !  now  we  can  have  milk, 
butter,  and  cheese  on  our  table.  What  a  capital 
idea ! " 

"  Yes,  but  I  exchanged  the  cow  for  a  sheep." 

"  Better  and  better  !  "  cried  the  wife.  "  You 
are  always  so  thoughtful ;  we  have  only  just  grass 
enough  for  a  sheep.  But  now  we  shall  have  ewe's 
milk,  and  ewe's  cheese,  and  woolen  stockings,  nay, 
woolen  jackets  too  ;  and  a  cow  would  not  give  us 
that ;  she  loses  all  her  hairs.  But  you  are  always 
such  a  clever  fellow." 

"  But  the  ewe  I  exchanged  again  for  a  goose." 

"What!  shall  we  really  keep  Michaelmas  this 
year,  good-man?  You  are  always  thinking  of  what 
will  please  me,  and  that  was  a  beautiful  thought. 
The  goose  can  be  tethered  to  the   willow-tree  and 

o 

grow  fat  for  Michaelmas  Day." 

"  But  I  gave  the  goose  away  for  a  hen,"  said  the 
peasant. 

"A  hen?  well,  that  was  a  good  exchange,"  said 
his  wife.  "  A  hen  will  lay  eggs,  sit  upon  them, 
and  we  shall  have  chickens.  Fancy  !  a  hen-yard  ! 
that  is  just  the  thing  I  have  always  wished  for 
most." 

"  Ah,  but  I  exchanged  the  hen  for  a  sack  of 
mellow  apples." 

"  Then  I  must  give  thee  a  kiss,"  cried  the  wife. 


206 


STORIES  FROM  HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


"  Thanks,  my  own  husband.  And  now  I  have 
something  to  tell.  When  you  were  gone  I  thought 
how  I  could  get  a  right  good  dinner  ready  for 
you  :  omelets  with  parsley.  Now  I  had  the  eggs, 
but  not  the  parsley.  So  I  went  over  to  the  school- 
master's ;  they  have  parsley,  I  know,  but  the 
woman  is  so  crabbed,  she  wanted  something  for  it. 
Now  what  could  I  give  her  ?  nothing  grows  in  our 
garden,  not  even  a  rotten  apple,  not  even  that  had 
I  for  her ;  but  now  I  can  give  her  ten,  nay,  a 
whole  sackful.  That  is  famous,  good-man  !  "  and 
she  kissed  him  again. 


"  Well  done  !  "  cried  the  Englishmen.  "  Al- 
ways down  hill,  and  always  happy !  Such  a  sight 
is  worth  the  money  !  "  And  so  quite  contentedly 
they  paid  the  bushelful  of  gold  pieces  to  the  peas- 
ant, who  had  got  kisses,  not  cuffs,  by  his  bar- 
gains. 

Certainly  virtue  is  her  own  reward,  when  the 
wife  is  sure  that  her  husband  is  the  wisest  man  in 
the  world,  and  that  whatever  he  does  is  right. 
So  now  you  have  heard  this  old  story  that  was 
once  told  to  me,  and  I  hope  have  learnt  the 
moral. 


THE  LITTLE   MATCH  GIRL. 


It  was  terribly  cold  ;  it  snowed  and  was  al- 
ready almost  dark,  and  evening  came  on,  the  last 
evening  of  the  year.  In  the  cold  and  gloom  a  poor 
little  girl,  bare-headed 
and  barefoot,  was  walk- 
i  n  g  through  the 
streets.  When  she 
left  her  own  house  she 
certainly  had  had  slip- 
pers on  ;  but  of  what 
use  were  they?  They 
were  very  big  slippers, 
and  her  mother  had 
used  them  till  then,  so 
big  were  they.  The 
little  maid  lost  them  as 
she  slipped  across  the  road,  where  two  carriages 
were  rattling  by  terribly  fast.  One  slipper  was 
not  to  be  found  again,  and  a  boy  had  seized  the 
other,  and  run  away  with  it.  He  thought  he 
could  use  it  very  well  as  a  cradle,  some  day  when 
he  had  children  of  his  own.  So  now  the  little 
girl  went  with  her  little  naked  feet,  which  were 
quite  red  and  blue  with  the  cold.  In  an  old  apron 
she  carried  a  number  of  matches,  and  a  bundle 
of  them  in  her  hand.  No  one  had  bought  any- 
thing of  her  all  day,  and  no  one  had  given  her  a 
farthing. 

Shivering    with    cold    and    hunger   she    crept 


along,  a  picture  of  misery,  poor  little  girl !  The 
snow-flakes  covered  her  long  fair  hair,  which  fell 
in    pretty  curls  over  her  neck ;    but  she  did  not 

think  of  that  now.  In 
all  the  windows  lights 
were  shining  and  there 
was  a  glorious  smell  of 
roast  goose,  for  it  was 
New  Year's  Eve.  Yes, 
she  thought  of  that! 

In  a  coiner  formed 
by  two  houses,  one  of 
which  projected  be- 
yond the  other,  she  sat 
down,  cowering.  She 
had  drawn  up  her  lit- 
tle feet,  but  she  was  still  colder,  and  she  did  not 
dare  to  go  home,  for  she  had  sold  no  matches,  and 
did  not  bring  a  farthing  of  money.  From  her 
father  she  would  certainly  receive  a  beating,  and 
besides,  it  was  cold  at  home,  for  they  had  nothing 
over  them  but  a  roof  through  which  the  wind 
whistled,  though  the  largest  rents  had  been  stopped 
with  straw  and  rags. 

Her  little  hands  were  almost  benumbed  with 
the  cold.  Ah  !  a  match  might  do  her  good,  if  she 
could  only  draw  one  from  a  bundle,  and  rub  it 
against  the  wall,  and  warm  her  hands  at  it.  She 
drew  one    out.     R-r-atch  !    how  it  sputtered   and 


THE  LITTLE  MATCH   GIRL. 


207 


burned !  It  was  a  warm  bright  flame,  like  a  little 
candle,  when  she  held  her  hands  over  it ;  it  was  a 
wonderful  little  light !  It  really  seemed  to  the 
little  girl  as  if  she  sat  before  a  great  polished 
stove,  with  bright  brass  feet  and  a  brass  cover. 
How  the  fire  burned  !  how  comfortable  it  was  ! 
but  the  little  flame  went  out,  the  stove  vanished, 
and  she  had  only  the  remains  of  the  burned  match 
in  her  hand. 

A  second  was  rubbed  against  the  wall.  It 
burned  up,  and  when  the  light  fell  upon  the  wall 
it  became  transparent  like  a  thin  veil,  and  she 
could  see  through  it  into  the  room.  On  the  table 
a  snow-white  cloth  was  spread  ;  upon  it  stood  a 
shining  dinner  service ;  the  roast  goose  smoked 
gloriously,  stuffed  with  apples  and  dried  plums. 
And  what  was  still  more  splendid  to  behold,  the 
goose  hopped  down  from  the  dish,  and  waddled 
along  the  floor,  with  a  knife  and  fork  in  its  breast, 
to  the  little  girl.  Then  the  match  went  out,  and 
only  the  thick,  damp,  cold  wall  was  before  her. 
She  lighted  another  match.  Then  she  was  sitting 
under  a  beautiful  Christmas-tree  ;  it  was  greater 
and  more  ornamented  than  the  one  she  had  seen 
through  the  glass  door  at  the  rich  merchant's. 
Thousands  of  candles  burned  upon  the  green 
branches,  and  colored  pictures  like  those  in  the 
print  shops  looked  down  upon  them.  The  little 
girl  stretched  forth  her  hand  toward  them ;  then 
the  match  went  out.  The  Christmas  lights 
mounted  higher.  She  saw  them  now  as  stars  in 
the  sky  :  one  of  them  fell  down,  forming  a  long 
line  of  fire. 

"  Now  some  one  is  dying,"  thought  the  little 
girl,  for  her  old  grandmother,  the  only  person  who 
had  loved  her,  and  who  was  now  dead,  had  told 
her  that  when  a  star  fell  down  a  soul  mounted  up 
to  God. 

She  rubbed  another  match  against  the  wall ;  it 


became  bright  again,  and  in  the  brightness  the  old 
grandmother  stood  clear  and  shining,  mild  and 
lovely. 

"  Grandmother  !  "  cried  the  child,  "  Oh  !  take 
me  with  you !  I  know  you  will  go  when  the 
match  is  burned  out.  You  will  vanish  like  the 
warm  fire,  the  warm  food,  and  the  great,  glorious 
Christmas-tree !  " 

And  she  hastily  rubbed  the  whole  bundle  of 
matches,  for  she  wished  to  hold  her  grandmother 
fast.  And  the  matches  burned  with  such  a  glow 
that  it  became  brighter  than  in  the  middle  of  the 
day ;  grandmother  had  never  been  so  large  or  so 
beautiful.  She  took  the  little  girl  in  her  arms,  and 
both  flew  in  brightness  and  joy  above  the  earth, 
very,  very  high,  and  up  there  was  neither  cold, 
nor  hunger,  nor  care,  —  they  were  with  God. 


But  in  the  corner,  leaning  against  the  wall,  sat 
the  poor  girl  with  red  cheeks  and  smiling  mouth, 
frozen  to  death  on  the  last  evening  of  the  Old 
Year.  The  New  Year's  sun  rose  upon  a  little 
corpse !  The  child  sat  there,  stiff  and  cold,  with 
the  matches,  of  which  one  bundle  was  burned. 
'•  She  wanted  to  warm  herself,"'  the  people  said. 
No  one  imagined  what  a  beautiful  thing  she  had 
seen,  and  in  what  glory  she  had  gone  in  with  her 
grandmother  to  the  New  Year's  Day. 


208 


STORIES  FROM  HANS   CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


THE   BELL. 


People  said,  "  The  evening-bell  is  sounding, 
the  sun  is  setting."  A  strange  wondrous  tone  was 
heard  in  the  narrow  streets  of  a  large  town.  It 
was  like  the  sound  of  a  church-bell :  but  it  was 
only  heard  for  a  moment,  for  the  rolling  of  the  car- 
riages, and  the  voices  of  the  multitude  made  too 
great  a  noise. 

Those  persons  who  were  walking  without  the 
town,  where  the  houses  were  farther  apart,  with 
gardens  or  little  fields  between  them,  could  see  the 
evening  sky  still  better,  and  heard  the  sound  of  the 
bell  much  more  distinctly.  It  was  as  if  the  tones 
came  from  a  church 
in  the  still  forest ; 
people  looked  thith- 
erward,  and  felt 
their  minds  attuned 
most  solemnly. 

A  long  time 
passed,  and  people 
said  to  each  other, 
— "  I  wonder  if 
there  is  a  church  out 
in  the  wood  ?  The 
bell  has  a  tone  that 
is  wondrous  sweet; 
let  us  stroll  thither,  and  examine  the  matter 
nearer."  And  the  rich  people  drove  out,  and 
the  poor  walked,  but  the  way  seemed  strangely 
long  to  them  ;  and  when  they  came  to  a  clump  of 
willows  which  grew  on  the  skirts  of  the  forest, 
they  sat  down,  and  looked  up  at  the  long  branches, 
and  fancied  they  were  now  in  the  depth  of  the 
green  wood.  The  confectioner  of  the  town  came 
out,  and  set  up  his  booth  there  ;  and  soon  after 
came  another  confectioner,  who  hung  a  bell  over 
his  stand,  as  a  sign  or  ornament,  but  it  had  no 
clapper,  and  it  was  tarred  over  to  preserve  it  from 
the  rain.  When  all  the  people  returned  home, 
they  said  it  had  been  very  romantic,  and  that  it 
was  quite  a  different  sort  of  thing  to  a  picnic  or 
tea-party.    There  were  three  persons  who  asserted 


they  had  penetrated  to  the  end  of  the  forest,  and 
that  they  had  always  heard  the  wonderful  sounds 
of  the  bell,  but  it  had  seemed  to  them  as  if  it  had 
come  from  the  town.  One  wrote  a  whole  poem 
about  it,  and  said  the  bell  sounded  like  the  voice 
of  a  mother  to  a  good  dear  child,  and  that  no 
melody  was  sweeter  than  the  tones  of  the  belL 
The  king  of  the  country  was  also  observant  of  it, 
and  vowed  that  he  who  could  discover  whence  the 
sounds  proceeded  should  have  the  title  of  "  Uni- 
versal Bell-ringer,"  even  if  it  were  not  really  a 
bell. 

Many  persons 
now  went  to  the 
wood,  for  the  sake 
of  getting  the  place, 
but  one  only  re- 
turned with  a  sort 
of  explanation  ;  for 
nobody  went  far 
enough,  that  one 
not  farther  than  the 
others.  However, 
he  said  that  the 
sound  proceeded 
from  a  very  large 
owl,  in  a  hollow  tree ;  a  sort  of  learned  owl,  that 
continually  knocked  its  head  against  the  branches. 
But  whether  the  sound  came  from  his  head  or  from 
the  hollow  tree,  that  no  one  could  say  with  cer- 
tainty. So  now  he  got  the  place  of  "  Universal 
Bell-ringer,"  and  wrote  yearly  a  short  treatise 
"  On  the  Owl ;  "  but  everybody  was  just  as  wise 
as  before. 

It  was  the  day  of  Confirmation.  The  clergyman 
had  spoken  so  touchingly,  the  children  who  were 
confirmed  had  been  greatly  moved  ,•  it  was  an 
eventful  day  for  them  ;  from  children  they  be- 
came all  at  once  grown-up  persons  ;  it  was  as  if 
their  infant  souls  were  now  to  fly  all  at  once  into 
persons  with  more  understanding.  The  sun  was 
shining   gloriously  ;  the    children    that  had  been 


THE  BELL. 


209 


confirmed  went  out  of  the  town,  and  from  the 
wood  was  borne  toward  them  the  sounds  of  the 
unknown  bell  with  wonderful  distinctness.  They 
all  immediately  felt  a  wish  to  go  thither  ;  all  ex- 
cept three.  One  of  them  had  to  go  home  to  try 
on  a  ball-dress,  for  it  was  just  the  dress  and  the 
ball  which  had  caused  her  to  be  confirmed  this 
time,  for  otherwise  she  would  not  have  come ;  the 
other  was  a  poor  boy,  who  had  borrowed  his  coat 
and  boots  to  be  confirmed  in  from  the  innkeeper's 
son,  and  he  was  to  give  them  back  by  a  certain 
hour  ;  the  third  said  that  he  never  went  to  a 
strange  place  if  his  parents  were  not  with  him  ; 
that  he  had  always  been  a  good  boy  hitherto,  and 
would  still  be  so  now  that  he  was  confirmed,  and 
that  one  ought  not  to  laugh  at  him  for  it :  the 
others,  however,  did  make  fun  of  him,  after  all. 

There  were  three,  therefore,  that  did  not  go  ; 
the  others  hastened  on.  The  sun  shone,  the  birds 
sang,  and  the  children  sang  too,  and  each  held  the 
other  by  the  hand  ;  for  as  yet  they  had  none  of 
them  any  high  office,  and  were  all  of  equal  rank 
in  the  eye  of  God. 

But  two  of  the  youngest  soon  grew  tired,  and 
both  returned  to  town  ;  two  little  girls  sat  down, 
and  twined  garlands,  so  they  did  not  go  either  ; 
and  when  the  others  reached  the  willow-tree,  where 
the  confectioner  was,  they  said,  "  Now  we  are 
there  !  In  reality  the  bell  does  not  exist ;  it  is  only 
a  fancy  that  people  have  taken  into  their  heads !  " 

At  the  same  moment  the  bell  sounded  deep  in 
the  wood,  so  clear  and  solemnly  that  five  or  six 
determined  to  penetrate  somewhat  farther.  It 
was  so  thick,  and  the  foliage  so  dense  that  it  was 
quite  fatiguing  to  proceed.  Woodroof  and  anem- 
ones-grew almost  too  high  ;  blooming  convolvu- 
luses and  blackberry -bushes  hung  in  long  garlands 
from  tree  to  tree,  where  the  nightingale  sang  and 
the  sunbeams  were  playing  :  it  was  very  beautiful, 
but  it  was  no  place  for  girls  to  go  ;  their  clothes 
would  get  so  torn.  Large  blocks  of  stone  lay 
there,  overgrown  with  moss  of  every  color ;  the 
fresh  spring  bubbled  forth,  and  made  a  strange 
gurgling  sound. 

"  That  surely  cannot  be  the  bell,"  said  one  of 

27 


the  children,  lying  down  and  listening ;  "  this 
must  be  looked  to."  So  he  remained,  and  let  the 
others  go  on  without  him. 

They  afterwards  came  to  a  little  house,  made 
of  branches  and  the  bark  of  trees  ;  a  large  wild 
apple-tree  bent  over  it,  as  if  it  would  shower  down 
all  its  blessings  on  the  roof,  where  roses  were 
blooming.  The  long  stems  twined  round  the  ga- 
ble, on  which  there  hung  a  small  bell. 

Was  it  that  which  people  had  heard  ?  Yes  : 
everybody  was  unanimous  on  the  subject,  except 
one,  who  said  that  the  bell  was  too  small  and  too 
fine  to  be  heard  at  so  great  a  distance,  and  besides, 
it  had  very  different  tones  from  those  that  could 
move  a  human  heart  in  such  a  manner.  It  was 
a  king's  son  who  spoke  ;  whereon  the  others  said, 
"  Such  people  always  want  to  be  wiser  than  every- 
body else." 

They  now  let  him  go  on  alone ;  and  as  he  went, 
his  breast  was  filled  more  and  more  with  the  for- 
est solitude  ;  but  he  still  heard  the  little  bell  with 
which  the  others  were  so  satisfied,  and  now  and 
then,  when  the  wind  blew,  he  could  also  hear  the 
people  singing  who  were  sitting  at  tea  where  the 
confectioner  had  his  tent ;  but  the  deep  sound  of 
the  bell  rose  louder  ;  it  was  almost  as  if  an  organ 
were  accompanying  it,  and  the  tones  came  from 
the  left  hand,  the  side  where  the  heart  is  placed. 
A  rustling  was  heard  in  the  bushes,  and  a  little 
boy  stood  before  the  king's  son  ;  a  boy  in  wooden 
shoes,  and  with  so  short  a  jacket  that  one  could 
see  what  long  wrists  he  had.  Both  knew  each 
other  ;  the  boy  was  that  one  among  the  children 
who  could  not  come  because  he  had  to  go  home 
and  return  his  jacket  and  boots  to  the  innkeeper's 
son.  This  he  had  done,  and  was  now  going  on  in 
wooden  shoes  and  in  his  humbler  dress,  for  the 
bell  sounded  with  so  deep  a  tone,  and  with  such 
strange  power,  that  proceed  he  must. 

"  Why,  then,  we  can  go  together,"  said  the 
king's  son.  But  the  poor  child  that  had  been 
confirmed  was  quite  ashamed  ;  he  looked  at  his 
wooden  shoes,  pulled  at  the  short  sleeves  of  his 
jacket,  and  said,  "  He  was  afraid  he  could  not 
walk  so  fast ;  besides,  he    thought   that  the  bell 


210 


STORIES  FROM  HANS    CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 


must  be  looked  for  to  the  right ;  for  that  was  the 
place  where  all  sorts  of  beautiful  things  were  to 
be  found." 

"  But  there  we  shall  not  meet,"  said  the  king's 
son,  nodding  at  the  same  time  to  the  poor  boy,  who 
went  into  the  darkest,  thickest  part  of  the  wood, 
where  thorns  tore  his  humble  dress,  and  scratched 
his  face,  and  hands,  and  feet,  till  they  bled.  The 
king's  son  got  some  scratches,  too ;  but  the  sun 
shone  on  his  path,  and  it  is  him  that  we  will  fol- 
low, for  lie  was  an  excellent  and  resolute  youth. 

"I  must  and  will  find  the  bell,"  said  he,  "even 
if  I  am  obliged  to  go  to  the  end  of  the  world." 

The  ugly  apes  sat  upon  the  trees,  and  grinned. 
"Shall  we  thrash  him?"  said  they;  "shall  we 
thrash  him  ?     He  is  the  son  of  a  king  ! " 

But  on  he  went,  without  being  disheartened, 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  wood,  where  the  most 
wonderful  flowers  were  growing.  There  stood 
white  lilies  with  blood-red  stamens ;  sky-blue  tu- 
lips, which  shone  as  they  waved  in  the  winds  ; 
and  apple-trees,  the  apples  of  which  looked  exactly 
like  large  soap-bubbles :  so  only  think  how  the 
trees  must  have  sparkled  in  the  sunshine  !  Around 
the  nicest  green  meads,  where  the  deer  were  play- 
ing in  the  grass,  grew  magnificent  oaks  and 
beeches  ;  and  if  the  bark  of  one  of  the  trees  was 
cracked,  there  grass  and  long  creeping  plants 
grew  in  the  crevices.  And  there  were  large,  calm 
lakes  there  too,  in  which  white  swans  were  swim- 
ming, and  beat  the  air  with  their  wings.  The 
king's  son  often  stood  still  and  listened.  He 
thought  the  bell  sounded  from  the  depths  of  these 
still  lakes ;  but  then  he  remarked  again  that  the 
tone  proceeded  not  from  there,  but  farther  off, 
from  out  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

The  sun  now  set ;  the  atmosphere  glowed  like 
fire.  It  was  still  in  the  woods,  so  very  still ;  and 
he  fell  on  his  knees,  sung  his  evening  hymn,  and 
said  :  "  I  cannot  find  what  I  seek  ;  the  sun  is  go- 
ing down,  and  night  is  coming  —  the  dark,  dark 
night.  Yet  perhaps  I  may  be  able  once  more  to 
see  the  round,  red  sun  before  he  entirely  disap- 
pears.    I  will  climb  up  yonder  rock." 

And  he  seized  hold  of  the  creeping-plants,  and 
the  roots  of   trees,  —  climbed  up  the  moist  stones 


where  the  water-snakes  were  writhing  and  the 
toads  were  croaking  —  and  he  gained  the  summit 
before  the  sun  had  quite  gone  down.  How  mag- 
nificent was  the  sight  from  this  height !  The  sea 
—  the  great,  the  glorious  sea,  that  dashed  its  long 
waves  against  the  coast  —  was  stretched  out  be- 
fore him.  And  yonder,  where  sea  and  sky  meet, 
stood  the  sun,  like  a  large,  shining  altar,  all 
melted  together  in  the  most  glowing  colors.  And 
the  wood  and  the  sea  sang  a  song  of  rejoicing, 
and  his  heart  sang  with  the  rest :  all  nature  was  a 
vast,  holy  church,  in  which  the  trees  and  the 
buoyant  clouds  were  the  pillars,  flowers  and  grass 
the  velvet  carpeting,  and  heaven  itself  the  large 
cupola.  The  red  colors  above  faded  away  as  the 
sun  vanished,  but  a  million  stars  were  lighted,  a 
million  lamps  shone  ;  and  the  king's  son  spread 
out  his  arms  toward  heaven,  and  wood,  and  sea ; 
when  at  the  same  moment,  coming  by  a  path  to 
the  right,  appeared,  in  his  wooden  shoes  and 
jacket,  the  poor  boy  who  had  been  confirmed 
with  him.     He  had  followed  his  own    path,  and 


had  reached  the  spot  just  as  soon  as  the  son  of 
the  king  had  done.  They  ran  toward  each  other, 
and  stood  together,  hand  in  hand,  in  the  vast 
church  of  nature  and  of  poetry,  while  over  them 
sounded  the  invisible,  holy  bell ;  blessed  spirits 
floated  around  them,  and  lifted  up  their  voices  in 
a  rejoicing  hallelujah  ! 


TALES 


FliOM    THE 


ARABIAN  NIGHTS1  ENTERTAINMENTS, 


I.     INTRODUCTION. 


It  is  written  in  the  chronicles  of  the  Sassanian 
monarchs,  that  there  once  lived  an  illustrious 
prince,  beloved  by  his  own  subjects  for  his  wisdom 
and  prudence,  and  feared  by  his  enemies  for  his 
courage,  and  for  the  hardy  and  well-disciplined 
army  of  which  he  was  the  leader.  This  prince 
had  two  sons,  the  elder  called  Scbah-riav,  and  the 
younger  Schah-zenan,  both  equally  good  and  de- 
serving of  praise. 

The  old  king  died  at  the  end  of  a  long  and  "lo- 
rious  reign,  and  Schah-riar,  his  eldest  son,  as- 
cended the  throne  and  reigned  in  his  stead.  A 
friendly  contest  quickly  arose  between  the  two 
brothers  as  to  which  could  best  promote  the  happi- 
ness of  the  other.  The  younger,  Schah-zenan,  did 
all  he  could  to  show  his  loyalty  and  affection, 
while  the  new  sultan  loaded  his  brother  with  all 
possible  honors,  and,  in  order  that  he  might  in 
some  degree  share  his  own  power  and  wealth,  be- 
stowed on  him  the  kingdom  of  Great  Tartary. 
Schah-zenan  went  immediately  and  took  possession 
of  the  empire  allotted  him,  and  fixed  his  residence 
at  Samarcand,  the  chief  city. 

After  a  separation  of  ten  years,  Schah-riar  ar- 
dently desired  to  see  his  brother,  and  sent  his  first 
vizier,  with  a  splendid  embassy,  to  invite  him  to 
revisit  his  court.  Schah-zenan,  being  informed  of 
the  approach  of  the  vizier,  went  out  to  meet  him, 
with  all  his  ministers,  most  magnificently  dressed 
for  the  occasion,  and  urgently  inquired  after  the 
health  of  the  sultan,  his  brother.      Having  replied 


to  these  affectionate  inquiries,  the  vizier  unfolded 
the  more  especial  purpose  of  his  coming.  Schah- 
zenan,  who  was  much  affected  at  the  kindness  and 
recollection  of  his  brother,  then  addressed  the  viz- 
ier in  these  words  :  "  Sage  vizier,  the  sultan,  my 
brothei-,  does  me  too  much  honor.  It  is  impossible 
that  his  wish  to  see  me  can  exceed  my  anxious  de- 
sire of  again  beholding  him.  You  have  come  at 
an  opportune  moment.  My  kingdom  is  tranquil, 
and  in  ten  days'  time  I  will  be  ready  to  depart 
with  you.  In  the  mean  while  pitch  your  tents  on 
this  spot ;  I  will  take  care  and  order  every  refresh- 
ment and  accommodation  for  you  and  your  whole 
train." 

At  the  end  of  ten  days  everything  was  ready. 
Schah-zenan  took  a  tender  leave  of  the  queen,  his 
consort,  and,  accompanied  by  such  officers  as  lie 
had  appointed  to  attend  him,  left  Samarcand  in 
the  evening,  to  be  near  the  tents  of  his  brother's 
ambassador,  with  the  intention  of  proceeding  on 
his  journey  early  on  the  following  morning. 
Wishing,  however,  once  more  to  see  his  queen, 
whom  he  tenderly  loved,  and  whom  he  believed  to 
return  his  love  with  an  equal  affection,  he  re- 
turned privately  to  the  palace,  and  went  directly 
to  her  apartment,  when,  to  his  extreme  grief,  he 
found  that  she  loved  another  man,  and  he  a  slave, 
better  than  himself.  The  unfortunate  monarch, 
yielding  to  the  first  outburst  of  his  indignation, 
drew  his  scimitar,  and  with  one  rapid  stroke 
changed  their  sleep  into   death.     After   that    he 


212 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


threw  their  dead  bodies  into  the  fosse  or  great 
ditch  that  surrounded  the  palace. 

Having  thus  satisfied  his  revenge,  he  went  from 
the  city  as  privately  as  he  entered  it,  and  returned 
to  his  pavilion.  On  his  arrival,  he  did  not  men- 
tion to  any  one  what  had  happened,  but  ordered 
the  tents  to  be  struck,  and  began  his  journey.  It 
was  scarcely  daylight  when  they  commenced  their 
march  to  the  sound  of  drums  and  other  instru- 
ments. The  whole  train  was  filled  with  joy,  ex- 
cept the  king,  who  could  think  of  nothing  but  his 
queen's  misconduct,  and  he  became  a  prey  to  the 
deepest  grief  and  melancholy  during  the  whole 
journey. 

When  he  approached  the  capital  of  Persia,  he 
perceived  the  Sultan  Schah-riar  and  all  his  court 
coming  out  to  greet  him.  What  joyful  sensations 
arose  in  their  breasts  at  this  fraternal  meeting ! 
They  alighted  and  embraced  each  other ;  and  after 
a  thousand  expressions  of  regard,  they  remounted, 
and  entered  the  city  amidst  the  acclamations  of 
the  multitude.  The  sultan  conducted  the  king, 
his  brother,  to  a  palace  which  had  been  prepared 
for  him.  It  communicated  by  a  garden  with  his 
own  ;  and  was  even  more  magnificent,  as  it  was 
the  spot  where  all  the  fetes  and  splendid  enter- 
tainments of  the  court  were  given. 

Schah-riar  immediately  left  the  King  of  Tar- 
tary,  in  order  that  he  might  have  dime  to  bathe 
and  change  his  dress ;  on  his  return  from  the  bath 
he  went  immediately  to  him  again.  They  seated 
themselves  on  a  sofa,  and  conversed  with  each 
other  at  their  ease,  after  so  long  an  absence  ;•  and 
seemed  even  more  united  by  affection  than  blood. 
They  ate  together  at  supper,  and  after  their  re- 
past they  again  conversed,  till  Schah-riar,  per- 
ceiving the  night  far  advanced,  left  his  brother  to 
repose. 

The  unfortunate  Schah-zenan  retired  to  his 
couch;  but  if  the  presence  of  the  sultan  had  for  a 
while  suspended  his  grief,  it  now  returned  with  re- 
doubled force.  Every  circumstance  of  the  queen's 
misconduct  arose  to  his  mind  and  kept  him  awake, 
and  impressed  such  a  look  of  sorrow  on  his  coun- 
tenance that  the  sultan  could  not  fail  to  remark 


it.  Conscious  that  he  had  done  all  in  his  power 
to  testify  the  sincerity  of  his  continued  love  and 
affection,  he  sought  diligently  to  amuse  his 
brother;  but  the  most  splendid  entertainments 
and  tne  gayest  fetes  only  served  to  increase  his 
melancholy. 

Schah-riar  having  one  morning  given  orders  for 
a  grand  hunting-  party,  at  the  distance  of  two 
days'  journey  from  the  city,  Schah-zenan  requested 
permission  to  remain  in  his  palace,  excusing  him- 
self on  account  of  a  slight  indisposition.  The  sul- 
tan wishing  to  please  him,  gave  him  his  choice, 
and  went  with  all  his  court  to  partake  of  the 
sport. 

The  King  of  Tartary  was  no  sooner  alone  than 
he  shut  himself  up  in  his  apartment,  and  gave  way 
to  a  sorrowful  recollection  on  the  calamity  which 
had  befallen  him.  As,  however,  he  sat  thus  griev- 
ing at  the  open  window,  looking  out  upon  the 
beautiful  garden  of  the  palace,  he  suddenly  saw 
the  sultana,  the  loved  wife  of  his  brother,  meet  in 
the  garden  and  hold  secret  conversation  with  an- 
other man  beside  her  husband.  Upon  witnessing 
tliis  interview,  Schah-zenan  determined  within 
himself  that  he  would  no  longer  give  way  to  such 
inconsolable  grief  for  a  misfortune  which  came  to 
other  husbands  as  well  as  to  himself.  He  ordered 
supper  to  be  brought,  and  ate  with  a  better  appe- 
tite than  he  had  before  done  since  his  departure 
from  Samarcand,  and  even  enjoyed  the  fine  con- 
cert performed  while  he  sat  at  table. 

Schah-riar,  on  his  return  from  hunting  at  the 
close  of  the  second  day,  was  delighted  at  the 
change  which  he  soon  found  had  taken  place  in 
his  brother,  and  urgently  pressed  him  to  explain 
both  the  cause  of  his  former  deep  depression,  and 
of  its  sudden  change  to  his  present  joy.  The 
King  of  Tartary  being  thus  pressed,  and  feeling  it 
his  duty  to  obey  his  suzerain  lord,  related  to  his 
brother  the  whole  narrative  of  his  wife's  miscon- 
duct, and  of  the  severe  punishment  with  which  he 
had  visited  it  on  the  offenders.  Schah-riar  ex- 
pressed his  full  approval  of  his  conduct.  "  I  own," 
he  said,  "  had  I  been  in  your  place,  I  should,  per- 
haps, have  been  less  easily  satisfied.     I  should  not 


INTRODUCTION. 


213 


have  been  contented  with  taking  away  the  life  of 
one  woman,  but  should  have  sacrificed  a  thousand 
to  my  resentment.  Your  fate,  surely,  is  most  sin- 
gular, nor  can  have  happened  to  any  one  besides. 
Since,  however,  it  has  pleased  God  to  afford  you 
consolation,  and  as  I  am  sure  it  is  equally  well 
founded  as  the  cause  of  your  grief,  inform  me,  I 
beg,  of  that  also,  and  make  me  acquainted  with 
the  whole." 

The  reluctance  of  Schah-zenan  to  relate  what 
he  had  seen  yielded  at  last  to  the  urgent  com- 
mands and  entreaties  of  his  brother,  and  he  re- 
vealed to  him  the  secret  of  his  disgrace  in  the 
faithlessness  of  his  own  queen.  On  hearing  these 
dreadful  and  unexpected  tidings,  the  rage  and 
grief  of  Schah-riar  knew  no  bounds.  He  far  ex- 
ceeded his  brother  in  his  invectives  and  indigna- 
tion. He  immediately  sentenced  to  death  his  un- 
happy sultana  and  the  unworthy  accomplice  of 
her  guilt ;  and  not  content  with  this,  in  all  the 
power  of  an  Eastern  despot,  he  bound  himself  by  a 
solemn  vow  that,  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  such 
misconduct  in  future,  he  would  marry  a  new  wife 
every  night,  and  command  her  to  be  strangled  in 
the  morning.  Having  imposed  this  cruel  law 
upon  himself,  he  swore  to  observe  it  immediately 
on  the  departure  of  the  king  his  brother,  who 
soon  after  had  a  solemn  audience  of  leave,  and  re- 
turned to  his  own  kingdom,  laden  with  the  most 
magnificent  presents. 

When  Schah-zenan  was  gone,  the  sultan  began 
to  put  into  execution  his  unhappy  oath.  He  mar- 
ried every  night  the  daughter  of  some  one  of  his 
subjects,  who,  the  next  morning,  was  ordered  out 
to  execution,  and  thus  every  day  was  a  maiden 
married,  and  every  day  a  wife  sacrificed.  How- 
ever repugnant  these  commands  were  to  the  be- 
nevolent grand  vizier,  he  was  obliged  to  submit  at 
the  peril  of  the  loss  of  his  own  head.  The  report 
of  this  unexampled  inhumanity  spread  a  panic  of 
universal  consternation  through  the  city.  In  one 
place  a  wretched  father  was  in  tears  for  the  loss  of 
his  daughter  ;  in  another,  the  air  resounded  with 
the  groans  of  tender  mothers,  who  dreaded  lest  the 
same  fate  should  attend  their  offspring.     In  this 


manner,  instead  of  the  praises  and  blessings  with 
which,  till  now,  they  loaded  their  monarch,  all 
his  subjects  poured  out  imprecations  on  his  head. 

The  grand  vizier,  who,  as  has  been  mentioned, 
was  the  unwilling  agent  of  this  horrid  injustice, 
had  two  daughters  ;  the  elder  was  called  Schehera- 
zade, and  the  youngest  Dinar-zaae.  Schehera- 
zade was  possessed  of  a  degree  of  courage  beyond 
her  sex.  She  had  read  much,  and  was  possessed 
of  so  great  a  memory,  that  she  never  forgot  any- 
thing once  learned ;  her  beauty  was  only  equaled 
by  her  virtuous  disposition. 

The  vizier  was  passionately  fond  of  so  deserving 
a  daughter. 

As  they  were  conversing  together  one  day,  she 
made  a  request  to  her  father,  to  his  very  great 
astonishment,  that  she  might  have  the  honor  of 
becoming  the  sultan's  bride.  The  grand  vizier 
endeavored  to  dissuade  his  daughter  from  her  in- 
tention by  pointing  out  the  fearful  penalty  of  an 
immediate  death  attached  to  the  favor  which  she 
sought.  Schehera-zade,  however,  persisted  in  her 
request,  intimating  to  her  father  that  she  had  in 
her  mind  a  plan  which  she  thought  might  be  suc- 
cessful in  making  a  change  in  the  intention  of  the 
sultan,  and  in  putting  a  stop  to  the  dreadful  cru- 
elty exercised  towards  the  inhabitants  of  the  city. 
"  Yes,  my  father,"  replied  this  heroic  woman,  "  I 
am  aware  of  the  danger  I  run,  but  it  does  not  de- 
ter me  from  my  purpose.  If  I  die,  my  death  will 
be  glorious ;  and  if  I  succeed,  I  shall  render  my 
country  an  important  service."  The  vizier  was 
most,  reluctant  to  allow  his  beloved  child  to  enter 
on  so  dangerous  an  enterprise,  and  endeavored  to 
dissuade  her  from  her  purpose,  but  at  length, 
overcome  by  his  daughter's  firmness,  yielded  to 
her  entreaties ;  and  although  he  was  very  sorry  at 
not  being  able  to  conquer  her  resolution,  he  imme- 
diately went  to  Schah-riar,  and  announced  to  him 
that  Schehera-zade  herself  would  be  his  bride  on 
the  following  night. 

The  sultan  was  much  astonished  at  the  sacrifice 
of  the  grand  vizier.  "  Is  it  possible,"'  said  he,  "  that 
you  can  give  up  your  own  child  ?  "  "  Sire,"  re- 
plied the  vizier,  "  she  has  herself  made  the  offer. 


214 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN   NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


The  dreadful  fate  that  hangs  over  her  does  not 
alarm  her;  and  she  resigns  her  life  for  the  honor 
of  being  the  consort  of  your  majesty,  though  it  be 
but  for  one  night."  "Vizier,"  said  the  sultan, 
"  do  not  deceive  yourself  with  any  hopes ;  for  be 
assured  that,  in  delivering  Schehera-zade  into  your 
charge   to-morrow,  it 


will  be  with  an  order 
for  her  death  ;  and  if 
you  disobey,  your 
own  head  will  be 
the  forfeit."  "  Al- 
t  ho  ugh,"  answered 
the  vizier,  "  I  am  her 
father,  I  will  answer 
for  the  fidelity  of  this 
arm  in  fulfilling  your 
commands." 

When  the  grand 
vizier  returned  to 
Schehera-zade,  she 
thanked  her  father ; 
and  observing  him  to 
be  much  afflicted,  con- 
soled him  by  saying 
that  she  hoped  he 
would  be  so  far  from 
repenting  her  mar- 
riage with  the  sultan, 
that  it  would  become 
a  subject  of  joy  to  him 
for  the  remainder  of 
his  life. 

Before  Schehera- 
zade went  to  the  pal- 
ace, she  called  her  sis- 
ter, Dinar-zade,  aside, 
and  said,  "  As  soon  as 
I  shall  have  presented  myself  before  the  sultan,  I 
shall  entreat  him  to  suffer  you  to  sleep  in  the 
bridal  chamber,  that  I  may  enjoy  for  the  last  time 
your  company.  If  I  obtain  this  favor,  as  I  expect, 
remember  to  awaken  me  to-morrow  morning  an 
hour  before  daybreak,  and  say,  '  If  you  are  not 
asleep,  my  sister,  I  beg  of  you,  till  the  morning 


appears,  to  recount  to  me  one  of  those  delightful 
stories  you  know.'  I  will  immediately  begin  to 
tell  one ;  and  I  flatter  myself  that  by  these  means 
I  shall  free  the  kingdom  from  the  consternation 
in  which  it  is."  Dinar-zade  promised  to  do  with 
pleasure  what  she  required. 

Within  a  short 
time  Schehera-zade 
was  conducted  by 
her  father  to  the 
palace,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  pres- 
ence of  the  sultan. 
They  were  no  sooner 
alone  than  the  sultan 
ordered  her  to  take  off 
her  veil.  He  was 
charmed  with  her 
beauty ;  but  perceiv- 
ing her  tears,  he  de- 
manded the  cause  of 
them.  "  Sire,"  an- 
swered  Schehera- 
zade, "  I  have  a  sister 
whom  I  tenderly  love ; 
I  earnestly  wish  that 
she  might  be  per- 
mitted to  pass  the 
night  in  this  apart- 
ment, that  we  may 
again  see  each  other, 
and  once  more  take 
a  tender  farewell. 
Will  you  allow  me 
the  consolation  of  giv- 
ing her  this  last  proof 
of  my  affection  ?  " 
Schah-riar  having 
agreed  to  it,  they  sent  for  Dinar-zade,  who  came 
directly.  The  sultan  passed  the  night  with  Sche- 
hera-zade on  an  elevated  couch,  as  was  the  custom 
among  the  Eastern  monarchs,  and  Dinar-zade 
slept  at  the  foot  of  it  on  a  mattress,  prepared  for 
the  purpose. 

Dinar-zade,  having  awoke  about  an  hour  before 


INTRODUCTION. 


215 


day,  did  what  her  sister  had  ordered  her.  "  My 
dear  sister,"  she  said,  "  if  you  are  not  asleep,  I  en- 
treat you,  as  it  will  soon  be  light,  to  relate  to  me 
one  of  those  delightful  tales  you  know.  It  will, 
alas !  be  the  last  time  I  shall  receive  that  pleas- 
ure." 

Instead  of  returning  any  answer  to  her  sister, 
Schehera-zade  addressed  these  words  to  the  sul- 
tan :  "Will  your  majesty  permit  me  to  indulge 
my  sister  in  her  request?"  "Freely,"  replied  he. 
Schehera-zade  then  desired  her  sister  to  attend, 
and,  addressing  herself  to  the  sultan,  began  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

THE  STORY  OF  THE  MERCHANT  AND  THE 
GENIE. 

There  was  formerly,  sire,  a  merchant,  who  was 
possessed  of  great  wealth,  in  land,  merchandise, 
and  ready  money.  Having  one  day  an  affair  of 
great  importance  to  settle  at  a  considerable  dis- 
tance from  home,  he  mounted  his  horse,  and  with 
only  a  sort  of  cloak-bag  behind  him,  in  which  he 
had  put  a  few  biscuits  and  dates,  he  began  his 
journey.  He  arrived  without  any  accident  at  the 
place  of  his  destination  ;  and  having  finished  his 
business,  set  out  on  his  return. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  his  journey,  he  felt  him- 
self so  incommoded  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  that  he 
turned  out  of  his  road,  in  order  to  rest  under  some 
trees,  by  which  there  was  a  fountain.  He  alighted, 
and  tying  his  horse  to  a  branch  of  the  tree,  sat 
down  on  its  bank  to  eat  some  biscuits  and  dates 
from  his  little  store.  When  he  had  satisfied  his 
hunger,  he  amused  himself  with  throwing  about 
the  stones  of  the  fruit  with  considerable  velocity. 
When  he  had  finished  his  frugal  repast,  he  washed 
his  hands,  his  face,  and  his  feet,  and  repeated  a 
prayer,  like  a  good  Mussulman. 

He  was  still  on  his  knees,  when  he  saw  a  genie, 
white  with  age,  and  of  an  enormous  stature,  ad- 
vancing towards  him,  with  a  scimitar  in  his  hand. 
As  soon  as  he  was  close  to  him,  he  said  in  a  most 
terrible  tone,  "  Get  up,  that  I  may  kill  thee  with 
this  scimitar,  as  thou  hast  caused  the  death  of  my 
Bon."     He  accompanied  these  words  with  a  dread- 


ful yell.  The  merchant,  alarmed  by  the  horrible 
figure  of  this  giant,  as  well  as  the  wTords  he  heard, 
replied  in  terrible  accents,  "  How  can  I  have  slain 
him?  I  do  not  know  him,  nor  have  I  ever  seen 
him."  "Didst  thou  not,"  replied  the  giant,  "on 
thine  arrival  here,  sit  down,  and  take  some  dates 
from  thy  wallet ;  and  after  eating  them,  didst  thou 
not  throw  the  stones  about  on  all  sides  ?  "  "  This 
is  all  true,"  replied  the  merchant;  "  I  do  not  deny 
it."  "  Well,  then,"  said  the  other,  "  I  tell  thee 
thou  hast  killed  my  son ;  for  while  thou  wast 
throwing  about  the  stones,  my  son  passed  by  ;  one 
of  them  struck  him  in  the  eye,  and  caused  his 
death,  and  thus  hast  thou  slain  my  son."  "Ah, 
sire,  forgive  me,"  cried  the  merchant.  "  I  have 
neither  forgiveness  nor  mercy,"  added  the  giant;, 
"and  is  it  not  just  that  lie  who  has  inflicted  death 
should  suffer  it?"  "I  grant  this;  yet  surely  I 
have  not  done  so ;  and  even  if  I  have,  I  have  done 
so  innocently,  and  therefore  I  entreat  you  to  par- 
don me,  and  suffer  me  to  live."  "No,  no,"  cried 
the  genie,  still  persisting  in  his  resolution,  "  I  must 
destroy  thee,  as  thou  hast  done  my  son."  At  these 
words,  he  took  the  merchant  in  his  arms,  and  hav- 
ing thrown  him  with  his  face  on  the  ground,  he 
lifted  up  his  sabre,  in  order  to  strike  off  his  head. 

Schehera-zade,  at  this  instant,  perceiving  it  was 
day,  and  knowing  that  the  sultan  rose  early  to  his 
prayers,  and  then  to  hold  a  council,  broke  off. 
"  What  a  wonderful  stoi-y,"  said  Dinar-zade,  "have 
you  chosen  !  "  "  The  conclusion,"  answered  Sche- 
hera-zade, "  is  still  more  surprising,  as  you  would 
confess,  if  the  sultan  would  suffer  me  to  live  an- 
other day,  and  in  the  morning  permit  me  to  con- 
tinue the  relation."  Schah-riar,  who  had  listened 
with  much  pleasure  to  the  narration,  determined 
to  wait  till  to-morrow,  intending  to  order  her  ex- 
ecution after  she  had  finished  her  story.  He  arose, 
and  having  prayed,  went  to  the  council. 

The  grand  vizier,  in  the  mean  time,  was  in  a 
state  of  cruel  suspense.  Unable  to  sleep,  he  passed 
the  night  in  lamenting  the  approaching  fate  of  his 
daughter,  whose  executioner  he  was  compelled  to 
be.  Dreading,  therefore,  in  this  melancholy  situ- 
ation, to  meet  the  sultan,  how  great  was  his  sur- 


216 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS    ENTERTAINMENTS. 


prise  in  seeing  him  enter  the  council-chamber 
without  giving  him  the  horrible  order  he  expected  ! 

The  sultan  spent  the  day,  as  usual,  in  regulating 
the  affairs  of  his  kingdom,  and  on  the  approach  of 
night  retired  with  Schehera-zade  to  his  apartment. 

On  the  next  morning  the  sultan  did  not  wait  for 
Schehera-zade  to  ask  permission  to  continue  her 
story,  but  said,  "  Finish  the  tale  of  the  genie  and 
the  merchant;  I  am  curious  to  hear  the  end  of  it." 
Schehera-zade  immediately  went  on  as  follows  :  — 

When  the  merchant,  sire,  perceived  that  the 
genie  was  about  to  execute  his  purpose,  he  cried 
aloud,  "  One  word  more,  I  entreat  you  ;  have  the 
goodness  to  grant  me  a  little  delay ;  give  me  only 
one  year  to  go  and  take  leave  of  my  dear  wife 
and  children,  and  I  promise  to  return  to  this  spot, 
and  submit  myself  entirely  to  your  pleasure." 
"  Take  Allah  to  witness  of  the  promise  thou  hast 
made  me,"  said  the  other.  "  Again  I  swear," 
replied  he,  "and  you  may  rely  on  my  oath."  On 
this  the  genie  left  him  near  the  fountain,  and  im- 
mediately disappeared. 

The  merchant,  on  his  reaching  home,  related 
faithfully  all  that  had  happened  to  him.  On 
hearing  the  sad  news,  his  wife  uttered  the  most 
lamentable  groans,  tearing  her  hair,  and  beating 
her  breast ;  and  his  children  made  the  house  re- 
sound with  their  grief  ;  while  the  father,  overcome 
by  affection,  mingled  his  tears  with  theirs.  The 
year  quickly  passed  away.  The  good  merchant, 
having  settled  his  affairs,  paid  his  just  debts,  given 
alms  to  the  poor,  and  made  provision  to  the  best  of 
his  ability  for  his  wife  and  family,  tore  himself  away 
amidst  the  most  frantic  expressions  of  grief,  and, 
mindful  of  his  oath,  arrived  at  the  destined  spot 
on  the  very  day  he  had  promised.  While  he  was 
waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  genie,  there  suddenly 
appeared  an  old  man  leading  a  hind,  who,  after  a 
respectful  salutation,  inquired  what  brought  him 
to  that  desert  place.  The  merchant  satisfied  the 
old  man's  curiosity,  and  related  his  adventure,  on 
which  he  expressed  a  wish  to  witness  his  interview 
with  the  genie.  He  had  scarcely  finished  his 
speech  when  another  old  man,  accompanied  with 
two  black  dogs,  came  in  sight,  and  having  heard 


the  tale  of  the  merchant,  determined  also  to  re- 
main to  see  the  event. 

Soon  they  perceived,  towards  the  plain,  a  thick 
vapor  or  smoke,  like  a  column  of  dust  raised  by 
the  wind.  This  vapor  approached  them,  and  then 
suddenly  disappearing,  they  saw  the  genie,  who, 
without  noticing  them,  went  towards  the  mer- 
chant, with  his  scimitar  in  his  hand ;  and  taking 
him  by  the  arm,  "  Get  up,"  said  he,  "  that  I  may 
kill  thee,  as  thou  hast  slain  my  son."  Both  the 
merchant  and  the  two  old  men,  struck  with  terror, 
began  to  weep  and  fill  the  air  with  their  lamenta- 
tions. When  the  old  man  who  conducted  the  hind 
saw  the  genie  lay  hold  of  the  merchant,  and  about 
to  murder  him  without  mercy,  he  threw  himself 
at  the  monster's  feet,  and,  kissing  them,  said, 
"  Lord  genie,  I  humbly  entreat  you  to  suspend 
your  rage,  and  hear  my  history,  and  that  of  the 
hind  which  you  see ;  and  if  you  find  it  more  won- 
derful and  surprising  than  the  adventure  of  this 
merchant,  whose  life  you  wish  to  take,  may  I  not 
hope  that  you  will  at  least  grant  me  one  half  part 
of  the  blood  of  this  unfortunate  man?"  After 
meditating  some  time,  the  genie  answered,  "  Well 
then,  I  agree  to  it." 

THE   HISTORY   OF   THE   FIRST   OLT>   MAN   AND 
THE   HIND. 

The  hind,  whom  you,  lord  genie,  see  here,  is 
my  wife.  I  married  her  when  she  was  twelve 
years  old,  and  we  lived  together  thirty  years  with- 
out having  any  children.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
I  adopted  into  my  family  a  son  whom  a  slave  had 
borne.  This  act  of  mine  excited  against  the 
mother  and  her  child  the  hatred  and  jealousy  of 
my  wife.  She  availed  herself,  during  my  absence 
on  a  journey,  of  her  knowledge  of  magic,  to  change 
the  slave  and  my  adopted  son  into  a  cow  and  a 
calf,  and  sent  them  to  my  farm  to  be  fed  and 
taken  care  of  by  the  steward. 

Immediately  on  my  return,  I  inquired  after  my 
child  and  his  mother.  "  Your  slave  is  dead,"  said 
she,  "  and  it  is  now  more  than  two  months  since 
I  have  beheld  your  son  ;  nor  do  I  know  what  is 
become  of  him."     I  was  sensibly  affected  at  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


211 


death  of  the  slave  ;  but  as  my  son  had  only  disap- 
peared, I  flattered  myself  that  he  would  soon  be 
found.  Eight  months,  however,  passed,  and  he 
Sid  not  return  ;  nor  could  I  learn  any  tidings  of 
him.  In  order  to  celebrate  the  festival  of  the 
great  Bairam,  which  was  approaching,  I  ordered 
my  bailiff  to  bring  me  the  fattest  cow  I  possessed 
for  a  sacrifice.  He  obeyed  my  commands.  Having 
bound  the  cow,  I  was  about  to  make  the  sacrifice, 
when,  at  the  very  instant,  she  lowed  most  sorrow- 
fully, and  the  tears  even  fell  from  her  eyes.  This 
seemed  to  me  so  extraordinary  that  I  could  not 
but  feel  compassion  for  her,  and  was  unable  to 
give  the  fatal  blow.  I  therefore  ordered  her  to 
be  taken  away  and  another  brought. 

My  wife,  who  was  present,  seemed  very  angry  at 
my  compassion,  and  opposed  my  order-. 

I  then  said  to  ray  steward,  "  Make  the  sacrifice 
yourself ;  the  lamentations  and  tears  of  the  animal 
have  overcome  me." 

The  steward  was  less  compassionate,  and  sacri- 
ficed her.  On  taking  off  the  skin  we  found  hardly 
anything  but  bones,  though  she  appeared  very  fat. 
"  Take  her  away,"  said  I  to  the  steward,  truly 
chagrined  ;  "  and  if  you  have  another  very  fat  calf, 
bring  it  in  her  place."  He  returned  with  a  re- 
markably fine  calf,  who,  as  soon  as  he  perceived 
me,  made  so  great  an  effort  to  come  to  me,  that  he 
broke  his  cord.  He  lay  down  at  my  feet,  with  his 
head  on  the  ground,  as  if  he  endeavored  to  excite 
my  compassion,  and  to  entreat  me  not  to  have  the 
cruelty  to  take  away  his  life. 

"Wife,"  answered  I,  "I  will  not  sacrifice  this 
calf;  I  wish  to  favor  him  ;  do  not  you,  therefore, 
oppose  it."  She,  however,  did  not  agree  to  my 
proposal  ;  and  continued  to  demand  his  sacrifice 
so  obstinately  that  I  was  compelled  to  yield.  I 
bound  the  calf,  and  took  the  fatal  knife  to  bury  it 
in  his  throat,  when  he  turned  his  eyes,  filled  with 
tears,  so  persuasively  upon  me,  that  I  had  no 
power  to  execute  my  intention.  The  knife  fell 
from  my  hand,  and  I  told  my  wife  I  was  deter- 
mined to  have  another  calf.  She  tried  every 
means  to  induce  me  to  alter  my  mind  ;  I  contin- 
ued firm,  however,  in  my   resolution,  in   spite  of 

28 


all  she  could  say ;  promising,  for  the  sake  of  ap- 
peasing her,  to  sacrifice  this  calf  at  the  feast  of 
Bairam  on  the  following  year. 

The  next  morning  my  steward  desired  to  speak 
with  me  in  private.  He  informed  me  that  his 
daughter,  who  had  some  knowledge  of  magic,, 
wished  to  speak  with  me.  On  being  admitted 
to  my  presence,  she  informed  me  that,  during  my 
absence,  my  wife  had  turned  the  slave  and  my  son 
into  a  cow  and  a  calf  ;  that  I  had  already  sacrificed 
the  cow,  but  that  she  could  restore  my  son  to  life, 
if  I  would  give  him  to  her  for  her  husband,  and 
allow  her  to  visit  my  wife  with  the  punishment  her 
cruelty  had  deserved.  To  these  proposals  I  gave 
my  consent. 

The  damsel  then  took  a  vessel  full  of  water, 
and  pronouncing  over  it  some  words  I  did  not  un- 
derstand, she  threw  the  water  over  the  calf,  and 
he  instantly  regained  his  own  form. 

"My  son!  vay  son!"  I  exclaimed,  and  em- 
braced him  with  transport ;  "  this  damsel  has  de- 
stroyed the  horrible  charm  with  which  you  were 
surrounded.  I  am  sure  your  gratitude  will  induce 
you  to  marry  her,  as  I  have  already  promised 
for  you."  He  joyfully  consented  ;  but  before  they 
were  united,  the  damsel  changed  my  wife  into  this- 
hind,  which  you  see  here. 

Since  this,  ray  son  has  become  a  widower,  and 
is  now  traveling.  Many  years  have  passed  since 
I  have  heard  anything  of  him  ;  I  have,  therefore, 
now  set  out  with  a  view  to  gain  some  informa- 
tion ;  and  as  I  did  not  like  to  trust  my  wife  to  the 
care  of  any  one  during  my  search,  I  thought 
proper  to  carry  her  along  with  me.  This  is  the 
history  of  myself  and  this  hind  ;  can  anything  be 
more  wonderful  ?  "I  agree  with  you,"  said  the 
genie,  "  and  in  consequence,  I  grant  to  you  a  half 
of  the  blood  of  this  merchant." 

As  soon  as  the  first  old  man  had  finished,  the 
second,  who  led  the  two  black  dogs,  made  the 
same  request  to  the  genie  for  a  half  of  the  mer- 
chant's blood,  on  the  condition  that  his  tale  ex- 
ceeded in  interest  the  one  that  had  been  just  re- 
lated. On  the  genie  signifying  his  assent,  the 
old  man  began. 


218 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


THE  HISTORY  OF   THE  SECOND  OLD   MAN  AND  THE 
TWO  BLACK  DOGS. 

Great  prince  of  the  genies,  you  must  know  that 
these  two  black  dogs,  which  you  see  here,  and  my- 
self are  three  brothers.  Our  father,  when  he 
died,  left  us  one  thousand  sequins  each.  With 
this  sum  we  all  embarked  in  business  as  mer- 
chants. My  two  brothers  determined  to  travel, 
that  they7  might  trade  in  foreign  parts.  They 
were  both  unfortunate,  and  returned  at  the  end  of 
two  years  in  a  state  of  abject  poverty,  having  lost 
their  all.  I  had  in  the  mean  while  prospered,  and 
I  gladly  received  them,  and  gave  them  one  thou- 
sand sequins  each,  and  again  set  them  up  as  mer- 
chants. My  brothers  frequently  proposed  to  me 
that  I  should  make  a  voyage  with  them  for  the 
purpose  of  traffic.  Knowing  their  former  want  of 
success,  I  refused  to  join  them,  until  at  the  end  of 
five  years  I  at  length  yielded  to  their  repeated  so- 
licitations. On  consulting  on  the  merchandise  to 
be  bought  for  the  voyage,  I  discovered  that  noth- 
ing remained  of  the  thousand  sequins  I  had  given 
to  each.  I  did  not  reproach  them  ;  on  the  con- 
trary, as  my  capital  was  increased  to  six  thousand 
sequins,  I  gave  them  each  one  thousand  sequins, 
and  kept  a  like  sum  myself,  and  concealed  the 
other  three  thousand  in  a  corner  of  my  house,  in 
order  that  if  our  voyage  proved  unsuccessful,  we 
might  be  able  to  console  ourselves,  and  begin  our 
former  profession.  We  purchased  our  goods,  em- 
barked in  a  vessel,  which  we  ourselves  freighted, 
and  set  sail  with  a  favorable  wind.     After  sailing 

o 

about  a  month,  we  arrived,  without  any  accident, 
at  a  port,  where  we  landed,  and  had  a  most  advan- 
tageous sale  for  our  merchandise.  I,  in  particu- 
lar, sold  mine  so  well  that  I  gained  ten  for  one. 

About  the  time  that  we  were  ready  to  embark 
on  our  return,  I  accidentally  met  on  the  sea-shore 
a  female  of  great  beauty7,  but  very  poorly  dressed. 
She  accosted  me  by  kissing  my  hand,  and  en- 
treated me  most  earnestly  to  permit  her  to  be  my 
wife.  I  started  many  difficulties  to  such  apian; 
but  at  length  she  said  so  much  to  persuade  me 
that  I  ought  not  to  regard  her  poverty,  and  that  I 


should  be  well  satisfied  with  her  conduct,  I  waa 
quite  overcome.  I  directly  procured  proper 
dresses  for  her,  and  after  marrying  her  in  due 
form,  she  embarked  with  me,  and  we  set  sail. 

During  our  voyage,  I  found  my  wife  possessed 
of  so  many  good  qualities  that  I  loved  her  every 
day  more  and  more.  In  the  mean  time  my  two 
brothers,  who  had  not  traded  so  advantageously  as 
myself,  and  who  were  jealous  of  my  prosperity, 
began  to  feel  exceedingly  envious.  They  even 
went  so  far  as  to  conspire  against  my  life  ;  for 
one  night,  while  my  wife  and  I  were  asleep,  they 
threw  us  into  the  sea.  I  had  hardly,  however, 
fallen  into  the  water,  before  my  wife  took  me  up 
and  transported  me  into  an  island.  As  soon  as  it 
was  day, she  thus  addressed  me:  "  You  must  know 
that  I  am  a  fairy,  and  being  upon  the  shore  when 
you  were  about  to  sail,  I  wished  to  try  the  good- 
ness of  your  heart,  and  for  this  purpose  I  pre- 
sented myrself  before  you  in  the  disguise  you  saw- 
You  acted  most  generously,  and  I  am  therefore 
delighted  in  finding  an  occasion  of  showing  my 
gratitude  ;  and  I  trust,  my  husband,  that  in  sav- 
ing your  life,  I  have  not  ill  rewarded  the  good  you 
have  done  me ;  but  I  am  enraged  against  your 
brothers,  nor  shall  I  be  satisfied  till  I  have  taken 
their  lives." 

I  listened  with  astonishment  to  the  discourse  of 
the  fairy,  and  thanked  her,  as  well  as  I  was  able, 
for  the  great  obligation  she  had  conferred  on  me. 
"But,  madam,"  said  I  to  her,  "  I  must  entreat  you 
to  pardon  my  brothers."  I  related  to  her  what  I 
had  done  for  each  of  them,  but  my  account  only 
increased  her  anger.  "  I  must  instantly  fly  after 
these  ungrateful  wretches,"  cried  she,  "  and  bring 
them  to  a  just  punishment ;  I  will  sink  their  ves- 
sel, and  precipitate  them  to  the  bottom  of  the 
sea."  "  No,  beautiful  lady,"  replied  I ;  "  for  Heav- 
en's sake,  moderate  your  indignation,  and  do  not 
execute  so  dreadful  an  intention  ;  remember  they 
are  still  my  brothers,  and  that  we  are  bound  to  re 
turn  good  for  evil." 

No  sooner  had  I  pronounced  these  words,  than 
I  was  transported  in  an  instant  from  the  island 
where  we  were  to  the  top  of  my  own  house.    I  de- 


THE  HISTORY  OF    THE  FISHERMAN. 


219 


scended,  opened  the  doors,  and  dug  up  the  three 
thousand  sequins  which  I  had  hidden.  I  after- 
wards repaired  to  my  shop,  opened  it,  and  re- 
ceived the  congratulations  of  the  merchants  in  the 
neighborhood  on  my  arrival.  When  I  returned 
home,  I  perceived  these  two  black  dogs,  which 
came  towards  me  with  a  submissive  air.  I  could 
not  imagine  what  this  meant,  but  the  fairy,  who 
soon  appeared,  satisfied  my  curiosity.  "  My  dear 
husband,"  said  she,  "  be  not  surprised  at  seeing 
these  two  dogs  in  your  house  ;  they  are  your  broth- 
ers." My  blood  ran  cold  on  hearing  this,  and  I 
inquired  by  what  power  they  had  been  trans- 
formed into  that  state.  "  It  is  I,"  replied  the 
fairy,  "  who  have  done  it,  and  I  have  sunk  their 
ship  ;  for  the  loss  of  the  merchandise  it  contained 
I  shall  recompense  you.  As  to  your  brothers,  I 
have  condemned  them  to  remain  under  this  form 


for  ten  years,  as  a  punishment  for  their  perfidy." 
Then  informing  me  where  I  might  hear  of  her, 
she  disappeared. 

The  ten  years  are  now  completed,  and  I  am 
traveling  in  search  of  her.  "  This,  O  lord  genie, 
is  my  history  ;  does  it  not  appear  to  you  of  a  most 
extraordinary  nature?  "  "  Yes,"  replied  the  genie, 
"  I  confess  it  is  most  wonderful,  and  therefore 
I  grant  you  the  other  half  of  this  merchant's 
blood  ; "  and  having  said  this,  the  genie  disap- 
peared, to  the  great  joy  of  the  merchant  and  of  the 
two  old  men. 

The  merchant  did  not  omit  to  bestow  many 
thanks  upon  his  liberators,  who,  bidding  him 
adieu,  proceeded  on  their  travels.  He  remounted 
his  horse,  and  returned  home  to  his  wife  and 
children,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days 
with  them  in  tranquillity. 


II.  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  FISHERMAN. 


There  was  formerly  an  aged  fisherman,  so  poor 
that  he  could  barely  obtain  food  for  himself,  his 
wife,  and  his  three  children.  He  went  out  early 
every  morning  to  his  employment ;  and  he  had 
imposed  a  rule  upon  himself  never  to  cast  his  nets 
above  four  times  a  day. 

On  one  occasion  he  set  out  before  the  morn  had 
disappeared.  When  he  reached  the  sea-shore,  he 
undressed  himself,  and  cast  his  nets.  In  drawing 
them  to  land  three  times  in  succession,  he  felt 
sure,  from  their  resistance  and  weight,  that  he 
had  secured  an  excellent  draught  of  fish.  Instead 
of  which  he  only  found  on  the  first  haul  the  car- 
cass of  an  ass ;  on  the  second,  a  large  pannier 
filled  with  sand  and  mud  ;  and  on  the  third,  a 
large  quantity  of  heavy  stones,  shells,  and  filth. 
It  is  impossible  to  describe  his  disappointment 
and  despair.  The  day  now  began  to  break,  and 
having,  like  a  good  Mussulman,  finished  his 
prayer,  he  threw  his  nets  for  the  fourth  time. 
Again  he  supposed  he  had  caught  a  great  quantity 
of  fish,  as  he  drew  them  with  as  much  difficulty  as 
before.     He  nevertheless  found  none  ;  but  discov- 


ered a  heavy  vase  of  yellow  copper,  shut  up  and 
fastened  with  lead,  on  which  there  was  the  im- 
pression of  a  seal.  '•'  I  will  sell  this  to  a  founder," 
said  he,  with  joyT,  "  and  with  the  money  I  shall 
get  for  it  I  will  purchase  a  measure  of  corn." 

He  examined  the  vase  on  all  sides  ;  he  shook 
it,  but  could  hear  nothing;  and  this,  together  with 
the  impression  of  the  seal  on  the  lead,  made  him 
think  it  was  filled  with  something  valuable.  In 
order  to  find  this  out,  he  took  his  knife,  and  got  it 
open.  He  directly  turned  the  top  downwards,  and 
was  much  surprised  to  find  nothing  come  out;  he 
then  set  it  down  before  him,  and  while  he  was  at- 
tentively observing  it,  there  issued  from  it  so  thick 
a  smoke  that  he  was  obliged  to  step  back  a  few 
paces.  This  smoke,  by  degrees,  rose  almost  to  the 
clouds,  and' spread  itself  over  both  the  water  and 
the  shore,  appearing  like  a  thick  fog.  The  fisher- 
man, as  may  easily  be  imagined,  was  a  good  deal 
surprised  at  this  sight.  When  the  smoke  had  all 
come  out  from  the  vase,  it  again  collected  itself, 
and  became  a  solid  body,  and  then  took  the  shape 
of  a  genie  of  a  gigantic  size.     The  genie,  looking 


220 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


at  the  fisherman,  exclaimed,  "  Humble  thyself  be-  well,"  returned  he ;  "  but  that  shall  not  prevent 

fore   me,  or  I   will  kill  thee."     "  And  for    what  my  destroying  thee ;  and  I  will  only  grant  thee 

reason,  pray,  will    you    kill    me?"  answered    the  one  favor."     "And  pray  what  is  that?"  said  the 

fisherman;    "have  you   already  forgotten    that    I  fisherman.     "  It  is,"  replied  the  genie,  "  to  permit 

have  set  you  at  liberty  ?  "     "I  remember  it  very  thee   to   choose  the  manner  of  thy  death.     I   can 


THE  HISTORY  OF   THE  FISHERMAN. 


221 


treat  thee  no  otherwise  ;  and  to  convince  thee  of 
it,  bear  my  history  :  — 

"  I  am  one  of  those  spirits  who  rebelled  against 
the  sovereignty  of  God.  Solomon,  the  son  of 
David,  the  prophet  of  God,  commanded  me  to  ac- 
knowledge bis  authority,  and  submit  to  his  laws. 
I  haughtily  refused.  In  order,  therefore,  to  pun- 
ish me,  he  inclosed  me  in  this  copper  vase  ;  and 
to  prevent  me  forcing  my  way  out,  he  put  upon 
the  leaden  cover  the  impression  of  his  seal,  on 
which  the  great  name  of  God  is  engraven.  This 
done,  he  gave  the  vase  to  one  of  those  genies  who 
obeyed  him,  and  ordered  him  to  cast  me  into  the  sea. 

"During  the  first  century  of  my  captivity,  I 
swore  that  if  any  one  delivered  me  before  the  first 
hundred  years  were  passed,  I  would  make  him 
rich.  During  the  second  century,  I  swore  that  if 
any  released  me,  I  would  discover  to  him  all  the 
treasures  of  the  earth.  During  the  third,  I  prom- 
ised to  make  my  deliverer  a  most  powerful  mon- 
arch, and  to  grant  him  every  day  any  three  re- 
quests he  chose.  These  centuries  passed  away 
without  any  deliverance.  Enraged,  at  last,  to  be 
so  long  a  prisoner,  I  swore  that  I  would,  without 
mercy,  kill  whoever  should  in  future  release  me, 
and  that  the  only  favor  I  would  grant  him  should 
be  to  choose  what  manner  of  death  he  pleased. 
Since,  therefore,  thou  hast  come  here  to-day,  and 
hast  delivered  me,  fix  upon  whatever  kind  of  death 
thou  wilt." 

The  fisherman  was  in  great  distress  at  finding 
him  thus  resolved  on  his  death,  not  so  much  on 
his  own  account  as  for  his  three  children,  whose 
means  of  subsistence  would  be  greatly  reduced  by 
his  death.  "  Alas  !  "  he  cried,  "  have  pity  on  me  ; 
remember  what  I  have  done  for  thee." 

"  Let  us  lose  no  time,"  cried  the  genie  ;  "  your 
arguments  avail  not.  Make  haste,  tell  me  how 
you  wish  to  die." 


Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention  ,  and  the 
fisherman  thought  of  a  stratagem.  "  Since,  then," 
said  he,  "  I  cannot  escape  death,  I  submit  to  the 
will  of  God ;  but  before  I  choose  the  sort  of  death, 
I  conjure  you,  by  the  great  name  of  God,  which 
is  graven  upon  the  seal  of  the  prophet  Solomon, 
the  son  of  David,  answer  me  truly  to  a  question  I 
am  going  to  put  to  you."  The  genie  trembled  at 
this  adjuration,  and  said  to  the  fisherman,  "  Ask 
what  thou  wilt,  and  make  haste." 

"  Dare  you,  then,  to  swear  by  the  great  name 
of  God  that  you  really  were  in  that  vase  ?  This 
vase  cannot  contain  one  of  your  feet ;  how,  then, 
can  it  hold  your  whole  body  ?  "  "  I  swear  to  thee, 
notwithstanding,"  replied  he,  "  that  I  was  there 
just  as  thou  seest  me.  Wilt  thou  not  believe  me 
after  the  solemn  oath  I  have  taken  ?  "  "  No,  truly," 
added  the  fisherman ;  "  I  shall  not  believe  you, 
unless  I  were  to  see  it." 

Immediately  the  form  of  the  genie  began  to 
change  into  smoke,  and  extended  itself,  as  before, 
over  both  the  shore  and  the  sea ;  and  then,  collect- 
ing itself,  began  to  enter  the  vase,  and  continued 
to  do  so,  in  a  slow  and  equal  manner,  till  nothing 
remained  without.  The  fisherman  immediately 
took  the  leaden  cover,  and  put  it  on  the  vase. 
"  Genie,"  he  cried,  "  it  is  now  your  turn  to  ask 
pardon.  I  shall  throw  you  again  into  the  sea, 
and  I  will  build,  opposite  the  very  spot  where  you 
are  cast,  a  bouse  upon  the  shore,  in  which  I  will 
live,  to  warn  all  fishermen  that  shall  come  and 
throw  their  nets,  not  to  fish  up  so  evil  a  genie  as 
thou  art,  who  makest  an  oath  to  kill  the  man  who 
shall  set  thee  at  liberty." 

The  genie  tried  every  argument  to  move  the 
fisherman's  pity  but  in  vain.  "  You  are  too 
treacherous  for  me  to  trust  you,"  returned  the 
fisherman  ;  "  I  should  deserve  to  lose  my  life,  if  I 
put  myself  in  your  power  a  second  time." 


222 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


III.     THE    STORY   OF   THE    ENCHANTED   HORSE. 


The  Nooroze,  or  the  new  day,  which  is  the 
first  of  the  year  and  spring,  is  observed  as  a  solemn 
festival  throughout  all  Persia. 

On  one  of  these  festival  days,  just  as  the  Sul- 
tan of  Shiraz  was  concluding  his  public  audience, 
which  had  been  conducted  with  unusual  splendor, 
a  Hindu  appeared  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  with 
an  artificial  horse  richly  caparisoned,  and  so  spirit- 
edly modeled,  that  at  first  sight  he  was  taken  for 
a  living  animal. 

The  Hindu  prostrated  himself  before  the  throne, 
and  pointing  to  the  horse,  said  to  the  sultan, 
"  This  horse  is  a  great  wonder  ;  whenever  I  mount 
him,  be  it  where  it  may,  if  I  wish  to  transport 
myself  through  the  air  to  the  most  distant  part  of 
the  world,  I  can  do  it  in  a  very  short  time.  This 
is  a  wonder  which  nobody  ever  heard  speak  "of, 
and  which  I  offer  to  show  your  majesty  if  you 
command  me." 

The  Emperor  of  Persia,  who  was  fond  uf  every- 
thing that  was  curious,  and  who,  notwithstanding 
the  many  prodigies  of  art  he  had  seen,  had  never 
beheld  or  heard  of  anything  that  came  up  to  this, 
told  the  Hindu  that  he  was  ready  to  see  him  per- 
form what  he  had  promised. 

The  Hindu  instantly  put  his  foot  into  the  stir- 
rup, mounted  his  horse  with  admirable  agility, 
and  when  he  had  fixed  himself  in  the  saddle, 
asked  the  emperor  whither  he  pleased  to  com- 
mand him. 

"  Do  you  see  that  mountain  ?  "  said  the  em- 
peror, pointing  to  it;  "  ride  your  horse  there,  and 
bring  me  a  branch  of  a  palm-tree  that  grows  at 
the  bottom  of  the  hill." 

The  Emperor  of  Persia  had  no  sooner  declared 
his  will  than  the  Hindu  turned  a  peg,  which  was 
in  the  hollow  of  the  horse's  neck,  just  by  the  pom- 
mel of  the  saddle  ;  and  in  an  instant  the  horse 
rose  off  the  ground  and  carried  his  rider  into  the 
air  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning  to  a  great  height, 
to  the  admiration  of  the  emperor  and  all  the  spec- 
tators.    Within  less    than  a  quarter  of   an   hour 


they  saw  him  returning  with  the  palm  branch  in 
his  hand ;  but  before  he  descended,  he  took  two 
or  three  turns  in  the  air  over  the  spot,  amid  the 
acclamations  of  all  the  people,  then  alighted  on 
the  spot  whence  he  had  set  off.  He  dismounted, 
and  going  up  to  the  throne,  prostrated  himself, 
and  laid  the  branch  of  the  palm-tree  at  the  feet  of 
the  emperor. 

The  emperor,  who  had  viewed  with  no  less  ad- 
miration than  astonishment  this  unheard-of  sight 
which  the  Hindu  had  exhibited,  conceived  a  great 
desire  to  have  the  horse,  and  said  to  the  Hindu, 
"  I  will  purchase  him  of  jrou,  if  he  is  to  be  sold." 

"  Sire,"  replied  the  Hindu,  "  there  is  only  one 
condition  on  which  I  can  part  with  my  horse,  and 
that  is  the  gift  of  the  hand  of  the  princess  your 
daughter  as  my  wife ;  this  is  the  only  bargain  I 
can  make." 

The  courtiers  about  the  Emperor  of  Persia  could 
not  forbear  laughing  aloud  at  this  extravagant 
proposal  of  the  Hindu ;  but  the  Prince  Feroze- 
shah,  the  eldest  son  of  the  emperor  and  presuinp- 
tive-heir  to  the  crown,  could  not  hear  it  without 
indignation.  "  Sire,"  he  said,  "  I  hope  you  will 
not  hesitate  to  refuse  so  insolent  a  demand,  or  al- 
low this  insignificant  juggler  to  flatter  himself 
for  a  moment  with  the  idea  of  being  allied  to  one 
of  the  most  powerful  monarchs  in  the  world.  1 
beg  of  you  to  consider  what  you  owe  to  yourself, 
to  your  own  blood,  and  the  high  rank  of  your  an- 
cestors." 

"  Son,"  replied  the  Emperor  of  Persia,  "  I  will 
not  grant  him  what  he  asked  —  and  perhaps  he 
does  not  seriously  make  the  proposal ;  and  put- 
ting my  daughter  the  princess  out  of  the  question, 
I  may  make  another  agreement  with  him.  But 
before  I  bargain  with  him,  I  should  be  glad  that 
you  would  examine  the  horse,  try  him  yourself, 
and  give  me  your  opinion."  On  hearing  this,  the 
Hindu  expressed  much  joy,  and  ran  before  the 
prince,  to  help  him  to  mount,  and  showed  him 
how  to  guide  and  manage  the  horse. 


THE  STOUT   OF   THE  ENCHANTED  HORSE. 


223 


The  prince  mounted  without  the  Hindu's  assist- 
ing him  :  and,  as  soon  as  he  had  got  his  feet  in  the 
stirrups,  without  staying  for  the  artist's  advice,  he 
turned  the  peg  he  had  seen  him  use,  when  in- 
stantly the  horse  darted  into  the  air,  quick  as  an 
arrow  shot  out  of  a  bow  by  the  most  adroit  archer  ; 
and  in  a  few  moments  neither  horse  nor  prince 
were  to  be  seen.  The  Hindu,  alarmed  at  what  had 
happened,  prostrated  himself  before  the  throne, 
and  deprecated  the  anger  of  the  sultan.  The  sul- 
tan replied  to  him,  and  asked,  in  a  passion,  why 
he  did  not  call  him  the  moment  he  ascended. 

"  Sire,"  answered  the  Hindu,  "  your  majesty 
saw  as  well  as  I  with  what  rapidity  the  horse  flew 
away.  The  surprise  I  was  then  and  still  am  in 
deprived  me  of  the  use  of  my  speech  ;  but  if 
I  could  have  spoken,  he  was  got  too  far  to  hear 
me.  If  he  had  heard  me,  he  knew  not  the  secret 
to  bring  him  back,  which  through  his  impatience 
he  would  not  stay  to  learn.  But,  sire,"  added  he, 
"  there  is  room  to  hope  that  the  prince,  when  he 
finds  himself  at  a  loss,  will  perceive  another  peg, 
and  as  soon  as  he  turns  that  the  horse  will  cease 
to  rise,  and  descend  to  the  ground,  when  he  may 
turn  him  to  what  place  he  pleases  by  guiding  him 
with  the  bridle." 

Notwithstanding  all  these  arguments  of  the 
Hindu,  which  carried  great  appearance  of  proba- 
bility, the  Emperor  of  Persia  was  much  alarmed 
at  the  evident  danger  of  his  son.  "  I  suppose," 
replied  he,  "  it  is  very  uncertain  whether  my  son 
may  perceive  the  other  peg,  and  make  a  right  use 
of  it.  May  not  the  horse,  instead  of  lighting  on 
the  ground,  fall  upon  some  rock,  or  tumble  into 
the  sea  with  him  ?  " 

"Sire,"  replied  the  Hindu,  "I  can  deliver  yon 
from  this  apprehension,  by  assuring  you  that  the 
horse  crosses  seas  without  ever  falling  into  them, 
and  always  carries  his  rider  wherever  he  may  wish 
to  go.  And  your  majesty  may  assure  yourself 
that  if  the  prince  does  but  find  out  the  other  peg 
I  mentioned,  the  horse  will  carry  him  where  lie 
pleases.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  he  will  stop 
anywhere  but  where  he  can  find  assistance,  and 
make  himself  known  " 


"  Your  head  shall  answer  for  my  son's  life,  if  he 
does  not  return  safe  in  three  days'  time,  or  I  should 
hear  that  he  is  alive."  He  then  ordered  his  of- 
ficers to  secure  the  Hindu,  and  keep  him  close 
prisoner ;  after  which  he  retired  to  his  palace,  in 
affliction  that  the  festival  of  Nooroze  should  have 
proved  so  inauspicious. 

In  the  mean  time  the  prince  was  carried  through 
the  air  with  prodigious  velocity.  In  less  than  an 
hour's  time  he  ascended  so  high  that  he  could  not 
distinguish  anything  on  the  earth,  but  mountains 
and  plains  seemed  confounded  together.  It  was 
then  he  began  to  think  of  returning,  and  conceived 
he  might  do  this  by  turning  the  same  peg  the  con- 
trary way,  and  pulling  the  bridle  at  the  same  time. 
But  when  he  found  that  the  horse  still  continued 
to  ascend,  his  alarm  was  great.  He  turned  the 
peg  several  times  in  different  ways,  but  all  in  vain. 
It  was  then  he  saw  his  fault,  and  apprehended  the 
great  danger  he  was  in,  from  not  having  learnt  the 
necessary  precautions  to  guide  the  horse  before  he 
mounted.  He  examined  the  horse's  head  and  neck 
with  attention,  and  perceived  behind  the  right  ear 
another  peg,  smaller  than  the  other.  He  turned 
that  peg,  and  presently  perceived  that  he  de- 
scended in  the  same  oblique  manner  as  he  had 
mounted,  but  not  so  swiftly. 

Night  had  overshadowed  that  part  of  the  earth 
over  which  the  prince  was  when  he  found  out  and 
turned  the  small  peg ;  and  as  the  horse  descended, 
he  by  degrees  lost  sight  of  the  sun,  till  it  grew 
quite  dark ;  insomuch  that,  instead  of  choosing 
what  place  he  would  go  to,  he  was  forced  to  let 
the  bridle  lie  upon  the  horse's  neck,  and  wait 
patiently  till  he  alighted,  though  not  without  the 
dread  lest  it  should  be  in  the  desert,  a  river,  or 
the  sea. 

At  last  the  horse  stopped  upon  some  solid  sub- 
stance about  midnight,  and  the  prince  dismounted 
very  faint  and  hungry,  having  eaten  nothing  since 
the  morning,  when  he  came  out  of  the  palace  with 
his  father  to  assist  at  the  festival.  He  found  him- 
self to  be  on  the  terrace  of  a  magnificent  palace, 
surrounded  with  a  balustrade  of  white  marble, 
breast-high ;    and  groping  about  reached  a  stair- 


224 


TALES   FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


case,  which  led  down  into  an  apartment,  the  door 
of  which  was  half  open. 

The  prince  stopped  at  the  door,  and,  listening, 
heard  no  other  noise  than  the  breathing  of  some 
people  who  were  fast  asleep.  He  advanced  a  lit- 
tle into  the  room,  and  by  the  light  of  a  lamp  saw 
that  those  persons  were  black  mutes,  with  naked 
sabres  laid  by  them ;  which  was  enough  to  inform 
him  that  this  was  the  guard-chamber  of  some  sul- 
tan or  princess.  Prince  Feroze-shah  advanced  on 
tiptoe,  without  waking  the  attendants.  He  drew 
aside  the  curtain,  went  in,  and  saw  a  magnificent 
chamber  containing  many  beds,  one  alone  being 
on  a  raised  dais,  and  the  others  on  the  floor.  The 
princess  slept  in  the  first  and  her  women  in  the 
others.  He  crept  softly7  towards  the  dais  without 
waking  either  the  princess  or  her  women,  and 
beheld  a  beauty  so  extraordinary  that  he  was 
charmed  at  the  first  sight.  He  fell  on  his  knees, 
and  twitching  gently  the  princess's  sleeve,  kneeling 
beside  her,  pulled  it  towards  him.  The  princess 
opened  her  eyes,  and  seeing  a  handsome  young 
man,  was  in  great  surprise,  yet  showed  no  sign  of 
fear. 

The  prince  availed  himself  of  this  favorable  mo- 
ment, bowed  his  head  to  the  ground,  and  rising, 
said,  "  Beautiful  princess,  by  the  most  extraordi- 
nary and  wonderful  adventure,  you  see  at  your 
feet  a  suppliant  prince,  son  of  the  Emperor  of 
Persia ;  pray  afford  him  your  assistance  and  pro- 
tection." 

The  personage  to  whom  Prince  Feroze-shah  so 
happily  addressed  himself  was  the  Princess  of 
Bengal,  eldest  daughter  of  the  rajah  of  that  king- 
dom, who  had  built  this  palace  at  a  small  distance 
from  his  capital,  for  the  sake  of  the  country  air. 
She  thus  replied :  "  Prince,  you  are  not  in  a  bar- 
barous country  —  take  courage;  hospitality,  hu- 
manity, and  politeness  are  to  be  met  with  in  the 
kingdom  of  Bengal,  as  well  as  in  that  of  Persia. 
I  grant  you  the  protection  you  ask —  you  may  de- 
pend on  what  I  say." 

The  Prince  of  Persia  would  have  thanked  the 
princess,  but  she  would  not  give  him  leave  to 
speak.     "  Notwithstanding,    I    desire,"    said    she, 


"  to  know  by  what  miracle  you  have  come  hithei 
from  the  capital  of  Persia  in  so  short  a  time,  and 
by  what  enchantment  you  have  evaded  the  vigi- 
lance of  my  guards ;  yet  as  you  must  want  some 
refreshment,  I  will  postpone  my  curiosity7,  and  give 
orders  to  my  attendants  to  show  you  an  apartment, 
that  you  may  rest  yourself  after  your  fatigue,  and 
be  better  able  to  answer  my  inquiries."  The 
princess's  attendants  were  much  surprised  to  see 
the  prince  in  the  princess's  chamber,  but  they  at 
once  prepared  to  obey  her  commands.  They  each 
took  a  wax  candle,  of  which  there  were  great  num- 
bers lighted  up  in  the  room ;  and  after  the  prince 
had  respectfully  t;iken  leave  of  the  princess,  went 
before  and  conducted  him  into  a  handsome  hall ; 
where,  while  some  were  preparing  the  bed,  others 
went  into  the  kitchen  and  prepared  a  supper ;  and 
when  he  had  eaten  as  much  as  he  chose,  they  re- 
moved the  trays,  and  left  him  to  taste  the  sweets 
of  repose. 

The  next  day  the  princess  prepared  to  give  the 
prince  another  interview,  and  in  expectation  of 
seeing  him,  she  took  more  pains  in  dressing  and 
adjusting  herself  at  the  glass  than  she  had  ever 
done  before.  She  tired  her  women's  patience,  and 
made  them  do  and  undo  the  same  thing  several 
times.  She  adorned  her  head,  neck,  arms,  and 
waist  with  the  finest  and  largest  diamonds  she  pos- 
sessed. The  habit  she  put  on  was  one  of  the 
richest  stuffs  of  the  Indies,  of  a  most  beautiful 
color,  and  made  only7  for  kings,  princes,  and  prin- 
cesses. After  she  had  consulted  her  glass,  and 
asked  her  women,  one  after  another,  if  anything 
was  wanting  to  complete  her  attire,  she  sent  to 
tell  the  Prince  of  Persia  that  she  would  make 
him  a  visit. 

The  Prince  of  Persia,  who  by  the  night's  rest 
had  recovered  the  fatigue  he  had  undergone  the 
day  before,  had  just  dressed  himself  when  he  re- 
ceived notice  of  the  intention  of  the  princess,  and 
expressed  himself  to  be  full}7  sensible  of  the  honor 
conferred  on  him.  As  soon  as  the  princess  under- 
stood that  the  Prince  of  Persia  waited  for  her,  she 
immediately  went  to  pay  him  a  visit.  After  mut- 
ual   compliments,  the  prince    related  to  her   the 


THE  STORY  OF   THE  ENCHANTED  HORSE. 


225 


wonders  of  the  magic  horse,  of  his  journey  through 
the  air,  and  of  the  means  by  which  he  had  found 
an  entrance  into  her  chamber  ;  and  then  having 
thanked  her  for  her  kind  reception,  expressed  a 
wish  to  return  and  relieve  the  anxiety  of  the  sul- 
tan his  father.  When  the  prince  had  finished, 
the  princess  replied,  "  I  cannot  approve,  prince,  of 
your  going  so  soon  ;  grant  me  at  least  the  favor  I 
ask  of  a  little  longer  acquaintance ;  and  since  I 
have  had  the  happiness  to  have  you  alight  in  the 
kingdom  of  Bengal,  I  desire  you  will  stay  long 
enough  to  enable  you  to  give  a  better  account  of 
what  you  may  see  here  at  the  court  of  Persia."' 
The  Prince  of  Persia  could  not  well  refuse  the 
princess  this  favor,  after  the  kindness  she  had 
shown  him,  and  therefore  politely  complied  with 
her  request ;  and  the  princess's  thoughts  were  di- 
rected to  render  his  stay  agreeable  by  all  the 
amusements  she  could  devise. 

Nothing  went  forward  for  several  days  but  con- 
certs of  music,  accompanied  with  magnificent 
feasts  and  collations  in  the  gardens,  or  hunting 
parties  in  the  vicinity  of  the  palace,  which 
abounded  with  all  sorts  of  game,  —  stags,  hinds, 
and  fallow-deer,  and  other  beasts  peculiar  to  the 
kingdom  of  Bengal,  which  the  princess  could  pur- 
sue without  danger.  After  the  chase,  the  prince 
and  princess  met  in  some  beautiful  spot,  where 
a  carpet  was  spread,  and  cushions  laid  for  their  ac- 
commodation. There  resting  themselves,  they 
conversed  on  various  subjects. 

Two  whole  months  the  Prince  of  Persia  aban- 
doned himself  entirely  to  the  will  of  the  Princess 
of  Bengal,  yielding  to  all  the  amusements  she  con- 
trived for  him,  for  she  neglected  nothing  to  divert 
him,  as  if  she  thought  he  had  nothing  else  to  do 
but  to  pass  his  whole  life  with  her  in  this  manner. 
But  he  now  declared  seriously  he  could  not  stay 
longer,  and  begged  of  her  to  give  him  leave  to  re- 
turn to  his  father. 

"  And,  princess,"  observed  the  Prince  of  Persia, 
"  that  you  may  not  doubt  the  truth  of  my  affection, 
I  would  presume,  were  I  not  afraid  you  would  be 
offended  at  my  request,  to  ask  the  favor  of  taking 
you  along  with  me." 

29 


The  princess  returned  no  answer  to  this  address 
of  the  Prince  of  Persia  ;  but  her  silence,  and  eyes 
cast  down,  were  sufficient  to  inform  him  that  she 
had  no  reluctance  to  accompany  him  into  Persia. 
The  only  difficulty  she  felt  was,  that  the  prince 
knew  not  well  enough  how  to  govern  the  horse, 
and  she  was  apprehensive  of  being  involved  with 
him  in  the  same  difficulty  as  when  he  first  made 
the  experiment.  But  the  prince  soon  removed  her 
fear,  by  assuring  her  she  might  trust  herself  with 
him,  for  that  after  the  experience  he  had  acquired 
he  defied  the  Hindu  himself  to  manage  him  better. 
She  thought,  therefore,  onl}r  of  concerting  meas- 
ures to  get  off  with  him  so  secretly  that  nobody 
belonging  to  the  palace  should  have  the  least  sus- 
picion of  their  design. 

The  next  morning,  a  little  before  daybreak, 
when  all  the  attendants  were  asleep,  they  went 
upon  the  terrace  of  the  palace.  The  prince  turned 
the  horse  towards  Persia,  and  placed  him  where 
the  princess  could  easily  get  up  behind  him,  which 
she  had  no  sooner  done,  and  was  well  settled  with 
her  arms  about  his  waist,  for  her  better  security, 
than  he  turned  the  peg,  when  the  horse  mounted 
into  the  air,  and  making  his  usual  haste,  under 
the  guidance  of  the  prince,  in  two  hours'  time  the 
prince  discovered  the  capital  of  Persia. 

The  prince  would  not  alight  in  the  palace  of 
his  father,  but  directed  his  course  towards  a  kiosk 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  capital.  He  led  the 
princess  into  a  handsome  apartment,  where  he 
told  her,  that,  to  do  her  all  the  honor  that  was  due 
to  her,  he  would  go  and  inform  his  father  of  their 
arrival,  and  return  to  her  immediately.  He  or- 
dered the  attendants  of  the  palace,  whom  he  sum- 
moned, to  provide  the  princess  with  whatever  she 
had  occasion  for. 

After  the  prince  had  taken  his  leave  of  the 
princess,  he  ordered  a  horse  to  be  brought,  which 
he  mounted,  and  set  out  for  the  palace.  As  he 
passed  through  the  streets  he  was  received  with 
acclamations  by  the  people,  who  were  overjoyed  to 
see  him  again.  The  emperor  his  father  was  hold- 
ing his  divan  when  he  appeared  before  him  in  the 
midst  of  his  council.     He  received  him  with  tears 


226 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


of   joy   and  tenderness,  and  asked  him  what  was 
become  of  the  Hindu's  horse. 

This  question  gave  the  prince  an  opportunity  of 
describing  the  embarrassment  and  danger  he  was 
'n  when  the  horse  ascended  into  the  air,  and  how 
ie  had  arrived  at  last  at  the  Princess  of  Bengal's 
palace,  the  kind  reception  he  had  met  with  there, 
and  that  the  motive  which  had  induced  him  to 
stay  so  long  with  her  was  the  mutual  affection 
they  entertained  for  each  other ;  also,  that  after 
promising  to  marry  her,  he  had  persuaded  her  to 
accompany  him  into  Persia.  "  But,  sire,"  added 
the  prince,  "  I  felt  assured  that  you  would  not  re- 
fuse your  consent,  and  have  brought  her  with  me 
on  the  enchanted  horse  to  your  summer-palace  ; 
and  have  left  her  there,  till  I  could  "return  and  as- 
sure her  that  my  promise  was  not  in  vain." 

After  these  words,  the  prince  prostrated  himself 
before  the  emperor  to  obtain  his  consent,  when  his 
father  raised  him  up,  embraced  him  a  second  time, 
and  said  to  him,  "  Son,  I  not  only  consent  to  your 
marriage  with  the  Princess  of  Bengal,  but  will  go 
myself  and  bring  her  to  my  palace,  and  celebrate 
your  nuptials  this  day." 

The  emperor  now  ordered  that  the  Hindu 
should  be  fetched  out  of  prison  and  brought  be- 
fore him.  When  the  Hindu  was  admitted  to  his 
presence,  he  said  to  him,  "  I  secured  thy  person, 
that  thy  life  might  answer  for  that  of  the  prince 
my  son.  Thanks  be  to  God,  he  is  returned  again  : 
go,  take  your  horse,  and  never  let  me  see  your 
face  more." 

As  the  Hindu  had  learned  of  those  who  brought 
him  out  of  prison  that  Prince  Feroze-shah  was  re- 
turned with  a  princess,  and  was  also  informed  of 
the  place  where  he  had  alighted  and  left  her,  and 
that  the  emperor  was  making  preparations  to  go 
and  bring  her  to  his  palace,  as  soon  as  he  got  out 
of  the  presence,  he  bethought  himself  of  being  re- 
venged upon  the  emperor  and  the  prince.  He 
mounted  his  horse,  and  without  losing  any  time, 
went  directly  to  the  palace,  and  addressing  him- 
self to  the  captain  of  the  guard,  told  him  he  came 
from  the  Prince  of  Persia  for  the  Princess  of  Ben- 
gal, and  to  conduct  her  behind  him  through  the 


air  to  the  emperor,  who  waited  in  the  great  square 
of  his  palace  to  gratify  the  whole  court  and  city 
of  Shiraz  with  that  wonderful  sight. 

The  captain  of  the  guard,  who  knew  the  Hindu, 
and  that  the  emperor  had  imprisoned  him,  gave 
the  more  credit  to  what  he  said,  because  he  saw 
that  he  was  at  liberty.  He  presented  him  to  the 
Princess  of  Bengal,  who  no  sooner  understood 
that  he  came  from  the  Prince  of  Persia  than  she 
consented  to  what  the  prince,  as  she  thought,  had 
desired  of  her. 

The  Hindu,  overjoyed  at  his  success  and  the 
ease  with  which  he  had  accomplished  his  villainy, 
mounted  his  horse,  took  the  princess  behind  him, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  captain  of  the  guard, 
turned  the  peg,  and  instantly  the  horse  mounted 
into  the  air. 

At  the  same  time  the  Emperor  of  Persia,  at-' 
tended  by  his  court,  was  on  the  road  to  the  palace 
where  the  Princess  of  Bengal  had  been  left,  and 
the  Prince  of  Persia  was  advanced  before,  to  pre- 
pare the  princess  to  receive  his  father ;  when  the 
Hindu,  to  brave  them  both,  and  revenge  himself 
for  the  ill-treatment  he  had  received,  appeared 
over  their  heads  with  his  prize. 

When  the  Emperor  of  Persia  saw  the  Hindu, 
he  stopped.  His  surprise  and  affliction  were  the 
more  sensible,  because  it  was  not  in  his  power  to 
punish  so  high  an  affront.  He  loaded  him  with  a 
thousand  imprecations,  as  did  also  all  the  courtiers, 
who  were  witnesses  of  so  signal  a  piece  of  inso- 
lence and  unparalleled  artifice  and  treachery. 

The  Hindu,  little  moved  with  their  impreca- 
tions, which  just  reached  his  ears,  continued  his 
way,  while  the  emperor,  extremely  mortified  at  so 
great  an  insult,  but  more  so  that  he  could  not  pun- 
ish the  author,  returned  to  his  palace  in  rage  and 
vexation. 

But  what  was  Prince  Feroze-shah's  grief  at  be- 
holding the  Hindu  hurrying  away  with  the  Prin- 
cess of  Bengal,  whom  he  loved  so  passionately7 ! 
He  returned  to  the  summer-palace,  where  he  had 
last  seen  the  princess,  melancholy  and  broken- 
hearted. When  he  arrived,  the  captain  of  the 
guard,  who  had  learnt  his  fatal  credulity  in  believ- 


THE  STORY   OF   THE  ENCHANTED  HORSE. 


227 


ing  the  artful  Hindu,  threw  himself  at  his  feet 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  accused  himself  of  the 
crime  which  unintentionally  he  had  committed,  and 
condemned  himself  to  die  by  his  hand.  "  Rise," 
said  the  prince  to  him  ;  "  I  do  not  impute  the 
loss  of  my  princess  to  thee,  but  to  my  own  want 
of  precaution.  But  not  to  lose  time,  fetch  me  a 
dervis's  habit,  and  take  care  you  do  not  give  the 
least  hint  that  it  is  for  me." 

Not  far  from  this  palace  there  stood  a  convent 
of  dervises,  the  superior  of  which  was  the  captain 
of  the  guard's  particular  friend.  From  him  he 
readily  obtained  a  complete  dervis's  habit,  and 
carried  it  to  Prince  Feroze-shah.  The  prince  im- 
mediately pulled  off  his  own  dress,  put  it  on,  and 
being  so  disguised,  and  provided  with  a  box  of  jew- 
els which  he  had  brought  as  a  present  to  the  prin- 
cess, left  the  palace,  uncertain  which  way  to  go, 
but  resolved  not  to  return  till  he  had  found  out 
his  princess,  and  brought  her  back  again,  or  per- 
ished in  the  attempt. 

In  the  mean  while,  the  Hindu,  mounted  on  his 
enchanted  horse,  with  the  princess  behind  him, 
arrived  early  next  morning  at  the  capital  of  the 
kingdom  of  Cashmere.  He  did  not  enter  the  city, 
but  alighted  in  a  wood,  and  left  the  princess  on  a 
grassy  spot,  close  to  a  rivulet  of  fresh  water,  while 
he  went  to  seek  for  food.  On  his  return,  and 
after  he  and  the  princess  had  partaken  of  refresh- 
ment, he  began  to  maltreat  the  princess,  because 
she  refused  to  become  his  wife.  As  the  princess 
cried  out  for  help,  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere  and  his 
court  passed  through  the  wood  on  their  return 
from  hunting,  and  hearing  a  woman's  voice  calling 
for  help,  went  to  her  rescue. 

The  sultan,  addressing  himself  to  the  Hindu, 
demanded  who  he  was,  and  wherefore  he  ill- 
treated  the  lad}'.  The  Hindu,  with  great  impu- 
dence, replied  that  she  was  his  wife,  and  what  had 
any  one  to  do  with  his  quarrel  with  her  ? 

The  princess,  who  neither  knew  the  rank  nor 
quality  of  the  person  who  came  so  seasonably  to 
her  relief,  exclaimed,  "  My  lord,  whoever  you  are 
whom  Heaven  has  sent  to  my  assistance,  have 
compassion  on  me.    I  am  a  princess.     This  Hindu 


is  a  wicked  magician,  who  has  forced  me  away 
from  the  Prince  of  Persia,  to  whom  I  was  going 
to  be  married,  and  has  brought  me  hither  on  the 
enchanted  horse  you  behold  there." 

The  Princess  of  Bengal  had  no  occasion  to  say 
more.  Her  beauty,  majestic  air,  and  tears  de- 
clared that  she  spoke  the  truth.  Justly  enraged  at 
the  insolence  of  the  Hindu,  the  sultan  ordered  his 
guards  to  surround  him,  and  strike  off  his  head, 
which  sentence  was  immediately  executed. 

The  sultan  then  conducted  the  princess  to  his 
palace,  where  he  lodged  her  in  the  most  magnifi- 
cent apartment,  next  his  own,  and  commanded  a 
great  number  of  women  slaves  to  attend  her. 

The  Princess  of  Bengal's  joy  was  inexpressible 
at  finding  herself  delivered  from  the  Hindu,  of 
whom  she  could  not  think  without  horror.  She 
flattered  herself  that  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere 
would  complete  his  generosity  by  sending  her 
back  to  the  Prince  of  Persia  when  she  would  have 
told  him  her  story,  and  asked  that  favor  of  him  ; 
but  she  was  much  deceived  in  these  hopes ;  for  her 
deliverer  had  resolved  to  marry  her  himself  the 
next  day ;  and  for  that  end  had  issued  a  procla- 
mation, commanding  the  general  rejoicing  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  capital.  At  the  break  of  day 
the  drums  were  beaten,  the  trumpets  sounded, 
and  sounds  of  joys  echoed  throughout  the  palace. 

The  Princess  of  Bengal  was  awakened  by  these 
tumultuous  concerts,  but  attributed  them  to  a 
very  different  cause  from  the  true  one.  When  the 
Sultan  of  Cashmere  came  to  wait  upon  her,  after 
he  had  inquired  after  her  health,  he  acquainted 
her  that  all  those  rejoicings  were  to  render  her 
nuptials  the  more  solemn,  and  at  the  same  time 
desired  her  assent  to  the  union.  This  declaration 
put  her  into  such  a  state  of  agitation  that  she 
fainted  away. 

The  women  slaves  who  were  present  ran  to  her 
assistance,  though  it  was  a  long  time  before  they 
succeeded  in  bringing  her  to  herself.  But  when 
she  recovered,  rather  than  break  the  promise  she 
had  made  to  Prince  Feroze-shah,  by  consenting  to 
marry  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere,  who  had  pro- 
claimed  their  nuptials  before   he  had  asked   her 


228 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


consent,  she  resolved  to  feign  madness.  She  be- 
gan to  utter  the  most  extravagant  expressions  be- 
fore the  sultan,  and  even  rose  off  her  seat  as  if  to 
attack  him,  insomuch  that  he  was  greatly  alarmed 
and  afflicted  that  he  had  made  such  a  proposal  so 
unseasonably. 

When  he  found  that  her  frenzy  rather  increased 
than  abated,  he  left  her  with  her  women,  charging 
them  never  to  leave  her  alone,  but  to  take  great 
care  of  her.  He  sent  often  that  day  to  inquire 
how  she  did,  but  received  no  other  answer  than 
that  she  was  rather  worse  than  better. 

The  Princess  of  Bengal  continued  to  talk 
wildly,  and  showed  other  marks  of  a  disordered 
mind  next  day  and  the  following,  so  that  the  sul- 
tan was  induced  to  send  for  all  the  physicians  be- 
longing to  his  court,  to  consult  them  upon  her 
disease,  and  to  ask  if  they  could  cure  her. 

When  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere  saw  that  his 
court  physicians  could  not  cure  her,  he  called  in 
the  most  celebrated  and  experienced  of  the  city, 
■who  had  no  better  success.  He  then  sent  for  the 
most  famous  in  the  kingdom,  who  prescribed  with- 
out effect.  Afterwards  he  dispatched  to  the  courts 
of  neighboring  sultans,  with  promises  of  munifi- 
cent rewards  to  any  who  should  devise  a  cure  for 
her  malady. 

Various  physicians  arrived  from  all  parts,  and 
tried  their  skill ;  but  none  could  boast  of  suc- 
cess. 

During  this  interval,  Feroze-shah,  disguised  in 
the  habit  of  a  dervis,  traveled  through  many  prov- 
inces and  towns,  involved  in  grief,  and  making 
diligent  inquiry  after  his  lost  princess  at  every 
place  he  came  to.  At  last,  passing  through  a  city 
of  Hindostan,  he  heard  the  people  talk  much  of  a 
Princess  of  Bengal,  who  had  become  mad  on  the 
day  of  the  intended  celebration  of  her  nuptials 
with  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere.  At  the  name  of  the 
Princess  of  Bengal,  and  supposing  that  there  could 
exist  no  other  Princess  of  Bengal  than  her  upon 
whose  account  he  had  undertaken  his  travels,  he 
hastened  towards  the  kingdom  of  Cashmere,  and, 
upon  his  arrival  at  the  capital,  took  up  his  lodg- 
ing at  a  khan,  where,  the  same  day,  he  was  in- 


formed of  the  story  of  the  princess  and  the  fate  of 
the  Hindu  magician.  The  prince  was  convinced 
that  he  had  at  last  found  the  beloved  object  he 
had  sought  so  long. 

Being  informed  of  all  these  particulars,  he  pro- 
vided himself  with  a  physician's  habit,  and  his 
beard  having  grown  long  during  his  travels,  he 
passed  the  more  easily  for  the  character  he  as- 
sumed. He  went  boldly  to  the  palace,  and  an- 
nounced his  wish  to  be  allowed  to  undertake  the 
cure  of  the  princess  to  the  chief  of  the  officers. 

Some  time  had  elapsed  since  any  physician  had 
offered  himself  ;  and  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere  with 
great  grief  had  begun  to  lose  all  hope  of  ever  see- 
ing the  princess  restored  to  health,  though  he  stil! 
wished  to  marry  her.  He  at  once  ordered  the 
officer  to  introduce  the  physician  he  had  an- 
nounced. The  Prince  of  Persia  being  admitted 
to  an  audience,  the  sultan  told  him  the  Princesa 
of  Bengal  could  not  bear  the  sight  of  a  physi- 
cian without  falling  into  most  violent  transports, 
which  increased  her  malady ;  and  conducted  him 
into  a  closet,  from  whence,  through  a  lattice,  he 
might  see  her  without  being  observed.  There 
Feroze-shah  beheld  his  lovely  princess  sitting  mel- 
ancholily,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  and  singing  an 
air  in  which  she  deplored  her  unhappy  fate,  which 
had  deprived  her,  perhaps  forever,  of  the  object 
she  loved  so  tenderly  :  and  the  sight  made  him 
more  resolute  in  his  hope  of  effecting  her  cure. 
On  his  leaving  the  closet,  he  told  the  sultan  that 
he  had  discovered  the  nature  of  the  princess's 
complaint,  and  that  she  was  not  incurable  ;  but 
added  withal,  that  he  must  speak  with  her  in 
private  and  alone,  as,  notwithstanding  her  violent 
agitation  at  the  sight  of  physicians,  he  hoped  she 
would  hear  and  receive  him  favorably. 

The  sultan  ordered  the  princess's  chamber  door 
to  be  opened,  and  Feroze-shah  went  in.  As  soon 
as  the  princess  saw  him  (taking  him  by  his  habit 
to  be  a  physician),  she  resorted  to  her  old  prac- 
tice of  meeting  her  physicians,  with  threats  and 
indications  of  attacking  them.  He  made  directly 
towards  her,  and  when  he  was  nigh  enough  for 
her  to  hear  him,  and  no  one  else,  said  to  her,  in 


THE  STORY  OF   THE  ENCHANTED   HORSE. 


229 


a  low  voice,  "  Princess,  I  am  not  a  physician,  but 
the  Prince  of  Persia,  and  am  come  to  procure  you 
your  liberty." 

The  princess,  who  knew  the  sound  of  the  voice, 
and  recognized  his  face,  notwithstanding  he  had 
let  his  beard  grow  so  long,  grew  calm  at  once, 
and  felt  a  secret  joy  in  seeing  so  unexpectedly  the 
prince  she  loved.  Feroze-shah  told  her  as  briefly 
as  possible  his  own  travels  and  adventures,  and  his 
determination  to  find  her  at  all  risks.  He  then 
desired  the  princess  to  inform  him  of  all  that 
happened  to  her,  from  the  time  she  was  taken 
away  till  that  happy  moment,  telling  her  that  it 
was  of  the  greatest  importance  to  know  this,  that 
he  might  take  the  most  proper  measures  to  deliver 
her  from  the  tyranny  of  the  Sultan  of  Cashmere. 
The  princess  informed  him  of  all  that  had  hap- 
pened, and  that  she  had  feigned  to  be  mad  that 
she  might  so  preserve  herself  for  a  prince  to  whom 
she  had  given  her  heart  and  faith  and  not  marry 
the  sultan,  whom  she  neither  loved  nor  could  ever 
love. 

The  Prince  of  Persia  then  asked  her  if  she 
knew  what  became  of  the  horse,  after  the  death 
of  the  Hindu  magician.  To  which  she  answered 
that  she  knew  not  what  orders  the  sultan  had 
given  ;  but  supposed,  after  the  account  she  had 
given  him  of  it,  he  would  take  care  of  it  as  a  curi- 
osity. As  Feroze-shah  never  doubted  but  that 
the  sultan  had  the  horse,  he  communicated  to  the 
princess  his  design  of  making  use  of  it  to  convey 
them  both  into  Persia ;  and  after  they  had  con- 
sulted together  on  the  measures  they  should  take, 
they  agreed  that  the  princess  should  next  day  re- 
ceive the  sultan.  The  Sultan  of  Cashmere  was 
overjoyed  when  the  Prince  of  Persia  stated  to  him 
what  effect  his  first  visit  had  had  towards  the  cure 
of  the  princess.  On  the  following  day,  when  the 
princess  received  him  in  such  a  manner  as  per- 
suaded him  her  cure  was  far  advanced,  he  regarded 
the  prince  as  the  greatest  physician  in  the  world, 
and  exhorted  the  princess  carefully  to  follow  the 
directions  of  so  skillful  a  physician,  and  then  re- 
tired. The  Prince  of  Persia,  who  attended  the 
Sultan  of  Cashmere  on  his  visit  to  the  princess, 


inquired  of  him  how  the  Princess  of  Bengal  came 
into  the  dominions  of  Cashmere  thus  alone,  since 
her  own  country  was  far  distant. 

The  sultan  at  once  informed  him  of  what  the 
princess  had  related,  when  he  had  delivered  her 
from  the  Hindu  magician  ;  adding,  that  he  had 
ordered  the  enchanted  horse  to  be  kept  safe  in 
his  treasury  as  a  great  curiosity,  though  he  knew 
not  the  use  of  it. 

"  Sire,"  replied  the  pretended  physician,  "  the 
information  which  your  majesty  has  given  your 
devoted  slave  affords  me  a  means  of  curing  the 
princess.  As  she  was  brought  hither  on  this  horse, 
and  the  horse  is  enchanted,  she  hath  contracted 
something  of  the  enchantment,  which  can  be  dis- 
sipated only  by  a  certain  incense  which  I  am  ac- 
quainted with.  If  your  majesty  would  entertain 
yourself,  your  court,  and  the  people  of  your  cap- 
ital, with  the  most  surprising  sight  that  ever  was 
beheld,  let  the  horse  be  brought  to-morrow  into 
the  great  square  before  the  palace,  and  leave  the 
rest  to  me.  I  promise  to  show  you,  and  all  that 
assembly7,  in  a  few  moments'  time,  the  Princess  of 
Bengal  completely  restored  in  body  and  mind. 
But  the  better  to  effect  what  I  propose,  it  will  be 
requisite  that  the  princess  should  be  dressed  as 
magnificently  as  possible,  and  adorned  with  the 
most  valuable  jewels  in  your  treasury."  The  sul- 
tan would  have  undertaken  much  more  difficult 
things  to  have  secured  his  marriage  with  the  prin- 
cess, which  he  expected  soon  to  accomplish. 

The  next  day  the  enchanted  horse  was,  by  his 
order,  taken  out  of  the  treasury,  and  placed  early 
in  the  great  square  before  the  palace.  A  report 
was  spread  through  the  town  that  there  was  some- 
thing extraordinary  to  be  seen,  and  crowds  of 
people  flocked  hither  from  all  parts,  insomuch 
that  the  sultan's  guards  were  placed  to  prevent 
disorder,  and  to  keep  space  enough  round  the 
horse. 

The  Sultan  of  Cashmere,  surrounded  by  all  his 
nobles  and  ministers  of  state,  was  placed  in  a 
gallery  erected  on  purpose.  The  Princess  of  Ben- 
gal, attended  by  a  number  of  ladies  whom  the 
sultan  had  assigned  her,  went  up  to  the  enchanted 


230 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


horse,  and  the  women  helped  her  to  mount.  When 
she  was  fixed  in  the  saddle,  and  had  the  bridle  in 
her  hand,  the  pretended  physician  placed  round 
the  horse  at  a  proper  distance  many  vessels  full 
of  lighted  charcoal,  which  he  had  ordered  to  be 
brought,  and  going  round  them  with  a  solemn 
pace,  cast  in  handfuls  of  incense,  then,  with  down- 
cast eyes,  and  his  hands  upon  his  breast,  he  ran 
three  times  about  the  horse,  making  as  if  he  pro- 
nounced some  mystical  words.  The  moment  the 
pots  sent  forth  a  dark  cloud  of  smoke,  —  accom- 
panied with  a  pleasant  smell,  which  so  surrounded 
the  princess  that  neither  she  nor  the  horse  could 
be  discerned,  —  watching  his  opportunity,  the  prince 
jumped  nimbly  up  behind  her,  and  reaching  his 
hand  to  the  peg,  turned  it ;  and  just  as  the  horse 
rose  with  them  into  the  air,  he  pronounced  these 
words,  which  the  sultan  heard  distinctly  :  "  Sul- 
tan   of  Cashmere,   when  you  would    marry  prin- 


cesses who  implore  your  protection,  learn  first  to 
obtain  their  consent." 

Thus  the  prince  delivered  the  Princess  of  Ben- 
gal, and  carried  her  the  same  day  to  the  capital 
of  Persia,  where  he  alighted  in  the  square  of  the 
palace,  before  the  emperor  his  father's  apartment, 
who  deferred  the  solemnization  of  the  marriage  no 
longer  than  till  he  could  make  the  preparations 
necessary  to  render  the  ceremony  pompous  and 
magnificent,  and  evince  the  interest  he  took  in  it. 

After  the  days  appointed  for  the  rejoicings 
were  over,  the  Emperor  of  Persia's  first  care  was 
to  name  and  appoint  an  ambassador  to  go  to  the 
Rajah  of  Bengal  with  an  account  of  what  had 
passed,  and  to  demand  his  approbation  and  rati- 
fication of  the  alliance  contracted  by  this  mar- 
riage ;  which  the  Rajah  of  Bengal  took  as  an 
honor,  and  granted  with  great  pleasure  and  satis- 
faction. 


IV.     THE    STORY    OF   ALADDIN;    OR,   THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


In  one  of  the  large  and  rich  cities  of  China, 
there  once  lived  a  tailor,  named  Mustapha.  He 
was  very  poor.  He  could  hardly,  by  his  daily  la- 
bor, maintain  himself  and  his  family,  which  con- 
sisted only  of  his  wife  and  a  son. 

His  son,  who  was  called  Aladdin,  was  a  very 
careless  and  idle  fellow.  He  was  disobedient  to 
his  father  and  mother,  and  would  go  out  early  in 
the  morning,  and  stay  out  all  day,  playing  in  the 
streets  and  public  places  with  idle  children  of  his 
own  age. 

When  he  was  old  enough  to  learn  a  trade,  his 
father  took  him  into  his  own  shop,  and  taught  him 
how  to  use  his  needle  ;  but  all  his  father's  endeav- 
ors to  keep  him  to  his  work  were  vain,  for  no 
sooner  was  his  back  turned  than  he  was  gone  for 
that  day.  Mustapha  chastised  him,  but  Aladdin 
was  incorrigible,  and  his  father,  to  his  great  grief, 
was  forced  to  abandon  him  to  his  idleness,  and 
was  so  much  troubled  about  him  that  he  fell  sick 
and  died  in  a  few  months. 

Aladdin,  who  was  now  no  longer  i-estrained  by 


the  fear  of  a  father,  gave  himself  entirely  over  to 
his  idle  habits,  and  was  never  out  of  the  streets 
from  his  companions.  This  course  he  followed  till 
he  was  fifteen  years  old,  without  giving  his  mind 
to  any  useful  pursuit,  or  the  least  reflection  on 
what  would  become  of  him.  As  he  was  one  day 
playing,  according  to  custom,  in  the  street,  with 
his  evil  associates,  a  stranger  passing  by  stood  to 
observe  him. 

This  stranger  was  a  sorcerer,  known  as  the  Af- 
rican magician,  as  he  had  been  but  two  days  ar- 
rived from  Africa,  his  native  country. 

The  African  magician,  observing  in  Aladdin's 
countenance  something  which  assured  him  that  he 
was  a  fit  boy  for  his  purpose,  inquired  his  name 
and  history  of  some  of  his  companions,  and  when 
he  had  learnt  all  he  desired  to  know,  went  up  to 
him,  and  taking  him  aside  from  his  comrades, 
said,  "  Child,  was  not  your  father  called  Mustapha 
the  tailor  ?  "  "  Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  boy  ;  "  but 
he  has  been  dead  a  long  time." 

At  these  words  the  African  magician  threw  his 


THE  STORY   OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


231 


arms  about  Aladdin's 
neck,  and  kissed  him 
several  times,  with  tears 
in  liis  eyes,  and  said, 
"  I  am  your  uncle.  Your 
worthy  father  was  my 
own  brother.  I  knew 
you  at  first  sight  you 
are  so  like  him."  Then 
he  gave  Aladdin  a  hand- 
ful of  small  money,  say- 
ing, "  Go,  my  son,  to 
your  mother ;  give  my 
love  to  her,  and  tell  her 
that  I  will  visit  her  to- 
morrow, that  I  may  see 
where  my  good  brother  lived  so  long  and  ended 
his  days." 

Aladdin  ran  to  his  mother,  overjoyed  at  the 
money  his  uncle  had  given  him.  "  Mother,"  said 
he,  "  have  I  an  uncle  ?  "  "  No,  child,"  replied  his 
mother  ;  "  you  have  no  uncle  by  your  father's 
side  or  mine."    "  I  am  just  now  come,"  said  Alad- 


din, "from  a  man  who  says  he 
is   my    uncle    and    my    father's 
brother.     He    cried    and    kissed 
me  when  I  told  him   my  father 
was  dead,  and  gave  me  money, 
sending    his    love    to    you,    and 
promising  to  come  and  pay  you 
a    visit,   that  he    may    see    the 
house  my  father  lived   and  died 
in."      "  Indeed,    child,"   replied 
the  mother,  "  your  father  had  no 
brother,  nor  have  you  an  uncle.'' 
The    next   day    the    magician 
found   Aladdin    playing    in    an- 
other part  of  the  town,  and  em- 
bracing him  as  before,  put  two 
pieces  of  gold  into  his  hand,  and 
said  to  him,  "  Carry  this,  child, 
to  your  mother  ;  tell  her  that  I  will  come  and  see 
her  to-night,   and   bid  her  get   us  something   for 
supper  ,  but  first  show  me   the   house  where  you 
live." 

Aladdin  showed  the  African  magician  the 
house,  and  carried  the  two  pieces  of  gold  to  his 
mother,  who  went  out  and  bought  provisions  ;  and 
considering  she  wanted  various  utensils,  borrowed 
them  of  her  neighbors.  She  spent  the  whole  day 
in  preparing  the  supper ;  and  at  night,  when  it 
was  ready,  said  to  her  son,  "  Perhaps  the  stranger 
knows  not  how  to  find  our  house  ;  go  and  bring 
him,  if  you  meet  him." 

Aladdin  was  just  ready  to  go,  when  the  magi- 
cian knocked  at  the  door,  and  came  in  loaded 
with  wine  and  all  sorts  of  fruits,  which  he  brought 
for  a  dessert.  After  he  had  given  what  he  brought 
into  Aladdin's  hands,  he  saluted  his  mother,  and 
desired  her  to  show  him  the  place  where  his 
brother  Mustapha  used  to  sit  on  the  sofa  ;  and 
when  she  had  so  done,  he  fell  down  and  kissed  it 
several  times,  crying  out,  with  tears  in  his  eyes, 
"My  poor  brother!  how  unhappy  am  I  not  to 
have  come  soon  enough  to  give  you  one  last  em- 
brace." Aladdin's  mother  desired  him  to  sit  down 
in  the  same  place,  but  he  declined.  "  No,"  said 
he,  "  I  shall  not  do  that ;  but  give  me  leave  to  sit 


232 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


opposite  to  it,  that  although  I  see  not  the  master 
of  a  family  so  dear  to  me,  I  may  at  least  behold 
the  place  where  he  used  to  sit." 

When  the  magician  bad  made  choice  of  a  place, 
and  sat  down,  he  began  to  enter  into  discourse 
with  Aladdin's  mother.  "  My  good  sister,"  said 
he,  "  do  not  be  surprised  at  your  never  having 
seen  me  all  the  time  you  have  been  married  to  my 
brother  Mustapha  of  happy  memory.  I  have 
been  forty  years  absent  from  this  country,  which 
is  my  native  place,  as  well  as  my  late  brother's  ; 
and  during  that  time  have  traveled  into  the  In- 
dies, Persia,  Arabia,  Syria,  and  Egypt,  and  after- 
wards crossed  over  into  Africa,  where  I  took  up 
my  abode.  At  last,  as  it  is  natural  for  a  man,  I 
was  desirous  to  see  my  native  country  again  and 
to  embrace  my  dear  brother;  and  finding  I  had 
strength  enough  to  undertake  so  long  a  journey, 
I  made  the  necessary  preparations,  and  set  out. 
Nothing  ever  afflicted  me  so  much  as  hearing  of 
my  brother's  death.  But  God  be  praised  for  all 
things  !  It  is  a  comfort  for  me  to  find,  as  it  were, 
my  brother  in  a  son,  who  has  his  most  remarkable 
features." 

The  African  magician,  perceiving  that  the 
widow  wept  at  the  remembrance  of  her  husband, 
changed  the  conversation,  and  turning  towards 
her  son,  asked  him,  "  What  business  do  you  fol- 
low ?     Are  you  of  any  trade  ?  " 

At  this  question  the  youth  hung  down  his  head, 
and  was  not  a  little  abashed  when  his  mother  an- 
swered, "  Aladdin  is  an  idle  fellow.  His  father, 
when  alive,  strove  all  he  could  to  teach  him  his 
trade,  but  could  not  succeed  ;  and  since  his  death, 
notwithstanding  all  I  can  say  to  him,  he  does 
nothing  but  idle  away  his  time  in  the  streets,  as 
you  saw  him,  without  considering  he  is  no  longer 
a  child  ;  and  if  you  do  not  make  him  ashamed  of 
it,  I  despair  of  his  ever  coming  to  any  good.  For 
my  part,  I  am  resolved,  one  of  these  days,  to  turn 
him  out  of  doors,  and  let  him  provide  for  himself." 

After  these  words,  Aladdin's  mother  burst  into 
tears  ;  and  the  magician  said  :  "  This  is  not  well, 
nephew ;  you  must  think  of  helping  yourself,  and 
getting  your  livelihood.     There  are  many  sorts  of 


trades  ;  perhaps  you  do  not  like  your  father's,  and 
would  prefer  another ;  I  will  endeavor  to  help 
you.  If  you  have  no  mind  to  learn  any  handi- 
craft, I  will  take  a  shop  for  you,  furnish  it  with 
all  sorts  of  fine  stuffs  and  linens  ;  and  then  with 
the  money  you  make  of  them  you  can  lay  in  fresh 
goods,  and  live  in  an  honorable  way.  Tell  me 
freely  what  you  think  of  my  proposal :  you  shall 
always  find  me  ready  to  keep  my  word." 

This  plan  just  suited  Aladdin,  who  hated  work. 
He  told  the  magician  he  had  a  greater  inclination 
to  that  business  than  to  any  other,  and  that  he 
should  be  much  obliged  to  him  for  his  kindness. 
"  Well,  then,"  said  the  African  magician,  "  I  will 
carry  you  with  me  to  morrow,  clothe  you  as  hand- 
somely as  the  best  merchants  in  the  ci ty ,  and  aft- 
erwards we  will  open  a  shop  as  I  mentioned." 

The  widow,  after  his  promises  of  kindness  to 
her  son,  no  longer  doubted  that  the  magician  was 
her  husband's  brother.  She  thanked  him  for  his 
good  intentions  ;  and  after  having  exhorted  Alad- 
din to  render  himself  worthy  of  his  uncle's  favor, 
served  up  supper,  at  which  they  talked  of  several 
indifferent  matters  ;  and  then  the  magician  took 
his  leave  and  retired. 

He  came  again  the  next  day,  as  he  had  prom- 
ised, and  took  Aladdin  with  him  to  a  merchant, 
who  sold  all  sorts  of  clothes  for  different  ages  and 
ranks,  ready  made,  and  a  variety  of  fine  stuffs,  and 
bade  Aladdin  choose  those  he  preferred,  which  he 
paid  for. 

When  Aladdin  found  himself  so  handsomely 
equipped,  he  returned  his  uncle  thanks,  who  thus 
addressed  him  :  "  As  you  are  soon  to  be  a  mer- 
chant, it  is  proper  you  should  frequent  these 
shops,  and  be  acquainted  with  them."  He  then 
showed  him  the  largest  and  finest  mosques,  carried 
him  to  the  khans  or  inns  where  the  merchants  and 
travelers  lodged,  and  afterwards  to  the  sultan's 
palace,  where  he  had  free  access  ;  and  at  last 
brought  him  to  his  own  khan,  where,  meeting 
with  some  merchants  he  had  become  acquainted 
with  since  his  arrival,  he  gave  them  a  treat,  to 
bring  them  and  his  pretended  nephew  acquainted. 

This  entertainment  lasted  till  night,  when  Alad- 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL  LAMP. 


233 


din  would  have  taken  leave  of  bis  uncle  to  go 
home ;  the  magician  would  not  let  him  go  by  him- 
self, but  conducted  him  to  his  mother,  who,  as 
soon  as  she  saw  him  so  well  dressed,  was  trans- 
ported with  joy,  and  bestowed  a  thousand  blessings 
upon  the  magician. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  magician  called 
again  for  Aladdin,  and  said  he  would  take  him 
to  spend  that  day  in  the  country,  and  on  the  next 
he  would  purchase  the  shop.  He  then  led  him 
out  at  one  of  the  gates  of  the  city,  to  some  mag- 
nificent palaces,  to  each  of  which  belonged  beautiful 
gardens,  into  which  anybody  might  enter.  At 
every  building  he  came  to,  he  asked  Aladdin  if 
he  did  not  think  it  fine  ;  and  the  youth  was  ready 
to  answer  when  any  one  presented  itself,  crying  out, 

Here  is  a  finer  house,  uncle,  than  any  we  have 
yet  seen."  By  this  artifice  the  cunning  magician 
led  Aladdin  some  way  into  the  country ;  and  as  he 
meant  to  carry  him  farther,  to  execute  his  design, 
he  took  an  opportunity  to  sit  down  in  one  of  the 
gardens,  on  the  brink  of  a  fountain  of  clear  water, 
which  discharged  itself  by  a  lion's  mouth  of  bronze 
into  a  basin,  pretending  to  be  tired.  "  Come, 
nephew,"  said  he,  "you  must  be  weary  as  well  as 
I ;  let  us  rest  ourselves,  and  we  shall  be  better 
able  to  pursue  our  walk." 

The  magician  next  pulled  from  his  girdle  a 
handkerchief  with  cakes  and  fruit,  and  during  this 
short  repast  he  exhorted  his  nephew  to  leave  off 
bad  company,  and  to  seek  that  of  wise  and  pru- 
dent men,  to  improve  by  their  conversation  ;  "  for," 
said  he,  "  you  will  soon  be  at  man's  estate,  and  you 
cannot  too  early  begin  to  imitate  their  example." 
When  they  had  eaten  as  much  as  they  liked,  they 
got  up,  and  pursued  their  walk  through  gardens 
separated  from  one  another  only  by  small  ditches, 
which  marked  out  the  limits  without  interrupting 
the  communication  ;  so  great  was  the  confidence 
the  inhabitants  reposed  in  each  other.  By  this 
means  the  African  magician  drew  Aladdin  insen- 
sibly beyond  the  gardens,  and  crossed  the  coun- 
try, till  they  nearly  reached  the  mountains. 

At  last  they  arrived  between  two  mountains  of 
moderate  height,  and  equal  size,  divided  by  a  nar- 

30 


row  valley,  which  was  the  place  where  the  magi- 
cian intended  to  execute  the  design  that  had 
brought  him  from  Africa  to  China.  "  We  will  go 
no  farther  now,"  said  he  to  Aladdin  ;  "  I  will  show 
you  here  some  extraordinary  things,  which,  when 
you  have  seen,  you  will  thank  me  for ;  but  while 
I  strike  a  light,  gather  up  all  the  loose  dry  sticks 
you  can  see,  to  kindle  a  fire  with." 

Aladdin  found  so  many  dried  sticks,  that  he 
soon  collected  a  great  heap.  The  magician  pres- 
ently set  them  on  fire  ;  and  when  they  were  in  a 
blaze,  threw  in  some  incense,  pronouncing  several 
magical  words  which  Aladdin  did  not  understand. 

He  had  scarcely  done  so  when  the  earth  opened 
just  before  the  magician,  and  discovered  a  stone 
with  a  brass  ring  fixed  in  it.  Aladdin  was  so  fright- 
ened that  he  would  have  run  away,  but  the  magi- 
cian caught  hold  of  him,  and  gave  him  such  a  box 
on  the  ear  that  he  knocked  him  down.  Aladdin 
got  up  trembling,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  said 
to  the  magician,  "  What  have  I  done,  uncle,  to  be 
treated  in  this  severe  manner?"  "I  am  your 
uncle,"  answered  the  magician  ;  "  I  supply  the 
place  of  your  father,  and  you  ought  to  make  no 
reply.  But,  child,"  added  he,  softening,  "  do  not 
be  afraid  ;  for  I  shall  not  ask  anything  of  you  but 
that  you  obey  me  punctually,  if  you  would  reap 
the  advantages  which  I  intend  you.  Know,  then, 
that  under  this  stone  there  is  hidden  a  treasure 
destined  to  be  yours,  and  which  will  make  you 
richer  than  the  greatest  monarch  in  the  world. 
No  person  but  yourself  is  permitted  to  lift  this 
stone  or  enter  the  cave ;  so  you  must  punctually 
execute  what  I  may  command,  for  it  is  a  matter 
of  great  consequence  both  to  you  and  me." 

Aladdin,  amazed  at  all  he  saw  and  heard,  for- 
got what  was  past,  and  rising,  said,  "  Well,  uncle, 
what  is  to  be  done  ?  Command  me  ;  I  am  ready 
to  obey."  "  I  am  overjoyed,  child,"  said  the  Afri- 
can magician,  embracing  him.  "  Take  hold  of 
the  ring,  and  lift  up  that  stone."  "  Indeed,  uncle," 
replied  Aladdin,  "  I  am  not  strong  enough  ;  you 
must  help  me."  "  You  have  no  occasion  for  my 
assistance,"  answered  the  magician  ;  "  if  I  help 
you,  we  shall  be  able  to  do  nothing.    Take  hold  of 


234 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


the  ring,  and  lift  it  up ;  you  will  find  it  will  come 
easily."  Aladdin  did  as  the  magician  bade  him, 
raised  the  stone  with  ease,  and  laid  it  on  one  side. 

When  the  stone  was  pulled  up,  there  appeared 
a  staircase  about  three  or  four  feet  deep,  leading 
to  a  door.  "  Descend,  my  son,"  said  the  African 
magician,  "  those  steps,  and  open  that  door.  It 
will  lead  you  into  a  palace,  divided  into  three  great 
halls.  In  each  of  these  you  will  see  four  large 
brass  cisterns  placed  on  each  side,  full  of  gold  and 
silver ;  but  take  care  you  do  not  meddle  with 
them.  Before  you  enter  the  first  hall,  be  sure  to 
tuck  up  your  robe,  wrap  it  about  you,  and  then 
pass  through  the  second  into  the  third,  without 
stopping.  Above  all  things,  have  a  care  that  you 
do  not  touch  the  walls,  so  much  as  with  your 
clothes;  for  if  you  do,  you  will  die  instantly.  At 
the  end  of  the  third  hall  you  will  find  a  door  which 
opens  into  a  garden,  planted  with  fine  trees  loaded 
with  fruit.  Walk  directly  across  the  garden  to  a 
terrace,  where  you  will  see  a  niche  before  you, 
and  in  that  niche  a  lighted  lamp.  Take  the  lamp 
down,  and  put  it  out.  When  you  have  thrown 
away  the  wick  and  poured  out  the  liquor,  put  it 
in  your  waistband  and  bring  it  to  me.  Do  not  be 
afraid  that  the  liquor  will  spoil  your  clothes,  for 
it  is  not  oil,  and  the  lamp  will  be  dry  as  soon  as  it 
is  thrown  out." 

After  these  words  the  magician  drew  a  ring  off 
his  ringer,  and  put  it  on  one  of  Aladdin's,  saying, 
"  It  is  a  talisman  against  all  evil,  so  long  as  you 
obey  me.  Go,  therefore,  boldly,  and  we  shall  both 
be  rich  all  our  lives." 

Aladdin  descended  the  steps,  and,  opening  the 
door,  found  the  three  halls  just  as  the  African 
magician  had  described.  He  went  through  them 
with  all  the  precaution  the  fear  of  death  could  in- 
spire, crossed  the  garden  without  stopping,  took 
down  the  lamp  from  the  niche,  threw  out  the  wick 
and  the  liquor,  and,  as  the  magician  had  desired, 
put  it  in  his  waistband.  But  as  he  came  down 
from  the  terrace,  seeing  it  was  perfectly  drj7,  he 
stopped  in  the  garden  to  observe  the  trees,  which 
were  loaded  with  extraordinary  fruit,  of  different 
colors   on    each   tree.     Some    bore  fruit    entirely 


white,  and  some  clear  and  transparent  as  crystal 
some  pale  red,  and  others  deeper ;  some  green 
blue,  and  purple,  and  others  yellow  ;  in  short 
there  was  fruit  of  all  colors.  The  white  wer 
pearls  ;  the  clear  and  transparent,  diamonds ;  th 
deep  red,  rubies  ;  the  paler,  ballas  rubies ;  th 
green,  emeralds  ;  the  blue,  turquoises ;  the  purple 
amethysts  ;  and  the  yellow,  sapphires.  Aladdin 
ignorant  of  their  value,  would  have  preferred  fig: 
or  grapes,  or  pomegranates  ;  but  as  he  had  hi 
uncle's  permission,  he  resolved  to  gather  some  o 
every  sort.  Having  filled  the  two  new  purses  hi 
uncle  had  bought  for  him  with  his  clothes,  h 
wrapped  some  up  in  the  skirts  of  his  vest,  am 
crammed  his  bosom  as  full  as  it  could  hold. 

Aladdin,  having  thus  loaded  himself  with  riche 
of  which  he  knew  not  the  value,  returned  througl 
the  three  halls  with  the  utmost  precaution,  an- 
soon  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  where  th 
African  magician  awaited  him  with  the  utmos 
impatience.  As  soon  as  Aladdin  saw  him,  h 
cried  out,  "  Pray,  uncle,  lend  me  your  hand,  t 
help  me  out."  "  Give  me  the  lamp  first,"  replie 
the  magician  ;  "  it  will  be  troublesome  to  you. 
"  Indeed,  uncle,"  answered  Aladdin,  "  I  canno 
now,  but  I  will  as  soon  as  I  am  up."  The  Afr 
can  magician  was  determined  that  he  would  hav 
the  lamp  before  he  would  help  him  up ;  and  Alac 
din,  who  had  incumbered  himself  so  much  wit 
his  fruit  that  he  could  not  well  get  at  it,  refuse 
to  give  it  to  him  till  he  was  out  of  the  cave.  Th 
African  magician,  provoked  at  this  obstinate  re 
fusal,  flew  into  a  passion,  threw  a  little  of  his  ir 
cense  into  the  fire,  and  pronounced  two  magic* 
words,  when  the  stone  which  had  closed  th 
mouth  of  the  staircase  moved  into  its  place,  wit 
the  earth  over  it  in  the  same  manner  as  it  lay  a 
the  arrival  of  the  magician  and  Aladdin. 

This  action  of  the  magician  plainly  revealed  t 
Aladdin  that  he  was  no  uncle  of  his,  but  one  wh 
designed  him  evil.  The  truth  was  that  he  ha 
learnt  from  his  magic  books  the  secret  and  th 
value  of  this  wonderful  lamp,  the  owner  of  whic 
would  be  made  richer  than  any  earthly  ruler,  an 
hence  his  journey  to  China.     His  art  had  also  tol 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;   OR,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP 


235 


him  that  be  was  not  permitted  to  take  it  himself, 
but,  must  receive  it  as  a  voluntary  gift  from  the 
hands  of  another  person.  Hence  he  employed 
young  Aladdin,  and  hoped  by  a  mixture  of  kind- 
ness and  authority  to  make  him  obedient  to  his 
word  and  will.  When  he  found  that  his  attempt 
had  failed,  he  set  out  to  return  to  Africa,  but 
avoided  the  town,  lest  any  person  who  had  seen 
him  leave  in  company  with  Aladdin  should  make 
inquiries  after  the  youth.  Aladdin,  being  sud- 
denly enveloped  in  darkness,  cried,  and  called  out 
to  his  uncle  to  tell  him  he  was  ready  to  give  him 
the  lamp  ;  but  in  vain,  since  his  cries  could  not 
be  heard.  He  descended  to  the  bottom  of  the 
steps,  with  a  design  to  get  into  the  palace,  but  the 
door,  which  was  opened  before  by  enchantment, 
■was  now  shut  by  the  same  means.  He  then  re- 
doubled his  cries  and  tears,  sat  down  on  the  steps 
without  any  hopes  of  ever  seeing  light  again,  and 
in  an  expectation  of  passing  from  the  present 
darkness  to  a  speedy  death.  In  this  great  emer- 
gency he  said,  "  There  is  no  strength  or  power 
but  in  the  great  and  high  God  ;  "  and  in  joining 
his  hands  to  pray  he  rubbed  the  ring  which  the 
magician  had  put  on  his  finger.  Immediately  a 
genie  of  frightful  aspect  appeared  and  said : 
"  What  wouldst  thou  have  ?  I  am  ready  to  obey 
thee.  I  serve  him  who  possesses  the  ring  on  thy 
finger,  —  I  and  the  other  slaves  of  that  ring." 

At  another  time  Aladdin  would  have  been  fright- 
ened  at  the  sight  of  so  extraordinary  a  figure  ; 
but  the  danger  he  was  in  made  him  answer  with- 
out hesitation,  "  Whoever  thou  art,  deliver  me 
from  this  place."  He  had  no  sooner  spoken  these 
words,  than  he  found  himself  on  the  very  spot 
where  the  magician  had  last  left  him,  and  no  sign 
of  cave  or  opening,  nor  disturbance  of  the  earth. 
Returning  God  thanks  to  find  himself  once  more 
in  the  world,  he  made  the  best  of  his  way  home. 
When  he  got  within  his  mother's  door,  the  joy  to 
see  her  and  his  weakness  for  want  of  sustenance 
made  him  so  faint  that  he  remained  for  a  long 
time  as  dead.  As  soon  as  he  recovered,  he  related 
to  his  mother  all  that  had  happened  to  him,  and 
they  were  both  very  vehement  in  their  complaints 


of  the  cruel  magician.  Aladdin  slept  very  soundly 
till  late  the  next  morning,  when  the  first  thing  he 
said  to  his  mother  was  that  he  wanted  something 
to  eat,  and  wished  she  would  give  him  his  break- 
fast. "  Alas  !  child,"  said  she,  "  I  have  not  a  bit 
of  bread  to  give  you  ;  you  ate  up  all  the  provisions 
I  had  in  the  house  yesterday  ;  but  I  have  a  little 
cotton,  which  I  have  spun  ,  I  will  'go  and  sell  it, 
and  buy  bread,  and  something  for  our  dinner." 
"  Mother,"  replied  Aladdin,  "  keep  your  cotton 
for  another  time,  and  give  me  the  lamp  I  brought 
home  with  me  yesterday  ;  I  will  go  and  sell  it,  and 
the  money  I  shall  get  for  it  will  serve  both  for 
breakfast  and  dinner,  and  perhaps  supper  too." 

Aladdin's  mother  took  the  lamp,  and  said  to 
her  son,  "  Here  it  is,  but  it  is  very  dirty  ;  if  it 
was  a  little  cleaner  I  believe  it  would  bring  some- 
thing more."  She  took  some  fine  sand  and  water 
to  clean  it ;  but  had  no  sooner  begun  to  rub  it, 
than  in  an  instant  a  hideous  genie  of  gigantic 
size  appeared  before  her,  and  said  to  her  in  a 
voice  of  thunder:  "What  wouldst  thou  have? 
I  am  ready  to  obey  thee  as  thy  slave,  and  the 
slave  of  all  those  who  have  that  lamp  in  their 
hands, —  I  and  the  other  slaves  of  the  lamp." 

Aladdin's  mother,  terrified  at  the  sight  of  the 
genie,  fainted;  when  Aladdin,  who  had  seen  such 
a  phantom  in  the  cavern,  snatched  the  lamp  out 
of  his  mother's  hand,  said  to  the  genie  boldly, 
"  I  am  hungry  ;  bring  me  something  to  eat."  The 
genie  disappeared  immediately,  and  in  an  instant 
returned  with  a  large  silver  tray,  holding  twelve 
covered  dishes  of  the  same  metal,  which  contained 
the  most  delicious  viands  ;  six  large  white  bread 
cakes  on  two  plates,  two  flagons  of  wine,  and  two 
silver  cups.  All  these  he  placed  upon  a  carpet, 
and  disappeared  ;  this  was  done  before  Aladdin's 
mother  recovered  from  her  swoon. 

Aladdin  had  fetched  some  water,  and  sprinkled 
it  in  her  face,  to  recover  her.  Whether  that  or 
the  smell  of  the  meat  effected  her  cure,  it  was  not 
long  before  she  came  to  herself.  "  Mother,"  said 
Aladdin,  "be  not  afraid;  get  up  and  eat;  here  is 
what  will  put  you  in  heart,  and  at  the  same  time 
satisfy  my  extreme  hunger." 


236 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


His  mother  was  much  surprised  to  see  the  great 
tray,  twelve  dishes,  six  loaves,  the  two  flagons 
and  cups,  and  to  smell  the  savory  odor  which  ex- 
haled from  the  dishes.  "  Child,"  said  she,  "  to 
whom  are  we  obliged  for  this  great  plenty  and 
liberality  ?  Has  the  sultan  been  made  acquainted 
with  our  poverty,  and  had  compassion  on  us  ?  " 
"  It  is  no  matter,  mother,"  said  Aladdin  ;  "  let  us 
sit  down  and  eat ;  for  you  have  almost  as  much 
need  of  a  good  breakfast  as  myself ;  when  we  have 
done,  I  will  tell  you."  Accordingly,  both  mother 
and  son  sat  down,  and  ate  with  the  better  relish 
as  the  table  was  so  well  furnished.  But  all  the 
time  Aladdin's  mother  could  not  forbear  looking 
at  and  admiring  the  tray  and  dishes,  though  she 
could  not  judge  whether  they  were  silver  or  any 
other  metal,  and  the  novelty  more  than  the  value 
attracted  her  attention. 

The  mother  and  son  sat  at  breakfast  till  it  was 
dinner-time,  and  then  they  thought  it  would  be 
best  to  put  the  two  meals  together :  yet  after  this 
they  found  they  should  have  enough  left  for  sup- 
per, and  two  meals  for  the  next  day. 

When  Aladdin's  mother  had  taken  away  and 
set  by  what  was  left,  she  went  and  sat  down  by 
her  son  on  the  sofa,  saying,  "  I  expect  now  that 
you  should  satisfy  my  impatience,  and  tell  me  ex- 
actly what  passed  between  the  genie  and  you  while 
I  was  in  a  swoon  ;  "  which  he  readily  complied 
with. 

She  was  in  as  great  amazement  at  what  her  son 
told  her,  as  at  the  appearance  of  the  genie ;  and 
said  to  him,  "  But,  son,  what  have  we  to  do  with 
genies  ?  I  never  heard  that  any  of  my  acquain- 
tance had  ever  seen  one.  How  came  that  vile 
genie  to  address  himself  to  me,  and  not  to  you,  to 
whom  he  had  appeared  before  in  the  cave  ? " 
"  Mother,"  answered  Aladdin,  "  the  genie  you 
saw  is  not  the  one  who  appeared  to  me.  If  you 
remember,  he  that  I  first  saw  called  himself  the 
slave  of  the  ring  on  my  finger  ;  and  this  you  saw 
called  himself  the  slave  of  the  lamp  you  had  in 
your  hand  ;  but  I  believe  you  did  not  hear  him, 
for  I  think  you  fainted  as  soon  as  he  began  to 
speak." 


"What!"  cried  the  mother,  "was  your  lam^ 
then  the  occasion  of  that  cursed  genie's  address- 
ing himself  rather  to  me  than  to  you  ?  Ah  !  my 
son,  take  it  out  of  my  sight,  and  put  it  where  you 
please.  I  had  rather  you  would  sell  it  than  run 
the  hazard  of  being  frightened  to  death  again  by 
touching  it ;  and  if  you  would  take  my  advice, 
you  would  part  also  with  the  ring,  and  not  have 
anything  to  do  with  genies,  who,  as  our  prophet 
has  told  us,  are  only  devils." 

"  With  your  leave,  mother,"  replied  Aladdin, 
"  I  shall  now  take  care  how  I  sell  a  lamp  which 
may  be  so  serviceable  both  to  you  and  me.  That 
false  and  wicked  magician  would  not  have  under- 
taken so  long  a  journey  to  secure  this  wonderful 
lamp  if  he  had  not  known  its  value  to  exceed 
that  of  gold  and  silver.  And  since  we  have 
honestly  come  by  it,  let  us  make  a  profitable  use 
of  it,  without  making  any  great  show,  and  excit- 
ing the  envy  and  jealousy  of  our  neighbors.  How- 
ever, since  the  genies  frighten  you  so  much,  I  will 
take  it  out  of  your  sight,  and  put  it  where  I  may 
find  it  when  I  want  it.  The  ring  I  cannot  resolve 
to  part  with ;  for  without  that  you  had  never  seen 
me  again  ;  and  though  I  am  alive  now,  perhaps,  if 
it  was  gone,  I  might  not  be  so  some  moments 
hence  ;  therefore,  I  hope  you  will  give  me  leave 
to  keep  it,  and  to  wear  it  always  on  my  finger." 
Aladdin's  mother  replied  that  he  might  do  what 
he  pleased ;  for  her  parf,  she  would  have  nothing 
to  do  with  genies,  and  never  say  anj'thing  more 
about  them. 

By  the  next  night  they  had  eaten  all  the  pro- 
visions the  genie  had  brought ;  and  the  next  day 
Aladdin,  who  could  not  bear  the  thoughts  of  hun- 
ger, putting  one  of  the  silver  dishes  under  his 
vest,  went  out  early  to  sell  it,  and  addressing  him- 
self to  a  Jew  whom  he  met  in  the  streets,  took 
him  aside,  and  pulling  out  the  plate,  asked  him  if 
he  would  buy  it.  The  cunning  Jew  took  the  dish, 
examined  it,  and  as  soon  as  he  found  that  it  was 
good  silver,  asked  Aladdin  at  how  much  he  valued 
it.  Aladdin,  who  had  never  been  used  to  such 
traffic,  told  him  he  would  trust  to  his  judgment 
and  honor.     The  Jew  was  somewhat  confounded 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


237 


at  this  plain  dealing  ;  and  doubting  whether  Alad- 
din understood  the  material  or  the  full  value  of 
what  he  offered  to  sell,  took  a  piece  of  gold  out  of 
his  purse  and  gave  it  him,  though  it  was  but  the 
sixtieth  part  of  the  worth  of  the  plate.  Aladdin, 
taking  the  money  very  eagerly,  retired  with  so 
much  haste  that  the  Jew,  not  content  with  the 
exorbitancy  of  his  profit,  was  vexed  he  had  not 
penetrated  into  his  ignorance,  and  was  going  to 
run  after  him,  to  endeavor  to  get  some  change  out 
of  the  piece  of  gold  ;  but  he  ran  so  fast,  and  had 
got  so  far,  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  for 
him  to  overtake  him. 

Before  Aladdin  went  home,  he  called  at  a 
baker's,  bought  some  cakes  of  bread,  changed  his 
money,  and  on  his  return  gave  the  rest  to  his 
mother,  who  went  and  purchased  provisions  enough 
to  last  them  some  time.  After  this  manner  they 
lived,  till  Aladdin  had  sold  the  twelve  dishes 
singly,  as  necessity  pressed,  to  the  Jew,  for  the 
same  money  ;  who,  after  the  first  time,  durst  not 
offer  him  less,  for  fear  of  losing  so  good  a  bargain. 
When  he  had  sold  the  last  dish,  he  had  recourse 
to  the  tray,  which  weighed  ten  times  as  much  as 
the  dishes,  and  would  have  carried  it  to  his  old 
purchaser,  but  that  it  was  too  large  and  cumber- 
some ;  therefore  he  was  obliged  to  brine:  him  home 
with  him  to  his  mother's,  where,  after  the  Jew 
had  examined  the  weight  of  the  tray,  he  laid  down 
ten  pieces  of  gold,  with  which  Aladdin  was  very 
well  satisfied. 

When  all  the  money  was  spent,  Aladdin  had 
recourse  again  to  the  lamp.  He  took  it  in  his 
hand,  looked  for  the  part  where  his  mother  had 
rubbed  it  with  the  sand,  rubbed  it  also,  when  the 
genie  immediately  appeared,  and  said :  "  What 
wouldst  thou  have  ?  I  am  ready  to  obey  thee  as 
thy  slave,  and  the  slave  of  all  those  who  have  that 
lamp  in  their  hands,  —  I  and  the  other  slaves  of 
the  lamp."  "I  am  hungry,"  said  Aladdin  ;  "  bring 
me  something  to  eat."  The  genie  disappeared, 
and  presently  returned  with  a  tray,  the  same 
number  of  covered  dishes  as  before,  set  them 
down,  and  vanished. 

As  soon  as  Aladdin  found  that  their  provisions 


were  again  expended,  he  took  one  of  the  dishes 
and  went  to  look  for  his  Jew  chapman  ;  but  pass- 
ing by  a  goldsmith's  shop,  the  goldsmith  perceiv- 
ing him,  called  to  him,  and  said:  "My  lad,  I  im- 
agine that  you  have  something  to  sell  to  the  Jew, 
whom  I  often  see  you  visit ;  but  perhaps  you  do 
not  know  that  he  is  the  greatest  rogue  even  among 
the  Jews.  I  will  give  you  the  full  worth  of  what 
you  have  to  sell,  or  I  will  direct  you  to  other  mer- 
chants who  will  not  cheat  you." 

This  offer  induced  Aladdin  to  pull  his  plate 
from  under  his  vest  and  show  it  to  the  goldsmith, 
who  at  first  sight  saw  that  it  was  made  of  the  fin- 
est silver,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  sold  such  as 
that  to  the  Jew  ;  when  Aladdin  told  him  that  he 
had  sold  him  twelve  such,  for  a  piece  of  gold 
each. 

"  What  a  villain !  "  cried  the  goldsmith. 
"  But,"  added  he,  "  my  son,  what  is  past  cannot 
be  recalled.  By  showing  you  the  value  of  this 
plate,  which  is  of  the  finest  silver  we  use  in  our 
shops,  I  will  let  you  see  how  much  the  Jew  has 
cheated  you." 

The  goldsmith  took  a  pair  of  scales,  weighed 
the  dish,  and  assured  him  that  his  plate  would 
fetch  by  weight  sixty  pieces  of  gold,  which  he  of- 
ered  to  pay  down  immediately. 

Aladdin  thanked  him  for  his  fair  dealing,  and 
never  after  went  to  any  other  person. 

Though  Aladdin  and  his  mother  had  an  inex- 
haustible treasure  in  their  lamp,  and  might  have 
had  whatever  they  wished  for,  yet  they  lived  with 
the  same  frugality  as  before  ;  and  it  may  easily  be 
supposed  that  the  money  for  which  Aladdin  had 
sold  the  dishes  and  tray  was  sufficient  to  maintain 
them  some  time. 

During  this  interval,  Aladdin  frequented  the 
shops  of  the  principal  merchants,  where  they  sold 
cloth  of  gold  and  silver,  linens,  silk  stuffs,  and 
jewelry  ;  and  oftentimes  joining  in  their  conver- 
sation, acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  a 
desire  to  improve  himself.  By  his  acquaintance 
among  the  jewelers,  he  came  to  know  that  the 
fruits  which  he  had  gathered  when  he  took  the 
lamp  were,  instead  of  colored  glass,  stones  of  ines- 


238 


TALES  FROM   THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


timable  value; 
but  he  had  the 
prudence  not  to 
mention  this  to 
any  one,  not  even 
to  his  mother. 

One  day  as  he 
was  walking  about 
the  town,  Aladdin 
heard  an  order 
proclaimed,  com- 
manding the  peo- 
ple to  shut  up  their 
shops  and  houses, 
and  keep  within 
doors,  while  the 
Princess  Buddir  al 
Buddoor,  the  sul- 
tan's daughter, 
went  to  the  bath 
and  returned. 
This  proclamation  inspired  Aladdin  with  eager 
desire  to  see  the  princesses  face,  which  he  deter- 
mined to  gratify,  by  placing  himself  behind  the 
door  of  the  bath,  so  that  he  could  not  fail  to  see 
her  face. 

Aladdin  had   not  long  concealed  himself  before 
the  princess  came.     She  was  attended  by  a  great 


crowd  of  ladies,  slaves,  and  mutes, 
who  walked  on  each  side  and  be- 
hind her.  When  she  came  within 
three  or  four  paces  of  the  door  of 
the  bath,  she  took  off  her  veil, 
and  gave  Aladdin  an  opportu- 
nity of  a  full  view  of  her  face. 

The     princess     was     a     noted 
beauty :     her    eyes     were    large, 
lively,  and  sparkling  ;  her    smile 
betwitching;    her  nose  faultless; 
her  mouth    small ;    her   lips   ver- 
milion.    It  is    not  therefore  sur- 
prising  that    Aladdin,  who    had 
never  before  seen  such  a  blaze  of 
charms,    was     dazzled     and     en- 
chanted. 
After  the  princess  had  passed  by,  and  entered 
the  bath,  Aladdin   quitted  his    hiding-place    and 
went   home.     His    mother   perceived    him  to   be 
more  thoughtful  and  melancholv  than  usual :  and 
asked  what  had  happened  to  make  him  so,  or  if  he 
was  ill.     He  then  told  his  mother  all  his  advent- 
ure, and  concluded  by  declaring,  "  I  love  the  prin- 
cess more  than  I  can  express,  and  am  resolved  that 
I  will  ask  her  in  marriage  of  the  sultan." 

Aladdin's  mother  listened  with  surprise  to  what 
her  son  told  her  ;  but  when  he  talked  of  asking  the 
princess  in  marriage,  she  laughed  aloud.  "  Alas  ! 
child,"  said  she,  "what  are  you  thinking  of?  You 
must  be  mad  to  talk  thus." 

"  I  assure  you,  mother,"  replied  Aladdin,  "  that 
I  am  not  mad,  but  in  my  right  senses.  I  foresaw 
that  you  would  reproach  me  with  folly  and  ex- 
travagance ;  but  I  must  tell  you  once  more  that 
I  am  resolved  to  demand  the  princess  of  the  sultan 
in  marriage ;  nor  do  I  despair  of  success.  I  have 
the  slaves  of  the  lamp  and  of  the  ring  to  help  me, 
and  you  know  how  powerful  their  aid  is.  And  I 
have  another  secret  to  tell  you  :  those  pieces  of 
glass,  w!  ich  I  got  from  the  trees  in  the  garden  of 
the  subterranean  palace,  are  jewels  of  inestimable 
value,  and  fit  for  the  greatest  monarchs.  All  the 
precious  stones  the  jewelers  have  in  Bagdad  are 
not  to  be  compared  to  mine  for  size  or  beauty ; 


THE  STORY   OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL  LAMP, 


239 


md  I  am  sure  that  the  offer  of  them  will  secure 
the  favor  of  the  sultan.  You  have  a  large  porce- 
ain  dish  fit  to  bold  them  ;  fetch  it,  and  let  us  see 
low  they  will  look,  when  we  have  arranged  them 
according  to  their  different  colors." 

Aladdin's  mother  brought  the  china  dish,  when 
he  took  the  jewels  out  of  the  two  purses  in  which 
he  had  kept  them,  and  placed  them  in  order,  ac- 
cording to  his  fancy.  But  the  brightness  and  lus- 
tre they  emitted  in  the  daytime,  and  the  variety 
of  the  colors,  so  dazzled  the  eyes  both  of  mother 
and  son  that  they  were  astonished  beyond  meas- 
ure. Aladdin's  mother,  emboldened  by  the  sight 
of  these  rich  jewels,  and  fearful  lest  her  son  should 
be  guilty  of  greater  extravagance,  complied  with 
his  request,  and  promised  to  go  early  in  the  next 
morning  to  the  palace  of  the  sultan.  Aladdin  rose 
before  daybreak,  awakened  his  mother,  pressing 
her  to  go  to  the  sultan's  palace,  and  to  get  ad- 
mittance, if  possible,  before  the  grand  vizier,  the 
other  viziers,  and  the  great  officers  of  state  went 
in  to  take  their  seats  in  the  divan,  where  the  sul- 
tan always  attended  in  person. 

Aladdin's  mother  took  the  china  dish,  in  which 
they  had  put  the  jewels  the  day  before,  wrapped 
it  in  two  fine  napkins,  and  set  forward  for  the 
sultan's  palace.  When  she  came  to  the  gates,  the 
grand  vizier,  the  other  viziers,  and  most  distin- 
guished lords  of  the  court  were  just  gone  in  ;  but 
notwithstanding  the  crowd  of  people  was  great, 
she  got  into  the  divan,  —  a  spacious  hall,  the  en- 
trance into  which  was  very  magnificent.  She 
placed  herself  just  before  the  sultan,  grand  vizier, 
and  the  great  lords,  who  sat  in  council,  on  his  right 
and  left  hand.  Several  causes  were  called,  accord- 
ing to  their  order,  pleaded  and  adjudged,  until 
the  time  the  divan  generally  broke  up,  when  the 
sultan,  rising,  returned  to  his  apartment,  attended 
by  the  grand  vizier  ;  the  other  viziers  and  minis- 
ters of  state,  then  retired,  as  also  did  all  those 
whose  business  had  called  them  thither. 

Aladdin's  mother,  seeing  the  sultan  retire,  and 
all  the  people  depart,  judged  rightly  that  he  would 
not  sit  again  that  day,  and  resolved  to  go  home ; 
and  on   her  arrival  said,  with  much  simplicity : 


"  Son,  I  have  seen  the  sultan,  and  am  very  well 
persuaded  he  has  seen  me  too,  for  I  placed  myself 
just  before  him;  but  he  was  so  much  taken  up 
with  those  who  attended  on  all  sides  of  him  that 
I  pitied  him,  and  wondered  at  his  patience.  At 
last  I  believe  he  was  heartily  tired,  for  he  rose  up 
suddenly,  and  would  not  hear  a  great  many  who 
were  ready  prepared  to  speak  to  him,  but  went 
away,  at  which  I  was  well  pleased  ;  for,  indeed,  I 
began  to  lose  all  patience,  and  was  extremely  fa- 
tigued with  staying  so  long.  But  there  is  no 
harm  done  :  I  will  go  again  to-morrow ;  perhaps 
the  sultan  may  not  be  so  busy." 

The  next  morning  she  repaired  to  the  sultan's 
palace  with  the  present,  as  early  as  the  day  be- 
fore ;  but  when  she  came  there,  she  found  the 
gates  of  the  divan  shut.  She  went  six  times  aft- 
erwards on  the  days  appointed,  placed  herself  al- 
ways directly  before  the  sultan,  but  with  as  little 
success  as  the  first  morning. 

On  the  sixth  da}*,  however,  after  the  divan  was 
broken  up,  when  the  sultan  returned  to  his  own 
apartment,  he  said  to  his  grand  vizier :  "  I  have  for 
some  time  observed  a  certain  woman,  who  attends 
constantly  every  day  that  I  give  audience,  with 
something  wrapped  up  in  a  napkin  ;  she  always 
stands  up  from  the  beginning  to  the  breaking  up 
of  the  audience,  and  effects  to  place  herself  just  be- 
fore me.  If  this  woman  comes  to  our  next  audi- 
ence, do  not  fail  to  call  her,  that  I  may  hear  what 
she  has  to  say."  The  grand  vizier  made  answer 
by  lowering  his  hand,  and  then  lifting  it  up  above 
his  head,  signifying  his  willingness  to  lose  it  if  he 
failed. 

On  the  next  audience  day,  when  Aladdin's 
mother  went  to  the  divan,  and  placed  herself  in 
front  of  the  sultan  as  usual,  the  grand  vizier  im- 
mediately called  the  chief  of  the  mace-bearers,  and 
pointing  to  her,  bade  him  bring  her  before  the 
sultan.  The  old  woman  at  once  followed  the 
mace-bearer,  and  when  she  reached  the  sultan, 
bowed  her  head  down  to  the  carpet  which  covered 
the  platform  of  the  throne,  and  remained  in  that 
posture  till  he  bade  her  rise,  which  she  had  no 
sooner  done,  than  he  said  to  her :  "  Good  woman 


240 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


I  have  observed  you  to  stand  many  days,  from  the 
beginning  to  the  rising  of  the  divan  ;  what  busi- 
ness brings  you  here  ?  " 

After  these  words,  Aladdin's  mother  prostrat- 
ed herself  a  second  time,  and  when  she  arose, 
said  :  "  Monarch  of  monarchs,  I  beg  of  you  to  par- 
don the  boldness  of  my  petition,  and  to  assure 
me  of  your  pardon  and  forgiveness."  "  Well," 
replied  the  sultan,  "  I  will  forgive  you,  be  it  what 
it  may,  and  no  hurt  shall  come  to  you ;  speak 
boldly." 

When  Aladdin"s  mother  had  taken  all  these 
precautions,  for  fear  of  the  sultan's  anger,  she 
told  him  faithfully  the  errand  on  which  her  son 
had  sent  her,  and  the  event  which  led  to  his 
making  so  bold  a  request  in  spite  of  all  her  re- 
monstrances. 

The  sultan  hearkened  to  this  discourse  without 
showing  the  least  anger ;  but  before  he  gave  her 
any  answer,  asked  her  what  she  had  brought  tied 
up  in  the  napkin.  She  took  the  china  dish,  which 
she  had  set  down  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  untied 
it,  and  presented  it  to  the  sultan. 

The  sultan's  amazement  and  surprise  were  in- 
expressible, when  he  saw  so  many  large,  beautiful 
and  valuable  jewels  collected  in  the  dish.  He  re- 
mained for  some  time  lost  in  admiration.  At  last, 
when  he  had  recovered  himself,  he  received  the  pres- 
ent from  Aladdin's  mother's  hand,  saying,  "  How 
rich  !  how  beautiful !  "  After  he  had  admired  and 
handled  all  the  jewels,  one  after  another,  he  turned 
to  his  grand  vizier,  and  showing  him  the  dish,  said, 
"  Behold,  admire,  wonder  !  and  confess  that  your 
eyes  never  beheld  jewels  so  rich  and  beautiful  be- 
fore." The  vizier  was  charmed.  "  Well,"  con- 
tinued the  sultan,  "  what  sayest  thou  to  such  a 
present?  Is  it  not  worthy  of  the  princess  my 
daughter  ?  And  ought  I  not  to  bestow  her  on  one 
who  values  her  at  so  great  a  price?"  "  I  cannot 
but  own,"  replied  the  grand  vizier,  "  that  the 
present  is  worthy  of  the  princess ;  but  I  beg  of 
your  majesty  to  grant  me  three  months  before  you 
come  to  a  final  resolution.  I  hope,  before  that 
time,  my  son,  whom  you  have  regarded  with  your 
favor,  will  be  able  to  make  a  nobler  present  than 


this  Aladdin,  who  is  an  entire  stranger  to  your 
majesty." 

The  sultan  granted  his  request,  and  he  said  to 
the  old  woman,  "  Good  woman,  go  home,  and  tell 
your  son  that  I  agree  to  the  proposal  you  have 
made  me :  but  I  cannot  marry  the  princess  my 
daughter  for  three  months  ;  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time  come  again." 

Aladdin's  mother  returned  home  much  more 
gratified  than  she  had  expected,  and  told  her  son 
with  much  joy  the  condescending  answer  she  had 
received  from  the  sultan's  own  mouth  ;  and  that 
she  was  to  come  to  the  divan  again  that  day  three 
months. 

Aladdin  thought  himself  the  most  happy  of  all 
men  at  hearing  this  news,  and  thanked  his  mother 
for  the  pains  she  had  taken  in  the  affair,  the  good 
success  of  which  was  of  so  great  importance  to  his 
peace,  that  he  counted  every  day,  week,  and  even 
hour  as  it  passed.  When  two  of  the  three  months 
were  passed,  his  mother  one  evening  having  no  oil 
in  the  house,  went  out  to  buy  some,  and  found  a 
general  rejoicing  —  the  houses  dressed  with  foli- 
age, silks,  and  carpeting,  and  every  one  striving  to 
show  their  joy  according  to  their  ability.  The 
streets  were  crowded  with  officers  in  habits  of  cer- 
emony, mounted  on  horses  richly  caparisoned,  each 
attended  by  a  great  many  footmen.  Aladdin's 
mother  asked  the  oil  merchant  what  was  the  mean- 
ing of  all  this  preparation  of  public  festivity. 
"  Whence  came  you,  good  woman,"  said  he,  "that 
you  don't  know  that  the  grand  vizier's  son  is  to 
marry  the  princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor,  the  sultan's 
daughter,  to-night?  She  will  presently  return 
from  the  bath  ;  and  these  officers  whom  you  see 
are  to  assist  at  the  cavalcade  to  the  palace,  where 
the  ceremony  is  to  be  solemnized." 

Aladdin"s  mother,  on  hearing  this  news,  ran 
home  very  quickly.  "  Child,"  cried  she,  "  you  are 
undone  !  the  sultan's  fine  promises  will  come  to 
naught.  This  night  the  grand  vizier's  son  is  to 
marry  the  Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor." 

At  this  account  Aladdin  was  thunderstruck, 
and  he  bethought  himself  of  the  lamp,  and  of  the 
genie  who  had  promised  to  obey  him  ;  and  without 


THE  STORY   OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


241 


indulging  in  idle  words  against  the  sultan,  the  viz- 
ier, or  his  son,  he  determined,  if  possible,  to  pre- 
vent the  marriage. 

When  Aladdin  had  got  into  his  chamber,  he 
took  the  lamp,  rubbed  it  in  the  same  place  as  be- 
fore, when  immediately  the  genie  appeared,  and 
said  to  him  :  "  What  wouldst  thou  have  ?  I  am 
ready  to  obey  thee  as  thy  slave,  —  I  and  the  other 
slaves  of  the  lamp."  "Hear  me,"  said  Aladdin  ; 
"  thou  hast  hitherto  obeyed  me,  but  now  I  am 
about  to  impose  on  thee  a  harder  task.  The  sul- 
tan's daughter,  who  was  promised  me  as  my  bride, 
is  this  night  married  to  the  son  of  the  grand  vizier. 
Bring  them  both  hither  to  me  immediately  they 
retire  to  their  bed-chamber." 

"  Master,"  replied  the  genie,  "I  obey  you." 

Aladdin  supped  with  his  mother,  as  was  their 
wont,  and  then  went  to  his  own  apartment,  and 
sat  up  to  await  the  return  of  the  genie,  according 
to  his  commands. 

In  the  mean  time  the  festivities  in  honor  of  the 
princess's  marriage  were  conducted  in  the  sultan's 
palace  with  great  magnificence.  The  ceremonies 
were  at  last  brought  to  a  conclusion,  and  the  prin- 
cess and  the  son  of  the  vizier  retired  to  the  bed- 
chamber prepared  for  them.  No  sooner  had  they 
entered  it,  and  dismissed  their  attendants,  than  the 
genie,  the  faithful  slave  of  the  lamp,  to  the  great 
amazement  and  alarm  of  the  bride  and  bride- 
groom, took  up  the  bed,  and  by  an  agency  invisi- 
ble to  them,  transported  it  in  an  instant  into  Alad- 
din's chamber,  where  he  set  it  down.  "  Remove 
the  bridegroom,"  said  Aladdin  to  the  genie,  "and 
keep  him  a  prisoner  till  to-morrow  dawn,  and  then 
return  with  him  here."  On  Aladdin  being  left  alone 
with  the  princess,  he  endeavored  to  assuage  her 
fears,  and  explained  to  her  the  treachery  practiced 
upon  him  by  the  sultan  her  father.  He  then  laid 
himself  down  beside  her,  putting  a  drawn  scimitar 
between  them,  to  show  that  he  was  determined  to 
secure  her  safety,  and  to  treat  her  with  the  utmost 
possible  respect.  At  break  of  day  the  genie  ap- 
peared at  the  appointed  hour,  bringing  back  the 
bridegroom,  whom  by  breathing  upon  he  had  left 
motionless  and  entranced  at  the  door  of  Aladdin's 

31 


chamber  during  the  night,  and  at  Aladdin's  com- 
mand transported  the  couch  with  the  bride  and 
bridegroom  on  it,  by  the  same  invisible  agency, 
into  the  palace  of  the  sultan. 

At  the  instant  that  the  genie  had  set  down  the 
couch  with  the  bride  and  bridegroom  in  their  own 
chamber,  the  sultan  came  to  the  door,  to  offer  his 
good  wishes  to  his  daughter.  The  grand  vizier's 
son,  who  was  almost  perished  with  cold,  by  stand- 
ing in  his  thin  under-garment  all  night,  no  sooner 
heard  the  knocking  at  the  door  than  he  got  out  of 
bed,  and  ran  into  the  robing-chamber,  where  he 
had  undressed  himself  the  night  before. 

The  sultan,  having  opened  the  door,  went  to  the 
bedside,  kissed  the  princess  on  the  forehead,  but 
was  extremely  sin-prised  to  see  her  look  so  melan- 
choly. She  only  cast  at  him  a  sorrowful  look,  ex- 
pressive of  great  affliction.  He  suspected  there 
was  something  extraordinary  in  this  silence,  and 
thereupon  went  immediately  to  the  sultaness's 
apartment,  told  her  in  what  a  state  he  found  the 
princess,  and  how  she  had  received  him.  "  Sire," 
said  the  sultaness,  "  I  will  go  and  see  her ;  she 
will  not  receive  me  in  the  same  manner." 

The  princess  received  her  mother  with  sighs  and 
tears,  and  signs  of  deep  dejection.  At  last,  upon 
her  pressing  on  her  the  duty  of  telling  her  all  her 
thoughts,  she  gave  to  the  sultaness  a  precise  de- 
scription of  all  that  happened  to  her  during  the 
night;  on  which  the  sultaness  enjoined  on  her  the 
necessity  of  silence  and  discretion,  as  no  one  would 
give  credence  to  so  strange  a  tale.  The  grand 
vizier's  son,  elated  with  the  honor  of  being  the  sul- 
tan's son-in-law,  kept  silence  on  his  part ;  and  the 
events  of  the  night  were  not  allowed  to  cast  the 
least  gloom  on  the  festivities  on  the  following  day, 
in  continued  celebration  of  the  royal  marriage. 

When  night  came,  the  bride  and  bridegroom 
were  again  attended  to  their  chamber  with  the 
same  ceremonies  as  on  the  preceding  evening. 
Aladdin,  knowing  that  this  would  be  so,  had  al- 
ready given  commands  to  the  genie  of  the  lamp ; 
and  no  sooner  were  they  alone  than  their  bed  was 
removed  in  the  same  mysterious  manner  as  on  the 
preceding  evening ;  and  having  passed  the  night 


242 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


in  the  same  unpleasant  way,  they  were  in  the 
morning  conveyed  to  the  palace  of  the  sultan. 
Scarcely  had  they  been  replaced  in  their  apart- 
ment, when  the  sultan  came  to  make  his  compli- 
ments to  his  daughter,  when  the  princess  could  no 
longer  conceal  from  him  the  unhappy  treatment 
she  had  been  subject  to,  and  told  him  all  that 
had  happened,  as  she  bad  already  related  it  to  her 
mother.  The  sultan,  on  hearing  these  strange  tid- 
ings, consulted  with  the  grand  vizier ;  and  finding 
from  him  that  his  son  had  been  subjected  to  even 
worse  treatment  by  an  invisible  agency,  he  deter- 
mined to  declare  the  marriage  to  be  canceled,  and 
all  the  festivities,  which  were  yet  to  last  for  sev- 
eral days,  to  be  countermanded  and  terminated. 

This  sudden  change  in  the  mind  of  the  sultan 
gave  rise  to  various  speculations  and  reports.  No- 
body but  Aladdin  knew  the  secret,  and  he  kept 
it  with  the  most  scrupulous  silence  ;  and  neither 
the  sultan  nor  the  grand  vizier,  who  had  forgotten 
Aladdin  and  his  request,  had  the  least  thought  that 
he  had  any  hand  in  the  strange  adventures  that 
befell  the  bride  and  bridegroom. 

On  the  very  day  that  the  three  months  con- 
tained in  the  sultan's  promise  expired,  the  mother 
of  Aladdin  again  went  to  the  palace,  and  stood  in 
the  same  place  in  the  divan.  The  sultan  knew 
her  again,  and  directed  his  vizier  to  have  her 
brought  before  him. 

After  having  prostrated  herself,  she  made  an- 
swer, in  reply  to  the  sultan  :  "  Sire,  I  come  at  the 
end  of  three  months  to  ask  of  you  the  fulfillment 
of  the  promise  you  made  to  my  son."  The  sultan 
little  thought  the  request  of  Aladdin's  mother  was 
made  to  him  in  earnest,  or  that  he  would  hear  any 
more  of  the  matter.  He  therefore  took  counsel 
with  his  vizier,  who  suggested  that  the  sultan 
should  attach  such  conditions  to  the  marriage  that 
no  one  in  the  humble  condition  of  Aladdin  could 
possibly  fulfill.  In  accordance  with  this  sugges- 
tion of  the  vizier,  the  sultan  replied  to  the  mother 
of  Aladdin  :  "  Good  woman,  it  is  true  sultans 
ought  to  abide  by  their  word ;  and  I  am  ready  to 
keep  mine,  by  making  your  son  happy  in  marriage 
with  the  princess  my  daughter.     But  as  I  cannot 


marry  her  without  some  further  proof  of  your  son 
being  able  to  support  her  in  royal  state,  you  may 
tell  him,  1  will  fulfill  my  promise  as  soon  as  he 
shall  send  me  forty  trays  of  massy  gold,  full  of  the 
same  sort  of  jewels  you  have  already  made  me  a 
present  of,  and  carried  by  the  like  number  of 
black  slaves,  who  shall  be  led  by  as  many  y^oung 
and  handsome  white  slaves,  all  dressed  magnifi- 
cently. On  these  conditions,  I  am  ready  to  be- 
stow the  princess  my  daughter  upon  him ;  there- 
fore, good  woman,  go  and  tell  him  so,  and  I  will 
wait  till  you  bring  me  his  answer." 

Aladdin's  mother  prostrated  herself  a  second 
time  before  the  sultan's  throne,  and  retired.  On 
her  way  home,  she  laughed  within  herself  at  her 
son's  foolish  imagination.  "  Where,"  said  she, 
"can  he  get  so  many  large  gold  trays,  and  such 
precious  stones  to  fill  them  ?  It  is  altogether  out 
of  his  power,  and  I  believe  he  will  not  be  much 
pleased  with  my  embassy  this  time."  When  she 
came  home,  full  of  these  thoughts,  she  told  Alad- 
din all  the  circumstances  of  her  interview  with  the 
sultan,  and  the  conditions  on  which  he  consented 
to  the  marriage.  "  The  sultan  expects  your  an- 
swer immediately,"  said  she ;  and  then  added, 
laughing,  "  I  believe  he  may  wait  long  enough  !  " 
"Not  so  long,  mother,  as  you  imagine,"  replied 
Aladdin.  "  This  demand  is  a  mere  trifle,  and  will 
prove  no  bar  to  my  marriage  with  the  princess. 
I  will  prepare  at  once  to  satisfy  his  request." 

Aladdin  retired  to  his  own  apartment,  and  sum- 
moned the  genie  of  the  lamp,  and  required  him 
to  immediately  prepare  and  present  the  gift,  be- 
fore the  sultan  closed  his  morning  audience,  ac- 
cording to  the  terms  in  which  it  had  been  pre- 
scribed. The  genie  professed  his  obedience  to  the 
owner  of  the  lamp,  and  disappeared.  Within  a 
very  short  time,  a  train  of  forty  black  slaves,  led 
by  the  same  number  of  white  slaves,  appeared  op- 
posite the  house  in  which  Aladdin  lived.  Each 
black  slave  carried  on  his  head  a  basin  of  massy 
gold,  full  of  pearls,  diamonds,  rubies,  and  emeralds. 
Aladdin  then  addressed  his  mother :  "  Madam, 
pray  lose  no  time ;  before  the  sultan  and  the 
divan  rise,  I  would  have  you  return  to  the  palace 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL  LAMP. 


243 


with  this  present  as  the  dowry  demanded  for  the 
princess,  that  he  may  judge  by  my  diligence  and 
exactness  of  the  ardent  and  sincere  desire  I  have 
to  procure  myself  the  honor  of  this  alliance." 

As  soon  as  this  magnificent  procession,  with 
Aladdin's  mother  at  its  head,  had  begun  to  march 
from  Aladdin's  house,  the  whole  city  was  filled 
with  the  crowds  of  people  desirous  to  see  so  grand 
a  sight.  The  graceful  bearing,  elegant  form,  and 
wonderful  likeness  of  each  slave  ;  their  grave  walk 
at  an  equal  distance  from  each  other,  the  lustre  of 
their  jeweled  girdles,  and  the  brilliancy  of  the 
aigrettes  of  precious  stones  in  their  turbans,  ex- 
cited the  greatest  admiration  in  the  spectators. 
As  they  had  to  pass  through  several  streets  to  the 
palace,  the  whole  length  of  the  way  was  lined 
with  files  of  spectators.  Nothing,  indeed,  was  ever 
seen  so  beautiful  and  brilliant  in  the  sultan's  pal- 
ace ;  and  the  richest  robes  of  the  emirs  of  his 
court  were  not  to  be  compared  to  the  costly  dresses 
of  these  slaves,  whom  they  supposed  to  be  kings. 

As  the  sultan,  who  had  been  informed  of  their 
approach,  had  given  orders  for  them  to  be  ad- 
mitted, they  met  with  no  obstacle,  but  went  into 
the  divan  in  regular  order,  one  part  turning  to 
the  right,  and  the  other  to  the  left.  After  they 
"were  all  entered,  and  had  formed  a  semicircle  be- 
fore the  sultan's  throne,  the  black  slaves  laid  the 
golden  trays  on  the  carpet,  prostrated  themselves, 
touching  the  carpet  with  their  foreheads,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  white  slaves  did  the  same. 
When  they  rose  the  black  slaves  uncovered  the 
trays,  and  then  all  stood  with  their  arms  crossed 
over  their  breasts. 

In  the  mean  time  Aladdin's  mother  advanced 
to  the  foot  of  the  throne,  and  having  prostrated 
herself,  said  to  the  sultan  :  "  Sire,  my  son  knows 
this  present  is  much  below  the  notice  of  Princess 
Buddir  al  Buddoor  ;  but  hopes,  nevertheless,  that 
your  majestjr  will  accept  of  it,  and  make  it  agree- 
able to  the  princess,  and  with  the  greater  confi- 
dence since  he  lias  endeavored  to  conform  to  the 
conditions  you  were  pleased  to  impose." 

The  sultan,  overpowered  at  the  sight  of  such 
more    than    royal    magnificence,    replied    without 


hesitation  to  the  words  of  Aladdin's  mother,  — - 
"  Go  and  tell  your  son  that  I  wait  with  open  arms 
to  embrace  him  ;  and  the  more  haste  he  makes  to 
come  and  receive  the  princess  my  daughter  from 
my  hands,  the  greater  pleasure  he  will  do  me." 
As  soon  as  Aladdin's  mother  had  retired,  the  sul- 
tan put  an  end  to  the  audience;  and  rising  from 
his  throne,  ordered  that  the  princess's  attendants 
should  come  and  carry  the  trays  into  their  mis- 
tress's apartment,  whither  he  went  himself  to  ex- 
amine them  with  her  at  his  leisure.  The  fourscore 
slaves  were  conducted  into  the  palace  ;  and  the 
sultan,  telling  the  princess  of  their  magnificent 
apparel,  ordered  them  to  be  brought  before  her 
apartment,  that  she  might  see  through  the  lattices 
he  had  not  exaggerated  in  his  account  of  them. 

In  the  mean  time  Aladdin's  mother  reached 
home,  and  showed  in  her  air  and  countenance  the 
good  news  she  brought  her  son.  "  My  son,"  said 
she,  "you  may  rejoice  you  are  arrived  at  the 
height  of  your  desires.  The  sultan  has  declared 
that  you  shall  marry  the  Princess  Buddir  al  Bud- 
door.     He  waits  for  you  with  impatience." 

Aladdin,  enraptured  with  this  news,  made  his 
mother  very  little  reply,  but  retired  to  his  cham- 
ber. There  he  rubbed  his  lamp,  and  the  obedi- 
ent genie  appeared.  "  Genie,"  said  Aladdin,  "  con- 
vey me  at  once  to  a  bath,  and  supply  me  with  the 
richest  and  most  magnificent  robe  ever  worn  by 
a  monarch."  No  sooner  were  the  words  out  of 
his  mouth  than  the  genie  rendered  him,  as  well 
as  himself,  invisible,  and  transported  him  into  a 
hummum  of  the  finest  marble  of  all  sorts  of  colors  ; 
where  he  was  undressed,  without  seeing  by  whom, 
in  a  magnificent  and  spacious  hall.  He  was  then 
well  rubbed  and  washed  with  various  scented 
waters.  After  he  had  passed  through  several  de- 
grees of  heat,  he  came  out  quite  a  different  man 
from  what  he  was  before.  His  skin  was  clear  as 
that  of  a  child,  his  body  lightsome  and  free  ;  and 
when  he  returned  into  the  hall,  he  found,  instead 
of  his  own  poor  raiment,  a  robe,  the  magnificence 
of  which  astonished  him.  The  genie  helped  him 
to  dress,  and  when  he  had  done,  transported  him 
back  to  his  own   chamber,  where  he  asked  him  if 


244 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


he  had  any  other  commands.  "  Yes,"  answered 
Aladdin  ;  "  bring  me  a  charger  that  surpasses  in 
beauty  and  goodness  the  best  in  the  sultan's  sta- 
bles :  with  a  saddle,  bridle,  and  other  caparisons 
to  correspond  with  his  value.  Furnish  also  twenty 
slaves,  as  richly  clothed  as  those  who  carried  the 
present  to  the  sultan,  to  walk  by  my  side  and  fol- 
low me,  and  twenty  more  to  go  before  me  in  two 
ranks.  Besides  these,  bring  my  mother  six  women 
slaves  to  attend,  her,  as  richly  dressed  at  least  as 
an}'  of  the  Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor's,  each 
carrying  a  complete  dress  fit  for  any  sultaness.  I 
want  also  ten  thousand  pieces  of  gold  in  ten 
purses;  go,  and  make  haste." 

As  soon  as  Aladdin  had  given  these  orders,  the 
genie  disappeared,  but  presently  returned  with  the 
horse,  the  forty  slaves,  ten  of  whom  carried  each 
a  purse  containing  ten  thousand  pieces  of  gold, 
and  six  women  slaves,  each  carrying  on  her  head 
a  different  dress  for  Aladdin's  mother,  wrapped 
up  in  a  piece  of  silver  tissue,  and  presented  them 
all  to  Aladdin. 

He  presented  the  six  women  slaves  to  his  mother, 
telling  her  they  were  her  slaves,  and  that  the 
dresses  they  had  brought  were  for  her  use.  Of 
the  ten  purses  Aladdin  took  four,  which  he  gave 
to  his  mother,  telling  her  those  were  to  supply  her 
with  necessaries ;  the  other  six  he  left  in  the 
hands  of  the  slaves  who  brought  them,  with  an 
order  to  throw  them  by  handfuls  among  the  peo- 
ple as  they  went  to  the  sultan's  palace.  The  six 
slaves  who  carried  the  purses  he  ordered  likewise 
to  march  before  him,  three  on  the  right  hand  and 
three  on  the  left. 

When  Aladdin  had  thus  prepared  himself  for 
his  first  interview  with  the  sultan,  he  dismissed 
the  genie,  and  immediately  mounting  his  charger, 
began  his  march,  and  though  he  never  was  on 
horseback  before,  appeared  with  a  grace  the  most 
experienced  horseman  might  envy.  The  innu- 
merable concourse  of  people  through  whom  he 
passed  made  the  air  echo  with  their  acclamations, 
especially  every  time  the  six  slaves  who  carried 
the  purses  threw  handfuls  of  gold  among  the  pop- 
ulace. 


On  Aladdin's  arrival  at  the  palace,  the  sultan 
was  surpiised  to  find  him  more  richly  and  magnif- 
icently robed  than  he  had  ever  been  himself,  and 
was  impressed  with  his  good  looks  and  dignity  of 
manner,  which  were  so  different  from  what  he 
expected  in  the  son  of  one  so  humble  as  Aladdin's 
mother.  He  embraced  him  with  all  the  demon- 
strations of  joy,  and  when  he  would  have  fallen 
at  his  feet,  held  him  by  the  hand,  and  made  him 
sit  near  his  throne.  He  shortly  after  led  him, 
amidst  the  sounds  of  trumpets,  hautboys,  and  all 
kinds  of  music,  to  a  magnificent  entertainment,  at 
which  the  sultan  and  Aladdin  ate  by  themselves, 
and  the  great  lords  of  the  court,  according  to  their 
rank  and  dignity,  sat  at  different  tables.  After 
the  feast,  the  sultan  sent  for  the  chief  cadi,  and 
commanded  him  to  draw  up  a  contract  of  marriage 
between  the  Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoorand  Alad- 
din. When  the  contract  had  been  drawn,  the 
sultan  asked  Aladdin  if  he  would  stay  in  the  pal- 
ace and  complete  the  ceremonies  of  the  marriage 
that  day.  "  Sire,"  said  Aladdin,  "  though  great 
is  my  impatience  to  enter  on  the  honor  granted 
me  by  your  majesty,  yet  I  beg  you  to  permit  me 
first  to  build  a  palace  worthy  to  receive  the  prin- 
cess your  daughter.  I  pray  you  to  grant  me  suf- 
ficient ground  near  your  palace,  and  I  will  have  it 
completed  with  the  utmost  expedition."  The  sul- 
tan granted  Aladdin  his  request,  and  again  em- 
braced him.  After  which,  he  took  his  leave  with 
as  much  politeness  as  if  he  had  been  bred  up  and 
had  always  lived  at  court. 

Aladdin  returned  home  in  the  order  he  had 
come,  amidst  the  acclamations  of  the  people,  who 
wished  him  all  happiness  and  prosperity.  As  soon 
as  he  dismounted,  he  retired  to  his  own  chamber, 
took  the  lamp,  and  summoned  the  genie  as  usual, 
who  professed  his  allegiance.  "  Genie,"  said  Alad- 
din, "  build  me  a  palace  fit  to  receive  the  Princess 
Buddir  al  Buddoor.  Let  its  materials  be  made  of 
nothing  less  than  porphyry,  jasper,  agate,  lapis 
lazuli,  and  the  finest  marble.  Let  its  walls  be 
massive  gold  and  silver  bricks  laid  alternately. 
Let  each  front  contain  six  windows,  and  let  the 
lattices  of  these  (except  one,  which  must  be  left 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN ;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL  LAMP. 


245 


unfinished)  be  enriched  with  diamonds,  rubies, 
and  emeralds,  so  that  they  shall  exceed  every- 
thing of  the  kind  ever  seen  in  the  world.  Let 
there  be  an  inner  and  outer  court  in  front  of  the 
palace,  and  a  spacious  garden  ;  but  above  all 
things,  provide  a  safe  treasure-house,  and  fill  it 
with  gold  and  silver.  Let  there  be  also  kitchens 
and  storehouses ;  stables  full  of  the  finest  horses, 
with  their  equerries  and  grooms,  and  hunting 
equipage ;  officers,  attendants,  and  slaves,  both 
men  and  women,  to  form  a  retinue  for  the  prin- 
cess and  myself.      Go  and  execute  my  wishes." 

When  Aladdin  gave  these  commands  to  the 
genie,  the  sun  was  set.  The  next  morning  at  day- 
break the  genie  presenting  himself,  and  having  ob- 
tained Aladdin's  consent,  transported  hi™  in  a 
moment  to  the  palace  he  had  made.  The  genie  led 
him  through  all  the  apartments,  where  he  found 
officers  and  slaves,  habited  according  to  their  rank 
and  the  services  to  which  they  were  appointed. 
The  genie  then  showed  him  the  treasury,  which 
was  opened  by  a  treasurer,  where  Aladdin  saw 
large  vases  of  different  sizes,  piled  up  to  the  top 
with  money,  ranged  all  round  the  chamber.  The 
genie  thence  led  him  to  the  stables,  where  were 
some  of  the  finest  horses  in  the  world,  and  the 
grooms  busy  in  dressing  them  ;  from  thence  they 
went  to  the  storehouses,  which  were  filled  with  all 
things  necessary,  both  for  food  and  ornament. 

When  Aladdin  had  examined  every  portion  of 
the  palace,  and  particularly  the  hall  with  the  four- 
and-twenty  windows,  and  found  it  far  to  exceed 
his  fondest  expectations,  he  said,  "  Genie,  there  is 
one  thing  wanting,  —  a  fine  carpet  for  the  princess 
to  walk  upon  from  the  sultan's  palace  to  mine. 
Lay  one  down  immediately."  The  genie  disap- 
peared, and  Aladdin  saw  what  he  desired  executed 
in  an  instant.  The  genie  then  returned,  and  car- 
ried him  to  his  own  home. 

When  the  sultan's  porters  came  to  open  the,, 
gates,  they  were  amazed  to  find  what  had  been  an 
unoccupied  garden  filled  up  with  a  magnificent 
palace,  and  a  splendid  carpet  extending  to  it  all 
the  way  from  the  sultan's  palace.  They  told  the 
strange  tidings  to  the  grand  vizier,  who  informed 


the  sultan,  who  exclaimed,  "  It  must  be  Aladdin's 
palace,  which  I  gave  him  leave  to  build  for  my 
daughter.  He  has  wished  to  surprise  us,  and  let 
us  see  what  wonders  can  be  done  in  only  one 
night." 

Aladdin,  on  his  being  conveyed  by  the  genie  to 
his  own  home,  requested  his  mother  to  go  to  the 
Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor,  and  tell  her  that  the 
palace  would  be  ready  for  her  reception  in  the 
evening.  She  went,  attended  by  her  women 
slaves,  in  the  same  order  as  on  the  preceding  day. 
Shortly  after  her  arrival  at  the  princess's  apart- 
ment, the  sultan  himself  came  in,  and  was  sur- 
prised to  find  her,  whom  he  knew  as  his  suppliant 
at  his  divan  in  such  humble  guise,  to  be  now  more 
richly  and  sumptuously  attired  than  his  own 
daughter.  This  gave  him  a  higher  opinion  of 
Aladdin,  who  took  such  care  of  his  mother,  and 
made  her  share  his  wealth  and  honors.  Shortly 
after  her  departure,  Aladdin,  mounting  his  horse, 
and  attended  by  his  retinue  of  magnificent  at- 
tendants, left  his  paternal  home  forever,  and  went 
to  the  palace  in  the  same  pomp  as  on  the  day 
before.  Nor  did  he  forget  to  take  with  him  the 
wonderful  lamp  to  which  he  owed  all  his  good 
fortune,  nor  to  wear  the  ring  which  was  given  him 
as  a  talisman.  The  sultan  entertained  Aladdin 
with  the  utmost  magnificence,  and  at  night,  on  the 
conclusion  of  the  marriage  ceremonies,  the  prin- 
cess took  leave  of  the  sultan  her  father.  Bands 
of  music  led  the  procession,  followed  by  a  hun- 
dred state  ushers,  and  the  like  number  of  black 
mutes,  in  two  files,  with  their  officers  at  their 
head.  Four  hundred  of  the  sultan's  young  pages 
carried  flambeaux  on  each  side,  which,  together 
with  the  illuminations  of  the  sultan's  and  Alad- 
din's palaces,  made  it  as  light  as  day.  In  this  or- 
der the  princess,  conveyed  in  her  litter,  and  ac- 
companied also  by  Aladdin's  mother,  carried  in  a 
superb  litter  and  attended  by  her  women  slaves, 
proceeded  on  the  carpet  which  was  spread  from 
the  sultan's  palace  to  that  of  Aladdin.  On  her  ar- 
rival Aladdin  was  ready  to  receive  her  at  the  en- 
trance, and  led  her  into  a  large  hall,  illuminated 
with  an  infinite  number  of  wax  candles,  where  a 


246 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


noble  feast  was  served  up.  The  dishes  were  of 
massy  gold,  and  contained  the  most  delicate  vi- 
ands. The  vases,  basins,  and  goblets  were  gold 
also,  and  of  exquisite  workmanship,  and  all  the 
other  ornaments  and  embellishments  of  the  hall 
were  answerable  to  this  display.  The  princess, 
dazzled  to  see  so  much 
riches  collected  in  one 
place,  said  to  Alad- 
din, "I  thought, 
prince,  that  nothing 
in  the  world  was  so 
beautiful  as  the  sul- 
tan my  father's  pal- 
ace, but  the  sight  of 
this  hall  alone  is  suf- 
ficient to  show  I  was 
deceived." 

When  the  supper 
was  ended,  there  en- 
tered a  company  of 
female  dancers,  who 
performed,  according 
to  the  custom  of  the 
country,  singing  at 
the  same  time  verses 
in  praise  of  the  bride 
and  bridegroom. 
About  midnight  Alad- 
din's  mother  con- 
ducted the  bride  to 
the  nuptial  apart- 
ment and  he  soon 
after  retired. 

The  next  morning 
the  attendants  of 
Aladdin  presented 
themselves  to  dress 
him,  and  brought  him  another  habit,  as  rich  and 
magnificent  as  that  worn  the  day  before.  He  then 
ordered  one  of  the  horses  to  be  got  ready,  mounted 
him,  and  went  in  the  midst  of  a  large  troop  of 
slaves  to  the  sultan's  palace,  to  entreat  him  to  take 
a  repast  in  the  princess's  palace,  attended  by  his 
grand  vizier  and  all  the  lords  of  his  court.     The 


sultan  consented  with  pleasure,  rose  up  immedi- 
ately, and,  preceded  by  the  principal  officers  of  his 
palace,  and  followed  by  all  the  great  lords  of  his 
court,  accompanied  Aladdin. 

The    nearer    the    sultan   approached  Aladdin's 
palace,  the  more  he  was  struck  with  its  beauty  • 

but  when  he  entered 
it,  came  into  the  hall, 
and  saw  the  windows, 
enriched  with  dia- 
monds, rubies,  emer- 
alds, all  large  perfect 
stones,  he  was  com- 
pletely surprised,  and 
said  to  his  son-in- 
law;  "  This  palace  is 
one  of  the  wonders  of 
the  world  :  for  where 
in  all  the  world  be- 
sides shall  we  find 
walls  built  of  massy 
gold  and  silver,  and 
diamonds,  rubies,  and 
emeralds  composing 
the  windows  ?  But 
what  most  surprises 
me  is,  that  a  hall  of 
this  magnificence 
should  be  left  with  one 
of  its  windows  incom- 
plete and  unfinished." 
"Sire,"  answered 
Aladdin,  "  the  omis- 
sion was  by  design, 
since  I  wished  that 
you  should  have  the 
glory  of  finishing  this 
hall."  "  I  take  your 
intention  kindly,"  said  the  sultan,  "and  will  give 
orders  about  it  immediately." 

After  the  sultan  had  finished  this  magnificent 
entertainment  provided  for  him  and  for  his  court 
by  Aladdin,  he  was  informed  that  the  jewelers 
and  goldsmiths  attended ;  upon  which  he  returned 
to  the  hall,  and  showed  them  the  window  which 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL  LAMP. 


247 


was  unfinished.  "  I  sent  for  you,"  said  he,  "  to 
fit  up  this  window  in  as  great  perfection  as  the 
rest.  Examine  them  well,  and  make  all  the  dis- 
patch you  can." 

The  jewelers  and  goldsmiths  examined  the 
three-and-twenty  windows  with  great  attention, 
and  after  they  had  consulted  together,  to  know 
what  each  could  furnish,  they  returned  and  pre- 
sented themselves  before  the  sultan,  whose  princi- 
pal jeweler,  undertaking  to  speak  for  the  rest, 
said:  "  Sire,  we  are  all  willing  to  exert  our  ut- 
most care  and  industry  to  obey  you ;  but  among 
us  all  we  cannot  furnish  jewels  enough  for  so 
great  a  work."  "  I  have  more  than  are  necessary," 
said  the  sultan  ;  "  come  to  my  palace,  and  you 
shall  choose  what  may  answer  your  purpose." 

When  the  sultan  returned  to  his  palace,  he  or- 
dered his  jewels  to  be  brought  out,  and  the  jewel- 
ers took  a  great  quantit}7,  particularly  those  Alad- 
din had  made  him  a  present  of,  which  they  soon 
used,  without  making  any  great  advance  in  their 
work.  They  came  again  several  times  for  more, 
and  in  a  month's  time  had  not  finished  half  their 
work.  In  short,  they  used  all  the  jewels  the  sul- 
tan had,  and  borrowed  of  the  vizier,  but  yet  the 
work  was  not  half  done. 

Aladdin,  who  knew  that  all  the  sultan's  endeav- 
ors to  make  this  window  like  the  rest  were  in  vain, 
sent  for  the  jewelers  and  goldsmiths,  and  not  only 
commanded  them  to  desist  from  their  work,  but 
ordered  them  to  undo  what  they  had  begun,  and 
to  carry  all  their  jewels  back  to  the  sultan  and  to 
the  vizier.  They  undid  in  a  few  hours  what  they 
had  been  six  weeks  about,  and  retired,  leaving 
Aladdin  alone  in  the  hall.  He  took  the  lamp, 
which  he  carried  about  him,  rubbed  it,  and  pres- 
ently the  genie  appeared.  "  Genie,"  said  Aladdin, 
"  I  ordered  thee  to  leave  one  of  the  four-and- 
twenty  windows  of  this  hall  imperfect,  and  thou 
hast  executed  my  commands  punctually  ;  now  I 
would  have  thee  make  it  like  the  rest."  The  genie 
immediately  disappeared.  Aladdin  went  out  of 
the  hall,  and  returning  soon  after,  found  the  win- 
dow, as  he  wished  it  to  be,  like  the  others. 

In  the  mean  time  the  jewelers  and  goldsmiths 


repaired  to  the  palace,  and  were  introduced  into 
the  sultan's  presence,  where  the  chief  jeweler  pre- 
sented the  precious  stones  which  he  had  brought 
back.  The  sultan  asked  them  if  Aladdin  had 
given  tliem  any  reason  for  so  doing,  and  they  an- 
swering that  he  had  given  them  none,  he  ordered 
a  horse  to  be  brought,  which  he  mounted,  and 
rode  to  his  son-in-law's  palace,  with  some  few  at- 
tendants on  foot,  to  inquire  why  he  had  ordered 
the  completion  of  the  window  to  be  stopped. 
Aladdin  met  him  at  the  gate,  and  without  giving 
any  reply  to  his  inquiries  conducted  him  to  the 
grand  saloon,  where  the  sultan,  to  his  great  sur- 
prise, found  the  window  which  was  left  imperfect 
to  correspond  exactly  with  the  others.  He  fancied 
at  first  that  he  was  mistaken,  and  examined  the 
two  windows  oh  each  side,  and  afterwards  all  the 
four-and-twenty ;  but  when  he  was  convinced  that 
the  window  which  several  workmen  had  been  so 
long  about  was  finished  in  so  short  a  time,  he  em- 
braced Aladdin  and  kissed  him  between  his  eyes. 
"  My  son,"  said  he,  "  what  a  man  you  are,  to  do 
such  surprising  things  always  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye  !  there  is  not  your  fellow  in  the  world  ;  the 
more  I  know,  the  more  I  admire  you." 

The  sultan  returned  to  the  palace,  and  after  this 
went  frequently  to  the  window  to  contemplate 
and  admire  the  wonderful  palace  of  his  son-in- 
law. 

Aladdin  did  not  confine  himself  in  his  palace, 
but  went  with  much  state,  sometimes  to  one 
mosque,  and  sometimes  to  another,  to  prayers,  or 
to  visit  the  grand  vizier,  or  the  principal  lords  of 
the  court.  Every  time  he  went  out,  he  caused 
two  slaves,  who  walked  by  the  side  of  his  horse,  to 
throw  handfuls  of  money  among  the  people  as  he 
passed  through  the  streets  and  squares.  This  gen- 
erosity gained  him  the  love  and  blessings  of  the 
people,  and  it  was  common  for  them  to  swear  by 
his  head.  Thus  Aladdin,  while  he  paid  all  respect 
to  the  sultan,  won  by  his  affable  behavior  and  lib- 
erality the  affections  of  the  people. 

Aladdin  had  conducted  himself  in  this  manner 
several  years,  when  the  African  magician,  who 
had  for  some  years  dismissed  him  from  his  recol- 


248 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


lection,  determined  to  inform  himself  with  cer- 
tainty whether  he  perished,  as  he  supposed,  in  the 
subterranean  cave  or  not.  After  he  had  resorted 
to  a  long  course  of  magic  ceremonies,  and  had 
formed  a  horoscope  by  which  to  ascertain  Alad- 
din's fate,  what  was  his  surprise  to  find  the  ap- 
pearances to  declare  that  Aladdin,  instead  of  dying 
in  the  cave,  had  made  his  escape,  and  was  living 
in  royal  splendor,  by  the  aid  of  the  genie  of  the 
wonderful  lamp  ! 

On  the  very  next  day  the  magician  set  out  and 
traveled  with  the  utmost  haste  to  the  capital  of 
China,  where,  on  his  arrival,  he  took  up  his  lodg- 
ing in  a  khan. 

He  then  quickly  learnt  about  the  wealth,  chari- 
ties, happiness,  and  splendid  palace  of  Prince 
Aladdin.  Directly  he  saw  the  wonderful  fabric, 
he  knew  that  none  but  the  genies,  the  slaves  of 
the  lamp,  could  have  performed  such  wonders  ; 
and  piqued  to  the  quick  at  Aladdin's  high  estate, 
he  returned  to  the  khan. 

On  his  return  he  had  recourse  to  an  operation 
of  geomancy  to  find  out  where  the  lamp  was,  — 
whether  Aladdin  carried  it  about  with  him,  or 
where  he  left  it.  The  result  of  his  consultation 
informed  him,  to  his  great  joy,  that  the  lamp  was 
in  the  palace.  "  Well,"  said  he,  rubbing  his  hands 
in  glee,  "  I  shall  have  the  lamp,  and  I  shall  make 
Aladdin  return  to  his  original  mean  condition." 

The  next  day  the  magician  learnt,  from  the 
chief  superintendent  of  the  khan  where  he  lodged, 
that  Aladdin  had  gone  on  a  hunting  expedition, 
which  was  to  last  for  eight  days,  of  which  only 
three  had  expired.  The  magician  wanted  to  know 
no  more.  He  resolved  at  once  on  his  plans.  He 
went  to  a  coppersmith,  and  asked  for  a  dozen 
copper  lamps  ;  the  master  of  the  shop  told  him 
he  had  not  so  many  by  him,  but  if  he  would  have 
patience  till  the  next  day,  he  would  have  them 
ready.  The  magician  appointed  his  time,  and  de- 
sired him  to  take  care  that  they  should  be  hand- 
some and  well  polished. 

The  next  day  the  magician  called  for  the  twelve 
lamps,  paid  the  man  his  full  price,  put  them  into 
a  basket  hanging  on  his  arm,  and  went  directly  to 


Aladdin's  palace.  As  he  approached,  he  began 
crying,  "  Who  will  change  old  lamps  for  new 
ones  ?  "  As  he  went  along,  a  crowd  of  children 
collected,  who  hooted,  and  thought  him,  as  did 
all  who  chanced  to  be  passing  by,  a  madman  or  a 
fool,  to  offer  to  change  new  lamps  for  old  ones. 

The  African  magician  regarded  not  their  scoffs, 
hootings,  or  all  they  could  say  to  him,  but  still 
continued  crying,  "  Who  will  change  old  lamps  for 
new  ones  ?  "  He  repeated  this  so  often,  walking 
backwards  and  forwards  in  front  of  the  palace, 
that  the  princess,  who  was  then  in  the  hall  with 
the  four-and-twenty  windows,  hearing  a  man  cry 
something,  and  seeing  a  great  mob  crowding  about 
him,  sent  one  of  her  women  slaves  to  know  what 
he  cried. 

The  slave  returned  laughing  so  heartily  that 
the  princess  rebuked  her.  "  Madam,"  answered 
the  slave,  laughing  still,  "  who  can  forbear  laugh- 
ing, to  see  an  old  man  with  a  basket  on  his  arm, 
full  of  fine  new  lamps,  asking  to  change  them  foi 
old  ones  ?  the  children  and  mob  crowding  about 
him  so  that  he  can  hardly  stir,  make  all  the  noise 
they  can  in  derision  of  him." 

Another  female  slave,  hearing  this,  said,  "Now 
you  speak  of  lamps,  I  know  not  whether  the  prin- 
cess may  have  observed  it,  but  there  is  an  old  one 
upon  a  shelf  of  the  Prince  Aladdin's  robing-room, 
and  whoever  owns  it  will  not  be  sorry  to  find  a 
new  one  in  its  stead.  If  the  princess  chooses,  she 
may  have  the  pleasure  of  trying  if  this  old  man 
is  so  silly  as  to  give  a  new  lamp  for  an  old  one, 
without  taking  anything  for  the  exchange." 

The  princess,  who  knew  not  the  value  of  this 
lamp,  and  the  interest  that  Aladdin  had  to  keep 
it  safe,  entered  into  the  pleasantry,  and  com- 
manded a  slave  to  take  it  and  make  the  ex- 
change. The  slave  obeyed,  went  out  of-  the  hall, 
and  no  sooner  got  to  the  palace  gates  than  he  saw 
the  African  magician,  called  to  him,  and  showing 
him  the  old  lamp,  said,  "  Give  me  a  new  lamp 
for  this." 

The  magician  never  doubted  but  this  was  the 
lamp  he  wanted.  There  could  be  no  other  such 
in  this  palace,  where    every  utensil  was  gold  or 


THE  STOUT  OF  ALADDIN;    OB,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


249 


silver.  He  snatched  it  eagerly  out  of  the  slave's 
hand,  and  thrusting  it  as  far  as  he  could  into  his 
breast,  offered  him  his  basket,  and  bade  him  choose 
which  he  liked  best.  The  slave  picked  out  one, 
and  carried  it  to  the  princess ;  but  the  change  was 
no  sooner  made  than  the  place  rung  with  the 
shouts  of  the  children,  deriding  the  magician's 
folly. 

The  African  magician  stayed  no  longer  near 
the  palace,  nor  cried  any  more,  "  New  lamps  for 
old  ones,"  but  made  the  best  of  his  way  to  his 
khan.  His  end  was  answered,  and  by  his  silence 
he  got  rid  of  the  children  and  the  mob. 

As  soon  as  he  was  out  of  sight  of  the  two  pal- 
aces, he  hastened  down  the  least-frequented  streets  ; 
and  having  no  more  occasion  for  his  lamps  or 
basket,  set  all  down  in  a  spot  where  nobody  saw 
him  ;  then  going  down  another  street  or  two,  he 
walked  till  he  came  to  one  of  the  city  gates,  and 
pursuing  his  way  through  the  suburbs,  which 
were  very  extensive,  at  length  reached  a  lonely 
spot,  where  he  stopped  till  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  as  the  most  suitable  time  for  the  design  he 
had  in  contemplation.  When  it  became  quite 
dark,  he  pulled  the  lamp  ouc  of  his  breast,  and 
rubbed  it.  At  that  summons  the  genie  appeared, 
and  said,  "  What  wouldst  thou  have  ?  I  am  ready 
to  obey  thee  as  thy  slave,  and  the  slave  of  all 
those  who  have  that  lamp  in  their  hands,  —  both  I 
and  the  other  slaves  of  the  lamp."  "  I  command 
thee,"  replied  the  magician,  "  to  transport  me  im- 
mediately, and  the  palace  which  thou  and  the 
other  slaves  of  the  lamp  have  built  in  this  city, 
with  all  the  people  in  it,  to  Africa."  The  genie 
made  no  reply,  but  with  the  assistance  of  the 
other  genies,  the  slaves  of  the  lamp,  immediately 
transported  him  and  the  palace  entire,  to  the  spot 
whither  he  had  been  desired  to  convey  it. 

Early  the  next  morning,  when  the  sultan,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  went  to  contemplate  and  ad- 
mire Aladdin's  palace,  his  amazement  was  un- 
bounded to  find  that  it  could  nowhere  be  seen. 
He  could  not  comprehend  how  so  large  a  palace, 
which  he  had  seen  plainly  every  day  for  some 
years,  should  vanish  so   soon,  and  not  leave  the 

32 


least  remains  behind.  In  his  perplexity  he  or- 
dered the  grand  vizier  to  be  sent  for  with  expedi- 
tion. 

The  grand  vizier,  who,  in  secret,  bore  no  good- 
will to  Aladdin,  intimated  his  suspicion  that  the 
palace  was  built  by  magic,  and  that  Aladdin  had 
made  his  hunting  excursion  an  excuse  for  the 
removal  of  his  palace  with  the  same  suddenness 
with  which  it  had  been  erected.  He  induced  the 
sultan  to  send  a  detachment  of  his  guards,  and  to 
have  Aladdin  seized  as  a  prisoner  of  state.  On 
his  son-in-law  being  brought  before  him,  he  would 
not  hear  a  word  from  him,  but  ordered  him  to  be 
put  to  death.  The  decree  caused  so  much  dis- 
content among  the  people,  whose  affection  Alad- 
din had  secured  by  his  largesses  and  charities, 
that  the  sultan,  fearful  of  an  insurrection,  was 
obliged  to  grant  him  his  life.  When  Aladdin 
found  himself  at  liberty,  he  again  addressed  the 
sultan :  "  Sire,  I  pray  you  to  let  me  know  the 
crime  by  which  I  have  thus  lost  the  favor  of  thy 
countenance."  "  Your  crime  !  "  answei-ed  the  sul- 
tan ;  "  wretched  man  !  do  you  not  know  it  ?  Fol- 
low me,  and  I  will  show  you."  The  sultan  then 
took  Aladdin  into  the  apartment  from  whence  he 
was  wont  to  look  at  and  admire  his  palace,  and 
said,  "  You  ought  to  know  where  your  palace 
stood  ;  look,  mind,  and  tell  me  what  has  become 
of  it."  Aladdin  did  so,  and,  being  utterly  amazed 
at  the  loss  of  his  palace,  was  speechless.  At  last 
recovering  himself,  he  said :  "  It  is  true,  I  do  not 
see  the  palace.  It  is  vanished  ;  but  I  had  no  con- 
cern in  its  removal.  I  beg  you  to  give  me  forty 
days,  and  if  in  that  time  I  cannot  restore  it,  I  will 
offer  my  head  to  be  disposed  of  at  your  pleasure." 
"  I  give  you  the  time  you  ask,  but  at  the  end  of 
the  forty  days,  forget  not  to  present  yourself  be- 
fore me." 

Aladdin  went  out  of  the  sultan's  palace  in  a 
condition  of  exceeding  humiliation.  The  lords 
who  had  courted  him  in  the  days  of  his  splendor, 
now  declined  to  have  any  communication  with 
him.  For  three  days  he  wandered  about  the  city, 
exciting  the  wonder  and  compassion  of  the  multi- 
tude by  asking  everybody  he  met  if  they  had  seen 


260 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


his  palace,  or  could  tell  him  anything  of  it.  On 
the  third  day  he  wandered  in  the  country,  and  as 
he  was  approaching  a  river,  he  fell  down  the  bank 
with  so  much  violence,  that  he  rubbed  the  ring 
which  the  magician  had  given  him  so  hard,  by 
holding  on  the  rock  to  save  himself,  that  immedi- 
ately the  same  genie  appeared  whom  he  had  seen 
in  the  cave  where  the  magician  had  left  him. 
"  What  wouldst  thou  have  ?  "  said  the  genie.  "  I 
am  ready  to  obey  thee  as  thy  slave,  and  the  slave 
of  all  those  that  have  that  ring  on  their  finger,  — 
both  I  and  the  other  slaves  of  the  ring." 

Aladdin,  agreeably  surprised  at  an  offer  of  help 
so  little  expected,  replied,  "  Genie,  show  me  where 
the  palace  I  caused  to  be  built  now  stands,  or 
transport  it  back  where  it  first  stood."  "  Your  com- 
mand," answered  the  genie,  "  is  not  wholly  in  my 
power ;  I  am  only  the  slave  of  the  ring,  and  not 
of  the  lamp."  "  I  command  thee,  then,"  replied 
Aladdin,  "  by  the  power  of  the  ring,  to  transport 
me  to  the  spot  where  my  palace  stands,  in  what 
part  of  the  world  soever  it  may  be."  These  words 
were  no  sooner  out  of  his  mouth,  than  the  genie 
transported  him  into  Africa,  to  the  midst  of  a 
large  plain,  where  his  palace  stood,  at  no  great 
distance  from  a  city,  and  placing  him  exactly  un- 
der the  window  of  the  princess's  apartment,  left 
him. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  shortly  after  Aladdin 
had  been  transported  by  the  slave  of  the  ring  to 
the  neighborhood  of  his  palace,  that  one  of  the 
attendants  of  the  Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor, 
looking  through  the  window,  perceived  him,  and 
instantly  told  her  mistress.  The  princess,  who 
"ould  not  believe  the  joyful  tidings,  hastened  her- 
self to  the  window,  and  seeing  Aladdin,  immedi- 
ately opened  it.  The  noise  of  opening  the  win- 
dow made  Aladdin  turn  his  head  that  way,  and 
perceiving  the  princess,  he  saluted  her  with  an  air 
that  expressed  his  joy.  "  To  lose  no  time,"  said 
she  to  him,  "  I  have  sent  to  have  the  private  door 
opened  for  you  ;  enter  and  come  up." 

The  private  door,  which  was  just  under  the 
princess's  apartment,  was  soon  opened,  and  Alad- 
din conducted  up  into  the  chamber.     It  is  impos- 


sible to  express  the  joy  of  both  at  seeing  each 
other,  after  so  cruel  a  separation.  After  embrac- 
ing and  shedding  tears  of  joy,  they  sat  down,  and 
Aladdin  said,  "  I  beg  of  you,  princess,  to  tell  me 
what  is  become  of  an  old  lamp  which  stood  upon  a 
shelf  in  my  robing-chamber." 

"  Alas !  "  answered  the  princess,  "  I  was  afraid 
our  misfortune  might  be  owing  to  that  lamp :  and 
what  grieves  me  most  is,  that  I  have  been  the 
cause  of  it.  I  was  foolish  enough  to  change  the 
old  lamp  for  a  new  one,  and  the  next  morning 
I  found  myself  in  this  unknown  country,  which  I 
am  told  is  Africa." 

"  Princess,"  said  Aladdin,  interrupting  her, 
"  you  have  explained  all  by  telling  me  we  are  in 
Africa.  I  desire  you  only  to  tell  me  if  you  know 
where  the  old  lamp  now  is."  "  The  African  magi- 
cian carries  it  carefully  wrapped  up  in  his  bosom," 
said  the  princess  ;  "  and  this  I  can  assure  you,  be- 
cause he  pulled  it  out  before  me,  and  showed  it  to 
me  in  triumph." 

"Princess,"  said  Aladdin,  "I  think  I  have 
found  the  means  to  deliver  you,  and  to  regain  pos- 
session of  the  lamp,  on  which  all  my  prosperity 
depends  ;  to  execute  this  design,  it  is  necessary 
for  me  to  go  to  the  town.  I  shall  return  by  noon, 
and  will  then  tell  you  what  must  be  done  by  you 
to  insure  success.  In  the  mean  time,  I  shall  dis- 
guise myself,  and  I  beg  that  the  private  door  may 
be  opened  at  the  first  knock." 

When  Aladdin  was  out  of  the  palace,  he  looked 
round  him  on  all  sides,  and  perceiving  a  peasant 
going  into  the  country,  hastened  after  him  ;  and 
when  he  had  overtaken  him,  made  a  proposal  to 
him  to  change  clothes,  which  the  man  agreed  to. 
When  they  had  made  the  exchange,  the  coun- 
tryman went  about  his  business,  and  Aladdin 
entered  the  neighboring  city.  After  traversing 
several  streets,  he  came  to  that  part  of  the  town 
where  the  merchants  and  artisans  had  their  par- 
ticular streets,  according  to  their  trades.  He  went 
into  that  of  the  druggists  ;  and  entering  one  of 
the  largest  and  best  furnished  shops,  asked  the 
druggist  if  he  had  a  certain  powder  which  he 
named. 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


251 


The  druggist,  judging  Aladdin  by  his  habit  to 
be  very  poor,  told  him  he  had  it,  but  that  it  was 
very  dear  ;  upon  which  Aladdin,  penetrating  his 
thoughts,  pulled  out  his  purse,  and  showing  him 
some  gold,  asked  for  half  a  dram  of  the  powder  ; 
which  the  druggist  weighed  and  gave  him,  telling 
him  the  price  was  a  piece  of  gold.  Aladdin  put 
the  money  into  his  hand,  and  hastened  to  the  pal- 
ace, which  he  entered  at  once  by  the  private  door. 
When  he  came  into  the  princess's  apartment,  he 
said  to  her  :  "  Princess,  you  must  take  your  part 
in  the  scheme  which  I  propose  for  our  deliverance. 
You  must  overcome  your  aversion  to  the  magi- 
cian, and  assume  a  most  friendly  manner  towards 
him,  and  ask  him  to  oblige  you  by  partaking  of 
an  entertainment  in  your  apartments.  Before  he 
leaves,  ask  him  to  exchange  cups  with  you,  which 
he,  gratified  at  the  honor  you  do  him,  will  gladly 
do,  when  you  must  give  him  the  cup  containing 
this  powder.  On  drinking  it  he  will  instantly  fall 
asleep,  and  we  will  obtain  the  lamp,  whose  slaves 
will  do  all  our  bidding,  and  restore  us  and  the  pal- 
ace to  the  capital  of  China." 

The  princess  obeyed  to  the  utmost  her  hus- 
band's instructions.  She  assumed  a  look  of  pleas- 
ure on  the  next  visit  of  the  magician,  and  asked 
him  to  an  entertainment,  which  he  most  willingly 
accepted.  At  the  close  of  the  evening,  during 
which  the  princess  had  tried  all  she  could  to  please 
him,  she  asked  him  to  exchange  cups  with  her, 
and  giving  the  signal,  had  the  drugged  cup  brought 
to  her,  which  she  gave  to  the  magician.  He 
drank  it  out  of  compliment  to  the  princess  to  the 
very  last  drop,  when  he  fell  backwards  lifeless  on 
the  sofa. 

The  princess,  in  anticipation  of  the  success  of 
her  scheme,  had  so  placed  her  women  from  the 
great  hall  to  the  foot  of  the  staircase,  that  the 
word  was  no  sooner  given  that  the  African  magi- 
cian was  fallen  backwards,  than  the  door  was 
opened,  and  Aladdin  admitted  to  the  hall.  The 
princess  rose  from  her  seat,  and  ran  overjoyed  to 
embrace  him ;  but  he  stopped  her,  and  said : 
"  Princess,  retire  to  your  apartment ;  and  let  me 
be  left  alone,  while  I  endeavor  to  transport  you 


back  to  China  as   speedily  as  you  were  brought 
from  thence." 

When  the  princess,  her  women,  and  slaves  were 
gone  out  of  the  hall,  Aladdin  shut  the  door,  and 
going  directly  to  the  dead  body  of  the  magician, 
opened  his  vest,  took  out  the  lamp  which  was 
carefully  wrapped  up,  and  rubbing  it,  the  genie 
immediately  appeared.  "  Genie,"  said  Aladdin, 
"  I  command  thee  to  transport  this  palace  instantly 
to  the  place  from  whence  it  was  brought  hither." 
The  genie  bowed  his  head  in  token  of  obedience, 
and  disappeared.  Immediately  the  palace  was 
transported  into  China,  and  its  removal  was  only 
felt  by  two  little  shocks,  the  one  when  it  was 
lifted  up,  the  other  when  it  was  set  down,  and 
both  in  a  very  short  interval  of  time. 

On  the  morning  after  the  restoration  of  Alad- 
din's palace,  the  sultan  was  looking  out  of  his 
window,  and  mourning  over  the  fate  of  his  daugh- 
ter, when  he  thought  that  he  saw  the  vacancy 
created  bj^  the  disappearance  of  the  palace  to  be 
again  filled  up.  On  looking  more  attentively,  he 
was  convinced  beyond  the  power  of  doubt  that  it 
was  his  son-in  law's  palace.  Joy  and  gladness 
succeeded  to  sorrow  and  grief.  He  at  once  or^ 
dered  a  horse  to  be  saddled,  which  he  mounted 
that  instant,  thinking  he  could  not  make  hasta 
enough  to  the  place. 

Aladdin  rose  that  morning  by  daybreak,  put  on 
one  of  the  most  magnificent  habits  his  wardrobe 
afforded,  and  went  up  into  the  hall  of  twenty-four 
windows,  from  whence  he  perceived  the  sultan  ap- 
proaching, and  received  him  at  the  foot  of  the 
great  staircase,  helping  him  to  dismount. 

He  led  the  sultan  into  the  princess's  apartment. 
The  happy  father  embraced  her  with  tears  of 
joy  ;  and  the  princess,  on  her  side,  afforded  simi- 
lar testimonies  of  her  extreme  pleasure.  After  a 
short  interval,  devoted  to  mutual  explanations  of 
all  that  had  happened,  the  sultan  restored  Aladdin 
to  his  favor,  and  expressed  his  regret  for  the  ap- 
parent harshness  with  which  he  had  treated  him. 
"  My  son,"  said  he,  "  be  not  displeased  at  my  pro- 
ceedings against  you ;  they  arose  from  my  pater- 
nal  love,  and  therefore  you  ought  to   forgive  the 


262 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS    ENTERTAINMENTS. 


excesses  to  which  it  hurried  me."  "  Sire,"  replied 
Aladdin,  "  I  have  not  the  least  reason  to  complain 
of  your  conduct,  since  you  did  nothing  but  what 
your  duty  required.  This  infamous  magician,  the 
basest  of  men,  was  the  sole   cause  of  my  misfort- 


une. 


The  African  magician,  who  was  thus  twice  foiled 
in  his  endeavor  to  ruin  Aladdin,  had  a  younger 
brother  who  was  as  skillful  a  magician  as  himself, 
and  exceeded  him  in  wickedness  and  hatred  of 
mankind.  By  mutual  agreement  they  communi- 
cated with  each  other  once  a  year,  however  widely 
separated  might  be  their  place  of  residence  from 
each  other.  The  younger  brother,  not  having 
received  as  usual  his  annual  communication,  pre- 
pared to  take  a  horoscope  and  ascertain  his  broth- 
er's proceedings.  He,  as  well  as  his  brother,  always 
carried  a  geomantic  square  instrument  about  him  ; 
he  prepared  the  sand,  cast  the  points,  and  drew 
the  figures.  On  examining  the  planetary  crystal, 
he  found  that  his  brother  was  no  longer  living,  but 
had  been  poisoned  ,  and  by  another  observation, 
that  he  was  in  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of 
China  ;  also  that  the  person  who  had  poisoned 
him  was  of  mean  birth,  though  married  to  a  prin- 
cess, a  sultan's  daughter. 

When  the  magician  had  informed  himself  of 
his  brother's  fate  he  resolved  immediately  to  re- 
venge his  death,  and  at  once  departed  for  China ; 
where,  after  crossing  plains,  rivers,  mountains, 
deserts,  and  a  long  tract  of  country  without  delay, 
he  arrived  after  incredible  fatigues.  When  he 
came  to  the  capital  of  China,  he  took  a  lodging  at 
a  khan.  His  magic  art  soon  revealed  to  him  that 
Aladdin  was  the  person  who  had  been  the  cause  of 
the  death  of  his  brother.  He  had  heard,  too,  all 
the  persons  of  repute  in  the  city  talking  of  a 
woman  called  Fatima,  who  was  retired  from  the 
world,  and  of  the  miracles  she  wrought.  As  he 
fancied  that  this  woman  might  be  serviceable  to 
him  in  the  project  he  had  conceived,  he  made 
more  minute  inquiries,  and  requested  to  be  in- 
formed more  particularly  who  that  holy  woman 
was,  and  what  sort  of  miracles  she  performed. 

"  What !  "  said  the  person  whom  he  addressed, 


"  have  you  never  seen  or  heard  ot  her  ?  She  is 
the  admiration  of  the  whole  town,  for  her  fasting, 
her  austerities,  and  her  exemplary  life.  Except 
Mondays  and  Fridays,  she  never  stirs  out  of  her 
little  cell ;  and  on  those  days  on  which  she  comes 
into  the  town  she  does  an  infinite  deal  of  good ; 
for  there  is  not  a  person  who  is  diseased  but  she 
puts  her  hand  on  them  and  cures  them." 

Having  ascertained  the  place  where  the  hermit- 
age of  this  holy  woman  was,  the  magician  went  at 
night,  and  plunged  a  poniard  into  her  heart,  — 
killed  this  good  woman.  In  the  morning  he  dyed 
his  face  of  the  same  hue  as  hers,  and  arraying 
himself  in  her  garb,  taking  her  veil,  the  large 
necklace  she  wore  round  her  waist,  and  her  stick, 
went  straight  to  the  palace  of  Aladdin. 

As  soon  as  the  people  saw  the  holy  woman,  as 
they  imagined  him  to  be,  they  presently  gathered 
about  him  in  a  great  crowd.  Some  begged  his 
blessing,  others  kissed  his  hand,  and  others,  more 
reserved,  only  the  hem  of  his  garment ;  while  oth- 
ers, suffering  from  disease,  stooped  for  him  to  lay 
his  hands  upon  them  which  he  did,  muttering 
some  words  in  form  of  prayer,  and,  in  short,  coun- 
terfeiting so  well  that  everybody  took  him  for  the 
holy  woman.  He  came  at  last  to  the  square  before 
Aladdin's  palace.  The  crowd  and  the  noise  were 
so  great  that  the  princess,  who  was  in  the  hall  of 
four-and-twenty  windows,  heard  it,  and  asked 
what  was  the  matter.  One  of  her  women  told  her 
it  was  a  great  crowd  of  people,  collected  about  the 
holy  woman  to  be  cured  of  diseases  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  her  hands. 

The  princess,  who  had  long  heard  of  this  holy 
woman,  but  had  never  seen  her,  was  very  desirous 
to  have  some  conversation  with  her ;  which  the 
chief  officer  perceiving,  told  her  it  was  an  easy 
matter  to  bring  her  to  her,  if  she  desired  and  com- 
manded it ;  and  the  princess  expressing  her  wishes, 
he  immediately  sent  four  slaves  for  the  pretended 
holy  woman. 

As  soon  as  the  crowd  saw  the  attendants  from 
the  palace,  they  made  way  ;  and  the  magician, 
perceiving  also  that  they  were  coming  for  him, 
advanced  to  meet  them,  overjoyed  to  find  his  plot 


THE  STORY  OF  ALADDIN;    OR,    THE    WONDERFUL   LAMP. 


253 


succeed  so  well.  "  Holy  woman,"  said  one  of  the 
slaves,  "  the  princess  wants  to  see  you,  and  has 
sent  us  for  you."  "  The  princess  does  me  too  great 
an  honor,"  replied  the  false  Fatima  ;  "  I  am  ready 
to  obey  her  command,"  and  at  the  same  time  fol- 
lowed the  slaves  to  the  palace. 

When  the.  pretended  Fatima  had  made  her 
obeisance,  the  princess  said  :  "  My  good  mother, 
I  have  one  thing  to  request,  which  you  must  not 
refuse  me  ;  it  is,  to  stay  with  me,  that  you  may 
edify  me  with  your  way  of  living,  and  that  I  may 
learn  from  your  good  example."  "  Princess,"  said 
the  counterfeit  Fatima,  "  I  beg  of  you  not  to  ask 
what  I  cannot  consent  to  without  neglecting  my 
prayers  and  devotion."  "  That  shall  be  no  hin- 
drance to  you,"  answered  the  princess ;  "  I  have 
a  great  many  apartments  unoccupied  ;  you  shall 
choose  which  you  like  best,  and  have  as  much 
liberty  to  perform  your  devotions  as  if  you  were 
in  your  own  cell." 

The  magician,  who  really  desired  nothing  more 
than  to  introduce  himself  into  the  palace,  where 
it  would  be  a  much  easier  matter  for  him  to 
execute  his  designs,  did  not  long  excuse  him- 
self from  accepting  the  obliging  offer  which  the 
princess  made  him.  "  Princess,"  said  he,  "  what- 
ever resolution  a  poor  wretched  woman  as  I  am 
may  have  made  to  renounce  the  pomp  and  gran- 
deur of  this  world,  I  dare  not  presume  to  oppose 
the  will  and  commands  of  so  pious  and  charitable 
a  princess." 

Upon  this  the  princess,  rising  up,  said  :  "  Come 
with  me ;  I  will  show  you  what  vacant  apartments 
I  have,  that  you  may  make  choice  of  that  you  like 
best."  The  magician  followed  the  princess,  and 
of  all  the  apartments  she  showed  him,  made 
choice  of  that  which  was  the  worst,  saying  that  it 
was  too  good  for  him,  and  that  he  only  accepted 
it  to  please  her. 

Afterwards  the  princess  would  have  brought  him 
back  again  into  the  great  ball  to  make  him  dine 
with  her ;  but  he,  considering  that  he  should  then 
be  obliged  to  show  his  face,  which  he  had  always 
taken  care  to  conceal  with  Fatima's  veil,  and  fear- 
ing that  the  princess  should  find  out  that  he  was 


not  Fatima,  begged  of  her  earnestly  to  excuse 
him,  telling  her  that  he  never  ate  anything  but 
bread  and  dried  fruits,  and  desiring  to  eat  that 
slight  repast  in  his  own  apartment.  The  princess 
granted  his  request,  saying,  "  You  may  be  as  free 
here,  good  mother,  as  if  you  were  in  your  own 
cell :  I  will  order  you  a  dinner,  but  remember  I 
expect  you  as  soon  as  you  have  finished  your  re- 
past." 

After  the  princess  had  dined,  and  the  false 
Fatima  had  been  sent  for  by  one  of  the  attendants, 
he  again  waited  upon  her.  "  My  good  mother," 
said  the  princess,  "  I  am  overjoyed  to  see  so  holy 
a  woman  as  yourself,  who  will  confer  a  blessing 
upon  this  palace.  But  now  I  am  speaking  of  the 
palace,  pray  how  do  you  like  it  ?  And  before  I 
show  it  all  to  you,  tell  me  first  what  you  think  of 
this  hall." 

Upon  this  question,  the  counterfeit  Fatima  sur- 
veyed the  hall  from  one  end  to  the  other.  When 
he  had  examined  it  well,  he  said  to  the  princess  : 
"  As  far  as  such  a  solitary  being  as  I  am,  who  am 
unacquainted  with  what  the  world  calls  beautiful, 
can  judge,  this  hall  is  truly  admirable  ;  there  wants 
but  one  thing."  "  What  is  that,  good  mother?" 
demanded  the  princess;  "  tell  me,  I  conjure  you. 
For  my  part,  I  always  believed,  and  have  heard 
say,  it  wanted  nothing  ;  but  if  it  does,  it  shall  be 
supplied." 

"  Princess,"  said  the  false  Fatima,  with  great 
dissimulation,  "forgive  me  the  liberty  I  have 
taken  ;  but  my  opinion  is,  if  it  can  be  of  any  im- 
portance, that  if  a  roc's  egg  were  hung  up  in  the 
middle  of  the  dome,  this  hall  would  have  no  par- 
allel in  the  four  quarters  of  the  world,  and  your 
palace  would  be  the  wonder  of  the  universe." 

"  My  good  mother,"  said  the  princess,  "  what 
is  a  roc,  and  where  may  one  get  an  egg?  "  "  Prin- 
cess," replied  the  pretended  Fatima,  "  it  is  a  bird 
of  prodigious  size,  which  inhabits  the  summit  of 
Mount  Caucasus  ;  the  architect  who  built  your 
palace  can  get  you  one. 

After  the  princess  had  thanked  the  false  Fatima 
for  what  she  believed  her  good  advice,  she  con- 
versed witti  her  upon  other  matters  ;  but  could  not 


254 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


forget  the  roc's  egg,  which  she  resolved  to  request 
of  Aladdin  when  next  he  should  visit  his  apart- 
ments. He  did  so  in  the  course  of  that  evening, 
and  shortly  after  he  entered,  the  princess  thus  ad- 
dressed him  :  "  I  always  believed  that  our  palace 
was  the  most  superb,  magnificent,  and  complete 
in  the  world :  but  I  will  tell  you  now  what  it 
wants,  and  that  is  a  roc's  egg  hung  up  in  the 
midst  of  the  dome."  "  Princess,"  replied  Aladdin, 
"  it  is  enough  that  you  think  it  wants  such  an 
ornament  ;  you  shall  see  by  the  diligence  which 
I  use  in  obtaining  it,  that  there  is  nothing  which 
I  could  not  do  for  your  sake." 

Aladdin  left  the  Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor 
that  moment,  and  went  up  into  the  hall  of  four- 
and-twenty  windows,  where,  pulling  out  of  his 
bosom  the  lamp,  which,  after  the  danger  he  had 
been  exposed  to,  he  always  carried  about  him,  he 
rubbed  it ;  upon  which  the  genie  immediately  ap- 
peared. "  Genie,"  said  Aladdin,  "  I  command  thee 
in  the  name  of  this  lamp,  bring  a  roc's  egg  to  be 
hung  up  in  the  middle  of  the  dome  of  the  hall  of 
the  palace."  Aladdin  had  no  sooner  pronounced 
these  words  than  the  hall  shook  as  if  ready  to 
fall ;  and  the  genie  said  in  a  loud  and  terrible 
voice  :  "  Is  it  not  enough  that  I  and  the  other 
slaves  of  the  lamp  have  done  everything  for  you, 
but  you,  by  an  unheard-of  ingratitude,  must  com- 
mand me  to  bring  my  master,  and  hang  him  up 
in  the  midst  of  this  dome?  This  attempt  deserves 
that  you,  the  princess,  and  the  palace,  should  be 
immediately  reduced  to  ashes  :  but  you  are  spared 
because  this  request  does  not  come  from  yourself. 
Its  true  author  is  the  brother  of  the  African  ma- 
gician, your  enemy,  whom  you  have  destroyed. 
He  is  now  in  your  palace,  disguised  in  the  habit 
of  the  holy  woman  Fatima,  whom  he  has  mur- 
dered ;  at  his  suggestion  your  wife  makes  this  per- 
nicious demand.  His  design  is  to  kill  you,  there- 
fore take  care  of  yourself."  After  these  words 
the  genie  disappeared. 

Aladdin  resolved  at  once  what  to  do.     He  re- 


turned to  the  princess's  apartment,  and  without 
mentioning  a  word  of  what  had  happened,  sat 
down,  and  complained  of  a  great  pain  which  had 
suddenly  seized  his  head.  On  hearing  this,  the 
princess  told  him  how  she  had  invited  the  holy 
Fatima  to  stay  with  her  and  that  she  was  now  in 
the  palace  ;  and  at  the  request  of  the  prince,  or- 
dered her  to  be  summoned  to  her  at  once. 

When  the  pretended  Fatima  came,  Aladdin 
said:  "Come  hither,  good  mother,  I  am  glad  to 
see  you  here  at  so  fortunate  a  time.  I  am  tor- 
mented with  a  violent  pain  in  my  head,  and  re- 
quest your  assistance,  and  hope  you  will  not  refuse 
me  that  cure  which  you  impart  to  afflicted  per- 
sons." So  saying,  he  arose,  but  held  down  his 
head.  The  counterfeit  Fatima  advanced  towards 
him,  with  his  hand  all  the  time  on  a  dagger  con- 
cealed in  his  girdle  under  his  gown  ;  which  Alad 
din  observing,  he  snatched  the  weapon  from  his 
hand,  pierced  him  to  the  heart  with  his  own  dag- 
ger, and  then  pushed  him  down  on  the  floor. 

"  My  dear  prince,  what  have  you  done  ?  "  cried 
the  princess,  in  surprise.  "  You  have  killed  the 
holy  woman  !  "  "  No,  my  princess,"  answered 
Aladdin,  with  emotion,  "  I  have  not  killed  Fatima, 
but  a  villain,  who  would  have  assassinated  me,  if 
I  had  not  prevented  him.  This  wicked  man," 
added  he,  uncovering  his  face,  "  is  the  brother  of 
the  magician  who  attempted  our  ruin.  He  has 
strangled  the  true  Fatima,  and  disguised  himself 
in  her  clothes  with  intent  to  murder  me."  Alad- 
din then  informed  her  how  the  genie  had  told  him 
these  facts,  and  how  narrowly  she  and  the  palace 
had  escaped  destruction  through  his  treacherous 
suggestion  which  had  led  to  her  request. 

Thus  was  Aladdin  delivered  from  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  two  brothers,  who  were  magicians. 
Within  a  few  years  afterwards,  the  sultan  died  in 
a  good  old  age,  and,  as  he  left  no  male  children, 
the  Princess  Buddir  al  Buddoor  succeeded  him, 
and  she  and  Aladdin  reigned  together  many  years, 
and  left  a  numerous  and  illustrious  posterity. 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF   THE    CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


255 


V.     THE   ADVENTURES   OF   THE   CALIPH   HAROUN   AL-RASCHID. 


The  Caliph  Haroun  Al-Raschid,  was  accus- 
tomed to  visit  the  city  of  Bagdad  in  disguise,  that 
he  might  see,  himself,  into  the  condition  of  the 
people,  and  hear  their 
reports  of  his  court 
and  government.  On 
one  occasion,  he  and 
his  grand  vizier  Giafar 
disguised  themselves 
as  foreign  merchants, 
and  went  their  way 
through  the  different 
parts  of  the  cit}'.  As 
they  entered  on  a 
bridge  which  connect- 
ed together  the  two 
parts  of  the  city  of 
Bagdad,  divided  by 
the  river  Euphrates, 
they  met  an  old  blind 
man.  who  asked  alms. 
The  caliph  put  a  piece 
of  gold  into  his  hand, 
on  which  the  blind 
man  caught  hold  of 
his  hand,  and  stopped 
him,  saying:  "Sir, 
pray  forgive  me  ;  I  de- 
sire you  would  either 
give  me  a  box  on  the 
ear,  or  take  your  alms 
back  again,  for  I  can- 
not receive  it  but  on 
that  condition,  with- 
out breaking  a  sol- 
emn oath  which  I  have  sworn  to  God  ;  and  if  you 
knew  the  reason,  you  would  agree  with  me  that 
the  punishment  is  very  slight." 

The  caliph,  unwilling  to  be  detained  any  longer, 
yielded  to  the  importunity  of  the  blind  man,  and 
gave  him  a  very  slight  blow  :  whereupon  he  im- 
mediately let  him  go,  thanked  and  blessed  him. 


When  they  came  into  the  town,  they  found  in  a 
square  a  great  crowd  of  spectators,  looking  at  a 
young  man  who  was  mounted  on  a  mare,  which 

he  drove  and  urged 
full  speed  round  the 
place,  spurring  and 
whipping  the  poor 
creature  so  barbar- 
ously that  she  was  all 
over  sweat  and  blood. 
The  caliph,  amazed 
at  the  inhumanity  of 
the  rider,  stopped  to 
ask  the  people  if  they 
knew  why  he  used  the 
mare  so  ill,  but  could 
learn  nothing,  except 
that  for  some  time 
past  he  had  every 
day,  at  the  same  hour, 
treated  her  in  the 
same  manner. 

The  caliph,  on  his 
way  to  his  palace,  ob- 
served in  a  street, 
which  he  had  not 
passed  through  for  a 
long  time,  an  edifice 
newly  built,  which 
seemed  to  him  to  be 
the  palace  of  some  one 
of  the  great  lords  of 
the  court.  He  asked 
the  grand  vizier  if  he 
knew  to  whom  it  be- 
longed ;  who  answered  he  did  not,  but  would  in- 
quire :  and  thereupon  asked  a  neighbor,  who  told 
him  that  the  house  belonged  to  one  Cogia  Hassan, 
surnamed  Alhabbal,  on  account  of  his  original 
trade  of  rope-making,  which  he  had  seen  him  work 
at  himself,  when  poor ;  that  without  knowing  how 
fortune    had  favored    him,  he    supposed  he  must 


256 


TALES  FROM   THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


have  acquired  great  wealth,  as  he  defrayed  hon- 
orably and  splendidly  the  expenses  he  had  been  at 
in  building. 

The  grand  vizier  rejoined  the  caliph,  and  gave 
him  a  full  account  of  what  he  had  heard.  "I  must 
see  this  fortunate  rope-maker,"  said  the  caliph, 
"  and  also  this  blind  beggar,  and  the  young  man 
who  treated  the  mare  so  cruelly ;  therefore  go  and 
tell  them  to  come  to  my  palace."  Accordingly 
the  vizier  obeyed. 

The  next  day,  after  afternoon  prayers,  the  grand 
vizier  introduced  the  three  persons  we  have  been 
speaking  of,  and  prese?ited  them  to  the  caliph. 

They  all  three  prostrated  themselves  before  the 
throne,  and  when  they  rose  up,  the  caliph  asked 
the  blind  man  his  name,  who  answered,  it  was 
Baba  Abdalla. 

"  Baba  Abdalla,"  replied  the  caliph,  "I  or- 
dered you  to  come  hither,  to  know  from  yourself 
why  you  made  the  indiscreet  oath  you  told  me  of. 
Tell  me  freely,  for  I  will  know  the  truth." 

Baba  Abdalla  cast  himself  a  second  time  at  the 
foot  of  the  caliph's  throne,  with  his  face  to  the 
ground,  and  when  he  rose  up,  said  :  "  Commander 
of  the  Faithful,  I  most  humbly  ask  your  pardon 
for  my  presumption  in  requiring  you  to  box  my 
ear.  As  to  the  extravagance  of  my  action,  I  own 
that  it  must  seem  strange  to  mankind  ;  but  in  the 
eye  of  God  it  is  a  slight  penance  for  an  enormous 
crime  of  which  I  have  been  guilty,  and  for  which, 
if  all  the  people  in  the  world  were  each  to  give 
me  a  box  on  the  ear,  it  would  not  be  a  sufficient 
atonement." 

THE   STORY   OF   BABA    ABDALLA. 

Commander  of  the  Faithful,  continued  Baba 
Abdalla,  I  was  born  at  Bagdad.  My  father  and 
mother  died  while  I  was  yet  a  youth,  and  I  in- 
herited from  them  an  ample  estate.  Although  so 
young,  I  neglected  no  opportunity  to  increase  it 
by  my  industry.  I  soon  became  rich  enough  to 
purchase  fourscore  camels,  which  I  let  out  to  mer- 
chants, who  hired  them  at  a  considerable  profit  to 
me,  to  carry  their  merchandise  from  one  country 
to  another. 


As  I  was  returning  one  day  with  my  unloaded 
camels  from  Bussorah,  whither  I  had  carried  some 
bales  that  were  to  be  embarked  for  the  Indies,  I 
met  a  dervis,  who  was  walking  to  Bussorah.  I 
asked  him  whence  he  came,  and  where  he  was  go- 
ing :  he  put  the  same  questions  to  me  ;  and  when 
we  had  satisfied  each  other's  curiosity,  we  pro- 
duced our  provisions  and  ate  together. 

During  our  repast,  the  dervis  told  me  of  a  spot 
not  far  from  where  we  sat,  in  which  such  im- 
mense riches  were  collected  that  if  all  my  four- 
score camels  were  loaded  with  the  gold  and  jewels 
that  might  be  taken  from  it,  they  would  not  be 
missed. 

I  was  overjoyed  at  this  intelligence. 

"  You  say,"  continued  the  dervis,  "  that  you 
have  fourscore  camels :  I  am  ready  to  conduct 
you  to  the  place  where  the  treasure  lies,  and  we 
will  load  them  with  as  much  jewels  and  gold  as 
they  can  carry,  on  condition  that  when  they  are 
so  loaded,  you  will  let  me  have  one  half,  and  you 
be  contented  with  the  other  ;  after  which  we  will 
separate,  and  take  our  camels  where  we  may  think 
fit.  You  see  there  is  nothing  but  what  is  strictly 
equitable  in  this  division ;  for  if  you  give  me  forty 
camels,  you  will  procure  by  my  means  where- 
withal to  purchase  thousands." 

I  assented,  though  with  some  reluctance,  to  his 
proposal.  I  at  once  collected  all  my  camels,  and 
set  out  with  the  dervis.  After  we  had  traveled 
some  time,  we  came  to  a  pass,  which  was  so  nar- 
row that  two  camels  could  not  go  abreast.  The 
two  mountains  which  bounded  this  valley  were  so 
high  and  steep  that  there  was  no  fear  of  our  be- 
ing seen  by  anybody. 

When  we  came  into  the  valley  between  these 
two  mountains,  the  dervis  bade  me  stop  the  cam- 
els. He  proceeded  to  gather  some  sticks,  and  to 
light  a  fire  :  he  then  cast  some  incense  into  it, 
pronouncing  certain  words  which  I  did  not  under- 
stand, when  presently  a  thick  cloud  arose.  This 
soon  dispersed,  when  the  rock  forming  the  side  of 
the  valley  opened,  and  exposed  to  view  a  magnifi- 
cent palace  in  the  hollow  of  the  mountain. 
So  eager  was  I  for  the  treasures  which  displayed 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  THE    CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHW. 


257 


themselves  to  my  view,  that,  like  an  eagle  seizing 
her  prey,  I  fell  upon  the  first  heap  of  golden  coin 
that  was  near  me.  My  sacks  were  all  large,  and 
I  would  have  filled  them  all,  but  I  was  obliged  to 
proportion  my  burden  to  the  strength  of  my  cam- 
els. The  dervis  paid  more  attention  to  the  jewels 
than  the  gold,  and  I  soon  followed  his  example,  so 
that  we  took  away  much  more  jewels  than  gold. 
When  we  had  filled  our  sacks,  and  loaded  our 
camels,  the  dervis  used  the  same  incantations  to 
shut  the  treasury  as  he  had  done  to  open  it,  when 
the  doors  closed,  and  the  rock  seemed  as  solid  and 
entire  as  it  was  before.  I  observed,  however,  that 
the  dervis,  before  he  went  away,  took  a  small  ves- 
sel out  of  the  cave  and  put  it  into  his  breast,  first 
showing  me  that  it  contained  only  a  glutinous  sort 
of  ointment. 

We  now  divided  our  camels.  I  put  myself  at 
the  head  of  the  forty  which  I  had  reserved  for 
myself,  and  the  dervis  placed  himself  at  the  head 
of  those  which  I  had  given  him.  We  came  out 
of  the  valley  by  the  way  we  had  entered,  and 
traveled  together  till  we  came  to  the  great  road, 
where  we  were  to  part,  —  the  dervis  to  go  to  Bus- 
sorah,  and  I  to  Bagdad.  To  thank  him  for  so 
great  a  kindness,  I  made  use  of  the  most  expres- 
sive terms,  testifying  my  gratitude  for  the  pref- 
erence he  had  given  me  before  all  other  men  in 
letting  me  have  a  share  of  such  riches.  We  em- 
braced each  other  with  great  joy,  and,  taking  our 
leave,  pursued  our  different  routes. 

I  had  not  gone  far,  following  my  camels,  which 
paced  quietly  on  in  the  track  I  had  put  them  into, 
before  the  demon  of  ingratitude  and  envy  took 
possession  of  my  heart,  and  I  deplored  the  loss  of 
my  other  forty,  but  much  more  the  riches  where- 
with they  were  loaded.  "  The  dervis,"  said  I  to 
myself,  "  has  no  occasion  for  all  this  wealth,  since 
he  is  master  of  the  treasure,  and  may  have  as  much 
as  he  pleases;"  so  I  determined  immediately  to 
take  the  camels  with  their  loading  from  him. 

To  execute  this  design,  I  first  stopped  my  own 
camels,  then  ran   after  the  dervis,  and  called  to 
him  as  loud  as  I  could,  and  made  a  sign  to  him  to 
stop,  which  he  accordingly  did. 
33 


When  I  came  up  to  him,  I  said  :  "  Brother,  I 
had  no  sooner  parted  from  you,  but  a  thought 
came  into  my  head,  which  neither  of  us  had  re- 
flected on  before.  You  are  a  recluse  dervis,  used 
to  live  in  tranquillity,  disengaged  from  all  the 
cares  of  the  world,  and  intent  only  upon  serving 
God.  You  know  not,  perhaps,  what  trouble  you 
have  taken  upon  yourself  to  take  care  of  so  many 
camels.  If  you  would  take  my  advice,  you  would 
keep  but  thirty  ;  you  will  find  them  sufficiently 
troublesome  to  manage.  Take  my  word  ;  I  have 
had  experience." 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,"  replied  the  dervis  ; 
"  choose  which  ten  you  please,  and  take  them, 
and  go  on  in  God's  keeping." 

I  set  ten  apart,  and  after  I  had  driven  them  off, 
I  put  them  in  the  road  to  follow  my  others.  I 
could  not  have  imagined  that  the  dervis  would  be 
so  easily  persuaded  to  part  with  his  camels,  which 
increased  my  covetousness,  and  made  me  think 
that  it  would  be  no  hard  matter  to  get  ten  more  ; 
wherefore,  instead  of  thanking  him,  I  said  to  him 
again  :  "  Brother,  I  cannot  part  from  you  without 
desiring  you  to  consider  once  more  how  difficult  a 
thing  it  is  to  govern  thirty  loaded  camels,  espe- 
cially for  you,  who  are  not  used  to  such  work  ; 
you  will  find  it  much  better  to  return  me  as 
many  more  back  as  you  have  done  already." 

The  dervis  gave  me,  without  any  hesitation,  the 
other  ten  camels  ;  so  that  he  had  but  twenty  left, 
and  I  was  master  of  sixty,  and  might  boast  of 
greater  riches  than  any  sovereign  prince.  Any 
one  would  have  thought  I  should  now  have  been 
content ;  but  the  more  we  have,  the  more  we  want  ; 
and  I  became,  from  my  success,  more  greedy  and 
desirous  of  the  other  twenty  camels. 

I  redoubled  my  solicitations  and  importunities 
to  make  the  dervis  grant  me  ten  of  the  twenty, 
which  he  did  with  a  good  grace  :  and  as  to  the 
other  ten  he  had  left,  I  embraced  him,  kissed  his 
feet,  caressed  and  entreated  him,  so  that  lie  gave 
me  these  also.  "  Make  a  good  use  of  them, 
brother,"  said  the  dervis;  "and  remember  that 
God  can  take  away  riches  as  well  as  give  them, 
if  we  do  not  assist  the  poor,  whom  He  suffers  to 


258 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


be  in  want  on  purpose  that  the  rich  may  do  them 
good." 

I  was  not  yet  content,  though  I  had  my  forty 
camels  again,  and  knew  they  were  loaded  with  an 
inestimable  treasure.  A  thought  came  into  my 
head,  that  the  little  box  of  ointment  which  the 
dervis  showed  me  contained  some  treasure  of  in- 
estimable -value,  and  I  determined  to  obtain  it. 
I  had  just  embraced  him  and  bade  him  adieu, 
when  I  again  returned,  and  said :  "  That  little 
box  of  ointment  seems  such  a  trifle,  it  is  not  worth 
your  carrying  away.  I  entreat  you  to  make  me 
a  present  of  it.  What  occasion  has  a  dervis,  who 
has  renounced  the  vanities  of  the  world,  for  per- 
fumes, or  scented  unguents  ?  " 

The  dervis  pulled  it  out  of  his  bosom,  and  pre- 
senting it  to  me,  said  :  "  Here,  take  it,  brother, 
and  be  content ;  if  I  could  do  more  for  you,  you 
needed  but  to  have  asked  me  —  I  should  have 
been  ready  to  satisfy  you." 

When  I  had  the  box  in  my  hand,  I  opened  it, 
and  looking  at  the  unguent,  said  :  "  Since  you  are 
so  good,  I  am  sure  you  will  not  refuse  to  tell  me 
the  use  of  this  ointment." 

"  The  use  is  very  surprising  and  wonderful," 
replied  the  dervis.  "  If  you  apply  a  little  of  it 
upon  the  lid  of  the  left  eye,  you  will  see  all  the 
treasures  contained  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth  ; 
but  if  you  apply  it  to  the  right  eyelid,  it  will  make 
you  blind." 

"  Take  the  box,"  said  I  to  the  dervis,  "  and  ap- 
ply some  to  my  left  eyelid ;  you  understand  how 
to  do  it  better  than  I."  The  dervis  had  no  sooner 
done  so,  than  I  saw  immense  treasures,  and  such 
prodigious  riches,  that  it  is  impossible  for  me  to 
give  an  account  of  them  ;  but  as  I  was  obliged  to 
keep  my  right  eye  shut  with  my  hand,  I  desired 
the  dervis  to  apply  some  of  the  pomatum  to  that 
eye. 

"I  am  ready  to  do  it,"  said  the  dervis;  "but 
you  must  remember  what  I  told  you,  that  if  you 
put  any  of  it  upon  your  right  eye,  you  would  im- 
mediately be  blind  ;  such  is  the  virtue  of  the  oint- 
ment." 

Far  from  being  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  what 


the  dervis  said,  I  imagined,  on  the  contrary,  that 
there  was  some  new  mystery,  which  he  meant  to 
hide  from  me.  "  Brother,"  replied  I,  smiling,  "  I 
see  plainly  you  wish  to  mislead  me  ;  it  is  not  nat- 
ural that  this  ointment  should  have  two  such 
contrary  effects." 

"  The  matter  is  as  I  tell  you,"  replied  the  der- 
vis. "  You  ought  to  believe  me,  for  I  cannot  dis- 
guise the  truth." 

The  dervis  made  all  the  resistance  possible  ; 
but  seeing  that  I  would  take  no  refusal,  he  took 
a  little  of  the  ointment,  and  applied  it  to  my  right 
eyelid.  But,  alas!  I  ceased  at  once  to  distinguish 
anything  with  either  eye,  and  became  blind,  as- 
you  see  me  now. 

"Ah,  dervis!"  I  exclaimed,  in  agony,  "what 
you  forewarned  me  of  has  proved  but  too  true. 
I  am  now  sensible  what  a  misfortune  I  have 
brought  upon  myself  by  my  fatal  curiosity  and 
insatiable  desire  of  riches  ;  but  you,  dear  brother," 
cried  I,  addressing  myself  to  the  dervis,  "  who  are 
so  charitable  and  good,  among  the  many  wonder- 
ful secrets  you  are  acquainted  with,  have  you  not 
one  to  restore  to  me  my  sight  again  ?  " 

"Miserable  man  !"  answered  the  dervis,  "you 
might  have  avoided  this  misfortune,  but  you  have 
your  deserts.  The  blindness  of  your  mind  was  the 
cause  of  the  loss  of  your  eyes.  I  have  no  power 
to  restore  to  you  your  sight.  Pray  to  God,  there- 
fore ;  it  is  He  alone  that  can  restore  it  to  you. 
He  gave  you  riches,  of  which  you  were  unworthy ; 
and  on  that  account  He  takes  them  from  you 
again,  and  will  by  my  hands  give  them  to  a  man 
not  so  ungrateful  as  yourself." 

The  dervis  said  no  more,  but  left  me  to  myself* 
overwhelmed  with  confusion  and  grief.  He  then 
collected  my  camels,  and  drove  them  away  to  Bus- 
sorah. 

I  cried  out  loudly  as  he  was  departing,  and  en- 
treated him  not  to  leave  me  in  that  miserable 
condition,  but  to  conduct  me  at  least  to  the  first 
caravanserai  ;  but  he  was  deaf  to  my  prayers  and 
entreaties.  Thus  deprived  of  sight,  and  of  all  I 
had  in  the  world,  I  should  have  died  with  afflic- 
tion and  hunger,  if  the  next  day  a  caravan  return- 


THE  ADVENTURES    OF   THE   CALIPH  HAROVN  AL-RASCHID. 


259 


ing  from  Bussorah  had  not  received  me  charita- 
bly, and  brought  me  back  to  Bagdad. 

After  this  manner  was  I  reduced,  without  rem- 
edy, from  a  condition  of  great  wealth  to  a  state 
of  poverty.  I  had  no  other  way  to  subsist  but 
by  asking  charity,  which  I  have  done  till  now. 
But  to  expiate  my  offense  against  God,  I  enjoined 
on  myself,  by  way  of  penance,  a  box  on  the  ear 
from  every  charitable  person  who  shall  commis- 
erate my  condition  and  give  me  alms. 

This,  Commander  of  the  Faithful,  is  the  motive 
which  caused  me  to  make  so  strange  a  request  to 
you.  I  ask  your  pardon  once  more  as  your  slave, 
and  submit  to  receive  the  chastisement  I  deserve. 

"  Baba  Abdalla,"  the  caliph  said,  "  your  sin 
has  been  great ;  but,  God  be  praised,  your  self- 
inflicted  penance  proves  your  sorrow.  But  that 
you  may  forego  your  daily  asking  of  alms,  I  give 
you  henceforth  four  silver  dirhems  a  day,  which 
my  grand  vizier  shall  give  you  daily  with  the  pen- 
ance you  have  imposed  on  yourself." 

At  these  words,  Baba  Abdalla  prostrated  him- 
self before  the  caliph's  throne,  returned  him 
thanks,  and  wished  him  all  happiness  and  pros- 
perity. 

THE   STORY   OF    SIDI   NOUMAN. 

The  caliph  next  addressed  himself  to  the  young 
man  who  used  his  mare  so  ill,  and  demanded  of 
him  the  reason  of  his  cruel  conduct. 

Commander  of  the  Faithful,  he  replied,  my 
name  is  Sidi  Nouman,  and  I  inherited  a  fair  es- 
tate from  my  parents.  Having  the  means  to  sup- 
port a  wife,  I  married  when  quite  young  a  woman 
named  Amine.  The  first  time  I  saw  my  wife 
without  her  veil  was  according  to  our  custom,  after 
our  marriage,  and  I  was  rejoiced  to  find  that  I 
had  not  been  deceived  in  the  account  which  I  had 
heard  of  her  beauty.  I  was,  on  the  contrary,  very 
much  pleased  with  her.  The  day  after  our  mar- 
riage we  had  a  dinner  of  several  dishes,  but  of  none 
would  she  partake,  save  of  a  little  rice,  which  she 
ate  grain  by  grain,  conveying  them  to  her  mouth 
with  a  silver  bodkin.  The  same  thing  happened 
again  at  supper.     The  next  day,  and  every  time 


we  ate  together,  she  behaved  after  the  same  fash- 
ion. I  saw  clearly  that  no  woman  could  live  on 
the  little  she  ate,  and  that  there  must  be  some 
mystery  about  her.  One  night,  when  my  wife 
thought  me  fast  asleep,  she  got  up  very  quietly, 
and  dressed  herself,  and  left  the  chamber  without 
the  least  noise.  The  instant  she  closed  the  door 
I  dressed  in  the  utmost  haste,  and  followed  her. 
Favored  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  I  caught  sight 
of  her,  and  traced  her  to  a  burial-ground  near  our 
house,  where  I  perceived  that  she  was  joined  by  a 
female  ghoul,  and  supposed  that  she  would  join 
her  in  her  dreadful  orgies.  I  immediately  re- 
turned to  my  house  without  having  attracted  her 
observation,  and  lay  down  again.  After  a  short 
interval  she  came  back  as  noiselessly  as  she  had 
gone  out.  On  the  next  day,  as  she  still  persisted 
at  dinner  to  eat  her  rice  grain  by  grain,  "  Amine," 
said  I,  "  I  have  often  complained  to  you  of  your 
eating  your  rice  grain  by  grain.  Tell  me,  are 
not  the  dishes  served  at  my  table  as  delicate  as 
the  dreadful  repast  of  a  ghoul  ?  "  I  had  scarcely 
said  these  words,  when  Amine,  who  thoroughly 
understood  what  I  meant,  fell  into  a  fearful  fit  of 
passion,  and  taking  a  glass  of  water,  threw  it  in 
my  face,  and  said,  "  Foolish  man  !  take  the  form 
of  a  dog." 

I  had  not,  previously  to  this,  known  that  Amine 
was  a  sorceress.  But  no  sooner  was  her  incan- 
tation said  than  I  lost  the  human  form,  and 
found  myself  a  dog.  I  was  so  surprised  that  I 
did  not  bark,  nor  bite,  nor  run  away.  I  did  not 
know  what  to  do.  She  then  took  up  a  stick  and 
beat  me,  and  half  opened  the  door,  with  the  in- 
tention, I  believe,  of  crushing  me  against  the  door- 
post as  I  ran  out.  I  fortunately  escaped  without 
further  injury  than  the  loss  of  a  part  of  my  tail. 
The  pain  I  felt  made  me  cry  and  howl,  as  I  ran 
alonsr  the  street.  This  occasioned  other  doers  to 
run  after  and  worry  me.  To  avoid  their  pursuit, 
I  ran  into  the  shop  of  a  man  who  dressed  and  sold 
sheeps'  heads,  tongues,  and  feet ;  and  there  I 
got  shelter.  I  soon  saw  a  great  many  dogs  of  the 
neighborhood,  drawn  thither  by  the  smell  of  the 
meat,  collected  round  the  shop  of  my  host,  wait' 


260 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


ing  till  he  threw  them  something ;  these  I  joined, 
and  so  got  something  to  eat.  The  next  day  I  found 
shelter  with  a  baker,  who  treated  me  kindly. 
Here  I  stayed  some  months.  One  day,  as  a  woman 
was  buying  some  bread,  she  gave  some  bad  money 
to  my  master.  He  asked  her  to  change  it  for  an- 
other piece.  The  woman  refused,  and  maintained 
it  was  good  money.  The  baker  asserted  the  con- 
trary, and  said,  "  The  piece  of  money  is  so  bad, 
that  I  am  sure  my  dog  would  distinguish  it.  Come 
here,"  said  he,  calling  me,  and  throwing  down  the 
pieces  of  money.  "  See  if  there  is  a  bad  piece  of 
money  among  these."  I  looked  over  all  the  pieces, 
and  putting  my  foot  upon  the  bad  one,  I  sepa- 
rated it  from  the  rest,  looking  in  my  master's  face, 
as  if  to  show  it  him. 

The  baker  was  extremely  surprised,  and  when 
the  woman  was  gone  told  his  neighbors  what  had 
happened.  They  quickly  came  to  test  my  talent, 
and  I  never  failed  to  pick  out  from  the  silver  or 
gold  pieces  those  which  were  bad,  and  to  separate 
them  with  my  foot.  The  report  of  me  procured 
my  master  so  much  custom,  he  could  scarcely  get 
through  it.  One  day  a  woman  came  to  buy  bread, 
and  to  test  my  knowledge  put  down  six  pieces  of 
good  and  six  pieces  of  bad  mone}',  and  told  me  to 
separate  them  ;  I  did  so  with  my  foot.  On  her 
leaving  the  shop  she  made  me  a  sign  to  follow  her, 
which  I  understood  and  obeyed. 

I  followed  her  at  a  distance,  and  reached  her  as 
she  stopped  at  her  house.  I  entered  with  her,  and 
she  presented  me  to  her  daughter.  "  Daughter," 
she  said,  "  I  have  brought  you  the  baker's  famous 
dog,  who  so  well  knows  how  to  distinguish  false 
money  from  good.  On  the  first  report  that  was 
spread  about  him,  you  know  I  told  you  my  idea  of 
his  being  a  man,  changed  into  a  dog  by  some 
wicked  enchantment.  What  say  you,  — am  I  de- 
ceived, in  my  conjecture  ?  "  "  You  are  not  de- 
ceived mother,"  replied  the  daughter,  "  as  I  shall 
soon  convince  you." 

The  young  lady  rose  from  her  seat,  took  a  vessel 
full  of  water,  into  which  she  clipped  her  hand,  and 
throwing  some  of  the  water  on  me,  she  said  :  "If 
yon  were  born  a  dog,  remain  a  dog ;  but  if  you 


were  born  a  man,  resume  the  figure  of  a  man,  by 
virtue  of  this  water."  At  that  moment  the  en- 
chantment was  broken  ;  I  lost  the  form  of  a  dog, 
and  saw  myself  once  more  a  man.  I  immediately 
expressed  my  deep  gratitude  to  this  fair  lady,  and 
told  her  by  what  means  I  lost  my  human  shape. 
"  Sidi  Nouman,"  said  the  young  woman,  "  I  try  to 
do  all  the  good  I  can  with  the  knowledge  of 
magic  which  I  possess  ;  I  will  yet  further  help 
you.  Return  to  your  home  :  and  when  you  see 
Amine,  your  wife,  in  the  first  moment  of  her  as- 
tonishment at  the  sight  of  you,  throw  over  her 
some  of  this  water,  which  I  now  give  you,  pro- 
nouncing these  words,  —  '  Receive  the  just  reward 
of  thy  cruelty.'  "  I  did  exactly  according  to  the 
direction  given  me;  and  on  my  saying  the  ap- 
pointed words,  my  wife  was  turned  into  the  mare 
on  which  I  rode  yesterday.  I  punish  her  very 
often  in  the  way  you  saw,  to  make  her  sensible  of 
the  cruelty  of  which  she  was  guilty.  I  have  thus, 
according  to  your  command,  related  my  history. 

"  Your  wife's  conduct  deserves  punishment,  but 
I  would  have  you  henceforth  forego  the  chastise- 
ment which  I  have  witnessed.  The  degradation 
to  her  present  state  is  a  sufficient  retribution.  I 
would  even  wish  you  to  seek  the  disenchantment  of 
Amine,  if  you  could  be  sure  that  she  would  forego 
her  cruelties,  and  cease  to  use  magical  arts." 

The  caliph  then  turned  to  Cogia  Hassan,  and 
demanded  of  him  a  narrative  of  his  good  fortune. 

HISTORY   OF   COGIA   HASSAN   ALHABBAL. 

Commander  of  the  Faithful,  my  name  is  Has- 
san, but  from  my  trade  I  am  commonly  known  by 
the  name  of  Hassan  Alhabbal.  I  owe  the  good 
fortune  I  now  enjoy  to  two  dear  friends,  whose 
names  are  Saad  and  Saadi.  Saadi  is  very  rich. 
He  ever  maintained  the  opinion  that  wealth  was 
essential  to  happiness,  as  without  it  no  one  could 
be  independent.  He  declared  further  his  belief 
that  poverty  is  in  most  cases  owing  to  a  want  of 
sufficient  money  to  commence  with  ;  and  if  a  man 
once  had  enough  to  start  with,  and  made  a  right 
use  of  it,  he  would,  in  time,  infallibly  grow  rich. 
Saad  disputed  the  truth  of  these  sentiments.     Ho 


THE  ADVENTURES    OF   THE    CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


261 


maintained  that  a  poor  man  may  become  rich  by 
other  means  as  well  as  money,  and  that  some  have 
become  rich  by  mere  chance,  as  others  have  done 
by  the  possession  of  sufficient  money  to  commence 
with. 

Saadi  replied  :  "  Well,  we  will  not  dispute  any 
more,  but  test  our  different  theories  by  an  experi- 
ment. I  will  give  a  sufficient  sun;  of  money  to 
some  honest  but  poor  artisan,  and  see  if  he  does 
not  obtain  with  it  wealth  and  ease.  If  I  fail,  then 
you  shall  try  if  you  can  succeed  better  by  the 
means  you  may  employ." 

Some  few  days  after  this  dispute,  Saad  and 
Saadi  passed  by  my  house  as  I  was  engaged  in  my 
trade  of  rope-making.  They  expressed  their  sur- 
prise that,  with  all  my  industry,  I  could  not  con- 
trive to  extend  my  trade  and  gradually  to  save 
money,  I  told  them  that,  work  as  hard  as  I 
would,  I  could  with  difficulty  keep  my  wife  and 
five  children  (none  of  whom  could  render  me  the 
least  help)  with  rice  and  pulse,  and  that  I  could 
not  find  money  for  the  first  outlay  of  hemp  and 
materials.  After  some  further  conversation,  Saadi 
pulled  a  purse  out  of  his  bosom,  and  putting  it 
into  my  hands,  said :  "  Here,  take  this  purse ;  it 
contains  two  hundred  pieces  of  gold. :  God  bless 
you  and  give  you  grace  to  make  the  good  use  of 
them  I  desire ;  and,  believe  me,  my  friend  Saad 
and  I  shall  both  have  great  pleasure  if  they  con- 
tribute towards  making  you  more  prosperous  than 
you  now  are." 

Commander  of  the  Faithful,  continued  Hassan, 
when  I  had  got  the  purse  my  joy  was  so  great 
that  my  speech  failed  me,  and  I  could  only  thank 
my  benefactor  by  laying  hold  of  the  hem  of  his 
garment  and  kissing  it ;  but  he  drew  it  from  me 
hastily,  and  he  and  his  friend  pursued  their  walk. 

As  soon  as  they  were  gone,  I  returned  to  my 
work,  and  my  first  thought  was,  what  I  should  do 
with  my  purse  to  keep  it  safe.  I  had  in  my  poor 
house  neither  box  nor  cupboard  to  lock  it  up,  nor 
any  other  place  where  I  could  be  sure  it  would 
not  be  discovered  if  I  concealed  it. 

In  this  perplexity,  I  laid  aside  ten  pieces  of 
gold  for  present  necessaries,  and  wrapped  the  rest 


up  in  the  folds  of  the  linen  which  went  about  my 
cap.  Out  of  my  ten  pieces  I  bought  a  good  stock 
of  hemp,  and  afterwards,  as  my  family  had  eaten 
no  meat  a  long  time,  I  purchased  some  for  sup- 
per. 

As  I  was  carrying  the  meat  home,  a  famished 
vulture  flew  upon  me,  and  would  have  taken  it 
away,  if  I  had  not  held  it  very  fast ;  but  the  faster 
I  held  my  meat,  the  more  the  bird  struggled  to 
get  it,  till  unfortunately  in  my  efforts  my  turban 
fell  on  the  ground. 

The  vulture  immediately  let  go  his  hold  of  the 
meat,  but  seizing  my  turban,  flew  away  with  it. 
I  cried  out  so  loud  that  I  alarmed  all  the  men, 
women,  and  children  in  the  neighborhood,  who 
joined  their  shouts  and  cries  to  make  the  vulture 
quit  his  hold ;  but  our  cries  did  not  avail,  he  car- 
ried off  my  turban,  and  we  soon  lost  sight  of 
him. 

I  went  home  very  melancholy  at  the  loss  of  my 
money.  I  was  obliged  to  buy  a  new  turban,  which 
diminished  the  small  remainder  of  the  ten  pieces. 
The  little  that  was  left  was  not  sufficient  to  give 
rne  any  hope  of  improving  my  condition,  but  I 
most  regretted  the  disappointment  I  should  occa- 
sion my  benefactor. 

While  the  remainder  of  the  ten  pieces  lasted, 
my  little  family  and  I  lived  better  than  usual ; 
but  I  soon  relapsed  into  the  same  poverty,  and  the 
same  inability  to  extricate  myself  from  wretched- 
ness. However,  I  never  murmured  nor  repined  ; 
"God,"  said  I,  "was  pleased  to  give  me  riches 
when  I  least  expected  them  ;  He  has  thought  fit 
to  take  them  from  me  again  almost  at  the  same 
time,  because  it  so  pleased  Him,  and  they  were  at 
his  disposal ;  yet  I  will  praise  his  name  for  all  the 
benefits  I  have  received,  as  it  was  his  good  pleas- 
ure, and  submit  myself,  as  I  have  ever  done  hith- 
erto, to  his  will." 

These  were  my  sentiments,  while  my  wife,  from 
whom  I  could  not  keep  secret  the  loss  I  had  sus- 
tained, was  inconsolable.  In  my  trouble  I  had 
told  my  neighbors  that  when  I  lost  my  turban 
I  lost  a  hundred  and  ninety  pieces  of  gold  ;  but 
as  they  knew  my  poverty,  and  could  not  compre- 


262 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


hend  how  I  should  have  got  so  great  a  sum  by  my 
work,  they  only  laughed  at  me. 

About  six  months  after  this  misfortune,  the  two 
friends,  walking  through  that  part  of  the  town 
where  I  lived,  called  to  inquire  after  me.  "  Well," 
said  Saad,  "  we  do  not  ask  you  how  affairs  go  since 
we  saw  you  last ;  without  doubt  they  are  in  a  bet- 
ter train." 

"  Gentlemen,"  replied  I,  "  I  deeply  grieve  to 
tell  you  that  your  good  wishes,  and  my  hopes, 
have  not  had  the  success  you  had  reason  to  ex- 
pect, and  I  had  promised  myself.  You  will 
scarcely  believe  the  extraordinary  adventure  that 
has  befallen  me,  when  I  tell  you,  on  the  word  of 
an  honest  man,  that  a  vulture  flew  away  with  my 
turban,  in  which  for  safety  I  had  wrapped  my 
money." 

Saadi  rejected  my  assertion,  and  said  :  "  Has- 
san, you  joke,  and  would  deceive  me.  What  have 
vultures  to  do  with  turbans ;  they  only  search  for 
something  to  satisfy  their  hunger  ?  "  "  Sir,"  I  re- 
plied, "  the  thing  is  so  publicly  known  in  this  part 
of  the  town,  that  there  is  nobody  but  can  satisfy 
you  of  the  truth  of  my  assertions."  Saad  took 
my  part,  and  told  Saadi  a  great  many  as  surpris- 
ing stories  of  vultures,  some  of  which  he  affirmed 
he  knew  to  be  true  ;  who,  after  bidding  me  be 
more  careful,  at  last  pulled  his  purse  out  of  his 
vestband,  and  counted  out  two  hundred  pieces  of 
gold  into  my  hand,  which  I  put  into  my  bosom 
for  want  of  a  purse.  I  told  him  that  the  obliga- 
tion of  this  his  second  kindness  was  much  greater 
than  I  deserved,  after  what  had  happened,  and 
that  I  should  be  sure  to  make  good  use  of  his  ad- 
vice. I  would  have  said  a  great  deal  more,  but  he 
did  not  give  me  time,  for  he  went  away,  and  con- 
tinued his  walk  with  his  friend. 

As  soon  as  they  were  gone,  I  left  off  work,  and 
went  home,  but  finding  neither  my  wife  nor  chil- 
dren within,  I  pulled  out  my  money,  put  ten  pieces 
on  one  side  for  present  use,  and  wrapped  up  the 
rest  in  a  clean  linen  cloth,  tying  it  fast  with  a  knot, 
and  placing  it  for  safety  in  an  earthen  vessel  full 
of  bran,  which  stood  in  a  corner,  which  I  imagined 
neither  my  wife  nor  children  would  look  into.    My 


wife  came  home  soon  after,  and  as  I  had  but  little 
hemp  in  the  house,  I  told  her  I  should  go  out  to 
buy  some,  without  saying  anything  to  her  about 
the  second  present  from  Saadi. 

While  I  was  absent,  a  sandman,  who  sells  wash- 
ing-balls, which  women  use  in  the  baths,  passed 
through  our  street.  My  wife,  who  had  no  money, 
asked  him  if  he  would  exchange  his  washing-balls 
for  some  bran.  The  sandman  consented  to  do  so 
and  the  bargain  was  made. 

Not  long  after,  I  came  home  with  as  much 
hemp  as  I  could  carry,  and  followed  by  five  por- 
ters loaded  also  with  hemp.  After  I  had  satisfied 
them  for  their  trouble,  I  looked  about  me,  and 
could  not  see  the  pot  of  bran.  I  asked  my  wife, 
in  great  trepidation,  what  was  become  of  it  ;  when 
she  told  me  the  bargain  she  had  made  with  the 
sandman. 

"  Ah,  unfortunate  woman  ! "  cried  I,  "  you 
know  not  what  you  have  done.  You  thought  you 
only  sold  the  bran,  but  with  the  bran  you  have 
given  the  sandman  a  hundred  and  ninety  pieces  of 
gold,  which  Saadi  this  day  made  me  a  second 
present  of." 

My  wife  was  like  one  distracted  when  she  knew 
what  she  had  done.  She  cried,  beat  her  breast, 
and  tore  her  hair  and  clothes.  "  Unhappy  woman 
that  I  am,"  cried  she,  "  where  shall  I  find  this 
sandman  ?  I  know  him  not,  —  I  never  saw  him 
before.  Oh,  husband,"  added  she,  "  you  were  much 
to  blame  in  not  communicating  the  secret  to  me." 

"  Wife,"  said  I,  "  moderate  your  grief  ;  by  your 
cries  you  will  alarm  the  neighbors,  and  they  will 
only  laugh  at,  instead  of  pitying  us.  We  had 
best  bear  our  loss  patiently,  and  submit  ourselves 
to  the  will  of  God.  It  is  true  we  live  but  poorly ; 
but  what  have  the  rich  which  we  have  not  ?  Do 
not  we  breathe  the  same  air,  enjoy  the  same  light, 
and  the  same  warmth  of  the  sun  ?  Therefore 
what  conveniences  have  they  more  than  we,  that 
we  should  envy  their  happiness  ?  They  die  as 
well  as  we.  In  short,  while  we  live  in  the  fear  of 
God,  as  we  should  always  do,  the  advantage  they 
have  over  us  is  so  very  inconsiderable  that  we 
ought  not  to  covet  it." 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF   THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


263 


My  wife  and  I  comforted  ourselves  with  these 
reflections,  and  I  pursued  my  trade  with  as  much 
alacrity  as  before  these  two  mortifying  losses 
which  followed  one  another  so  quickly.  The  only 
thing  that  troubled  me  sometimes  was,  how  I 
should  look  Saadi  in  the  face  when  he  should 
come  and  ask  me  how  I  had  improved  his  two 
hundred  pieces  of  gold. 

After  some  time,  Saad  and  Saadi  again  called  to 
inquire  of  my  progress.  Each  still  entertained 
their  former  differing  opinons  as  to  the  result  of 
Saadi's  repeated  liberality.  I  saw  them  at  a  dis- 
tance, but  made  as  if  I  had  not  seen  them.  I  ap- 
plied very  earnestly  to  my  work,  and  never  lifted 
up  my  eyes  till  they  were  close  to  me,  and  had 
saluted  me.  I  told  them  at  once  my  last  misfort- 
une, and  that  I  was  as  poor  as  when  they  first  saw 
me.  After  that,  I  said :  "  Could  I  guess  that  a 
sandman  would  come  by  that  very  day,  and  my 
wife  give  him  in  exchange  a  pot  of  bran  which  had 
stood  there  for  many  years  ?  "  You  may  indeed 
allege  that  I  ought  to  have  told  my  wife  of  it ;  but 
I  will  never  believe  that  such  prudent  persons,  as  I 
am  persuaded  you  are,  would  have  given  me  that 
advice  ;  and  if  I  had  put  my  money  anywhere  else, 
what  certainty  could  I  have  had  that  it  would  be 
moi'e  secure  ?  " 

"  I  see,  sir,"  said  I,  addressing  7Tiyself  to  Saadi, 
"  that  it  has  pleased  God,  whose  ways  are  secret 
and  impenetrable,  that  I  should  not  be  enriched  by 
your  liberality,  but  that  I  must  remain  poor ; 
however,  the  obligation  is  the  same  as  if  it  had 
wrought  the  desired  effect." 

After  these  words  I  was  silent ;  and  Saadi  re- 
plied :  "  I  do  not  regret  the  four  hundred  pieces 
of  gold  I  gave  you  to  raise  you  in  the  world.  I 
did  it  in  duty  to  God,  without  expecting  any  rec- 
ompense but  the  pleasure  of  doing  good,  and  for 
the  sake  of  an  experiment  I  wished  to  make." 
Then  turning  about  to  his  friend,  "  Saad,"  con- 
tinued he,  "  you  may  now  make  your  experiment, 
and  let  me  see  that  there  are  ways,  besides  giving 
money,  to  make  a  poor  man's  fortune.  Let  Has- 
san be  the  man.  I  dare  say,  whatever  you  may 
give  him  he  will  not  be  richer  than  he  was  with 


four  hundred  pieces  of  gold."  Saad  had  a  piece 
of  lead  in  his  hand,  which  he  showed  Saadi. 
"  You  saw  me,"  said  he,  "  take  up  this  piece  of 
lead,  which  I  found  on  the  ground  ;  I  will  give  it 
Hassan,  and  you  shall  see  what  it  comes  to  be 
worth." 

Saadi  burst  out  a  laughing  at  Saad.  "What  is 
that  bit  of  lead  worth  ?  "  said  he  ;  "  a  farthing  ! 
What  can  Hassan  do  with  that  ?  "  Saad  presented 
it  to  me,  and  said  :  "  Take  it,  Hassan  ;  let  Saadi 
laugh,  you  will  tell  us  some  news  of  the  good 
luck  it  has  brought  you  one  time  or  another."  I 
thought  Saad  was  in  jest,  and  had  a  mind  to 
divert  himself;  however,  I  took  the  lead,  and 
thanked  him.  The  two  friends  pursued  their 
walk,  and  I  fell  to  work  again. 

At  night,  when  I  pulled  off  my  clothes  to  go  to 
bed,  the  piece  of  lead,  which  I  had  never  thought 
of  from  the  time  he  gave  it  me,  tumbled  out  of  my 
pocket.  I  took  it  up,  and  laid  it  on  the  place  that 
was  nearest  me.  The  same  night  it  happened  that 
a  fisherman,  a  neighbor,  mending  his  nets,  found 
a  piece  of  lead  wanting;  and  it  being  too  late 
to  buy  any,  as  the  shops  were  shut,  and  he  must 
either  fish  that  night,  or  his  family  go  without 
bread  the  next  day,  he  called  to  his  wife  and  bade 
her  inquire  among  the  neighbors  for  a  piece.  She 
went  from  door  to  door  on  both  sides  of  the  street, 
but  could  not  get  any,  and  returned  to  tell  her 
husband  her  ill  success.  He  asked  if  she  had 
been  to  several  of  their  neighbors,  naming  them, 
and,  among  the  rest,  my  house.  "  No,  indeed," 
said  the  wife,  "  I  have  not  been  there ;  I  know  by 
experience  they  never  have  anything  when  one 
wants  it."  "No  matter,"  said  the  fisherman, 
"  you  must  go  there  ;  for  though  you  have  been 
there  a  hundred  times  before  without  getting  any- 
thing, you  may  chance  to  obtain  what  we  want 
now." 

The  fisherman's  wife  came  and  knocked  at  my 
door.  I  asked  her  what  she  wanted  ?  "  Hassan," 
said  she,  "  my  husband  wants  a  bit  of  lead  to  load 
his  nets  with  ;  and  if  you  have  a  piece,  desires 
you  to  give  it  him." 

The  piece  of  lead  which  Saad  had  given  me  was 


264 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


so  fresh  in  my  memory,  that  I  could  not  forget  it. 
I  told  my  neighbor  I  had  some ;  and  if  she  would 
stay  a  moment  my  wife  should  give  it  to  her. 
Accordingly  my  wife,  who  was  wakened  by  the 
noise  as  well  as  myself,  got  up,  and  groping  about 
where  I  directed  her,  found  the  lead,  opened  the 
door,  and  gave  it  to  the  fisherman's  wife,  who  was 
so  overjoyed  that  she  promised  my  wife,  that,  in 
return  for  the  kindness  she  did  her  and  her  hus- 
band, she  would  answer  for  him  we  should  have  the 
first  cast  of  the  nets. 

The  fisherman  was  so  much  rejoiced  to  see  the 
lead,  which  he  so  little  expected,  that  he  much 
approved  his  wife's  promise.  He  finished  mend- 
ing his  nets,  and  went  a-fishing  two  hours  before 
day,  according  to  custom.  At  the  first  throw  he 
caught  but  one  fish,  about  a  yard  long,  and  pro- 
portionable in  thickness ;  but  afterwards  had  a 
great  many  successful  casts. 

When  the  fisherman  had  done  fishing,  he  went 
home,  where  his  first  care  was  to  think  of  me.  I 
was  extremely  surprised,  when  at  my  work,  to  see 
him  come  to  me  with  a  large  fish  in  his  hand. 
"  Neighbor,"  said  he,  "  my  wife  promised  you  last 
night,  in  return  for  your  kindness,  whatever  fish 
I  should  catch  at  my  first  throw  ;  and  I  approved 
her  promise.  It  pleased  God  to  send  me  no 
more  than  this  one  for  you,  which,  such  as  it  is,  I 
desire  you  to  accept.  Had  He  sent  me  my  net 
full,  they  should  all  have  been  yours." 

"  Neighbor,"  said  I,  "  the  bit  of  lead  which  I 
sent  you  was  such  a  trifle,  that  it  ought  not  to  be 
valued  at  so  high  a  rate  ;  neighbors  should  assist 
each  other  in  their  little  wants.  I  have  done  no 
more  for  you  than  I  should  have  expected  from 
you  had  I  been  in  your  situation  ;  therefore  I  would 
refuse  your  present,  if  I  were  not  persuaded  you 
gave  it  me  freely,  and  that  I  should  offend  you  ; 
and  since  you  will  have  it  so,  I  take  it,  and  return 
you  my  hearty  thanks." 

After  these  civilities,  I  took  the  fish,  and  carried 
it  home  to  my  wife.  My  wife  was  much  startled 
to  see  so  large  a  fish.  "  What  would  you  have  me 
do  with  it  ?  "  said  she.  "  Our  gridiron  is  only  fit 
to  broil  small  fish;  and  we  have  not  a  pot  big 


enough  to  boil  it."  "  That  is  your  business,"  an- 
swered I.  "  Dress  it  as  you  will,  I  shall  like  it 
either  way."     I  then  went  to  my  work  again. 

In  gutting  the  fish,  my  wife  found  a  hard,  clear 
substance  which  she  took  for  a  piece  of  glass.  She 
gave  it  to  the  youngest  of  our  children  for  a  play- 
thing, and  his  brothers  and  sisters  handed  it  about 
from  one  to  another,  to  admire  its  brightness  and 
beauty. 

At  night  when  the  lamp  was  lighted,  and  the 
children  were  still  playing  with  the  clear  substance 
taken  from  the  fish,  they  perceived  that  it  gave  a 
light  when  my  wife,  who  was  getting  them  their 
supper,  stood  between  them  and  the  lamp,  upon 
which  they  snatched  it  from  one  another  to  try  it; 
and  the  younger  children  fell  a-crying,  that  the 
elder  would  not  let  them  have  it  long  enougli  in 
the  dark. 

I  then  called  to  the  eldest,  to  know  what  was  the 
matter,  who  told  me  it  was  about  a  piece  of  glass, 
which  gave  a  light.  Upon  hearing  this,  I  bade 
my  wife  put  out  the  lamp,  and  we  found  that  the 
piece  of  glass  gave  so  great  a  light,  that  we  might 
see  to  go  to  bed  without  the  lamp.  I  placed 
the  bit  of  glass  upon  the  chimney  to  light  us. 
"  Look,"  said  I,  "  this  is  a  great  advantage  that 
Saad's  piece  of  lead  procures  us ;  it  will  spare  us 
the  expense  of  oil." 

When  the  children  saw  the  lamp  was  put  out, 
and  the  bit  of  glass  supplied  the  place,  they  cried 
out  so  loud,  and  made  so  great  a  noise  from  aston- 
ishment, that  it  alarmed  the  neighborhood. 

Now  there  was  but  a  very  slight  partition-wall 
between  my  house  and  my  next  neighbor's,  who 
was  a  very  rich  Jew  and  a  jeweler ;  and  the  cham- 
ber that  he  and  his  wife  lay  in  joined  to  ours. 
They  were  both  in  bed,  and  the  noise  my  children 
made  awakened  them. 

The  next  morning  the  jeweler's  wife  came  to 
mine,  to  complain  of  being  disturbed  out  of  their 
first  sleep.  "  Good  neighbor  Rachel  "  (which  was 
the  Jew's  wife's  name),  said  my  wife,  "  I  am  very 
sorry  for  what  happened,  and  hope  j'ou  will  ex- 
cuse it,  you  know  the  children  will  laugh  and  cry 
for  a  trifle.     See  here ;  it  was  this  piece  of  glass 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


265 


which  I  took  out  of   the  fish  that   caused   all  the 
noise." 

"  Indeed,  Ayesha  "  (which  was  my  wife's  name), 
said  the  jeweler's  wife,  "I  believe  as  you  do  it 
is  a  piece  of  glass  ;  but  as  it  is  more  beautiful 
than  common  glass,  and  I  have  just  such  another 
piece  at  home,  I  will  buy  it,  if  you  will  sell  it." 

The  children,  who  heard  them  talking  of  sell- 
ing their  plaything,  presently  interrupted  their 
conversation,  crying  and  begging  their  mother  not 
to  part  with  it,  who,  to  quiet  them,  promised  she 
would  not. 

The  Jewess  being  thus  prevented  from  obtain- 
ing the  supposed  piece  of  glass  by  my  children, 
went  away  ;  but  first  whispered  to  my  wife,  who 
followed  her  to  the  door,  if  she  had  a  mind  to  sell 
it,  not  to  show  it  to  anybody  without  acquainting 
her.  Rachel  could  not  rest  satisfied  till  she  had 
made  her  husband  acquainted  with  what  she  had 
seen  in  my  house,  and  immediately  went  to  his 
stall  in  the  bezetzein  to  acquaint  the  Jew  with  her 
discovery.  On  her  return  home,  she  came  again 
privately,  and  asked  her  if  she  would  take  twenty 
pieces  of  gold  for  the  piece  of  glass  she  had  shown 
her. 

My  wife,  thinking  the  sum  too  considerable  for 
a  mere  piece  of  glass  as  she  had  thought  it,  would 
not  make  any  bargain  ;  but  told  her  she  could  not 
part  with  it  till  she  had  spoken  to  me.  In  the 
mean  time  I  came  from  my  work  to  dinner.  As 
they  were  talking  at  the  door,  my  wife  stopped 
me,  and  asked  if  I  would  sell  the  piece  of  glass 
she  had  found  in  the  fish's  belly  for  twenty  pieces 
of  gold  which  our  neighbor  offered  her.  I  re- 
turned no  answer;  but  called  to  mind  the  confi- 
dence with  which  Saad,  in  giving  me  the  piece  of 
lead,  told  me  it  would  make  my  fortune.  The 
Jewess,  fancying  that  the  low  price  she  had  offered 
was  the  reason  I  made  no  reply,  said,  "  I  will  give 
you  fifty,  neighbor,  if  that  will  do." 

As  soon  as  I  found  that  she  rose  so  suddenly 
from  twenty  to  fifty,  I  told  her  that  I  expected  a 
great  deal  more.  "  Well,  neighbor,"  said  she,  "  I 
will  give  you  a  hundred,  and  that  is  so  much  I 
know  not  whether  my  husband  will  approve  my 

34 


offering  it."  At  this  new  advance,  I  told  her  I 
would  have  a  hundred  thousand  pieces  of  gold  for 
it ;  that  I  saw  plainly  that  the  diamond,  for  such 
I  now  guessed  it  must  be,  was  worth  a  great  deal 
more  ;  but  to  oblige  her  and  her  husband,  as  they 
were  neighbors,  I  would  limit  myself  to  that  price,, 
which  I  was  determined  to  have ;  tijid  if  they  re- 
fused to  give  it,  other  jewelers  should  have  it, 
who  would  give  a  great  deal  more. 

The  Jewess  confirmed  me  in  this  resolution,  by 
her  eagerness  to  conclude  a  bargain,  and  by  com- 
ing up  at  several  biddings  to  fifty  thousand  pieces 
of  gold,  which  I  refused.  "  I  can  offer  you  no 
more,"  said  she,  "  without  my  husband's  consent. 
He  will  be  at  home  at  night,  and  I  would  beg  the 
favor  of  you  to  let  him  see  it ;  "  which  I  prom- 
ised. 

At  night  the  Jew  himself  came  home.  "  Neigh- 
bor Hassan,"  said  he,  "  I  desire  you  would  show 
me  the  diamond  your  wife  showed  to  mine."  I 
brought  him  in,  and  showed  it  to  him.  He  looked 
at  and  admired  it  a  long  time.  "Well,  neighbor," 
said  he,  "my  wife  tells  me  she  offered  you  fifty- 
thousand  pieces  of  gold  ;  I  will  give  you  twenty 
thousand  more." 

"Neighbor,"  said  I,  "your  wife  can  tell  you 
that  I  value  my  diamond  at  a  hundred  thousand 
pieces,  and  I  will  take  nothing  less."  He  haggled 
a  long  time  with  me,  in  hopes  that  I  would  make 
some  abatement ;  but  finding  that  I  was  positive, 
and  for  fear  that  I  should  show  it  to  other  jew- 
elers, he  at  last  concluded  the  bargain  on  my  own 
terms,  and  fetched  two  bags  of  a  thousand  pieces 
each,  as  an  earnest.  The  next  day  he  brought  me 
the  sum  we  had  agreed  for  at  the  time  appointed, 
and  I  delivered  to  him  the  diamond. 

Having  thus  sold  vay  diamond,  and  being  rich 
infinitely  beyond  my  hopes,  I  thanked  God  for  his 
bounty  ;  and  would  have  gone  and  thrown  myself 
at  Saad's  feet  to  express  my  gratitude,  if  I  had 
known  where  he  lived ;  as  also  at  Saadi's,  to  whom 
I  was  first  obliged,  though  his  good  intention  had 
not  the  same  success. 

Afterwards  I  thought  of  the  use  I  ought  to 
make  of  so  considerable  a  sum.    My  wife  proposed 


266 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


immediately  to  buy  rich  clothes  for  herself  and 
children  ;  to  purchase  a  house  and  furnish  it  hand- 
somely. I  told  her  we  ought  not  to  begin  -with 
such  expenses  ;  "  for,"  said  I,  "  money  should  only 
be  spent  so  that  it  may  produce  a  fund  from  which 
we  may  draw  without  its  failing.  This  I  intend, 
and  shall  begin  to-morrow." 

I  spent  all  that  day  and  the  next  in  going  to 
the  people  of  my  own  trade,  who  worked  as  hard 
every  day  for  their  bread  as  I  had  done ;  and 
giving  them  money  beforehand,  engaged  them  to 
work  for  me  in  different  sorts  of  rope-making,  ac- 
cording to  their  skill  and  ability,  with  a  promise 
not  to  make  them  wait  for  their  money,  but  to 
pay  them  as  soon  as  their  work  was  done. 

By  this  means  I  engrossed  almost  all  the  busi- 
ness of  Bagdad  and  everybody  was  pleased  with 
my  exactness  and  punctual  payment. 

As  so  great  a  number  of  workmen  produced  a 
large  quantity  of  work,  I  hired  warehouses  in 
several  parts  of  the  town  to  hold  my  goods,  and 
appointed  over  each  a  clerk,  to  sell  both  wholesale 
and  retail,  and  by  this  economy  received  consider- 
able profit  and  income.  Afterwards,  to  concen- 
trate my  business,  I  bought  ground,  and  built  the 
house  you  saw  yesterday,  which,  though  it  makes 
so  great  an  appearance,  consists,  for  the  most  part, 
of  warehouses  for  my  business,  with  apartments 
for  myself  and  family. 

Some  time  after  I  had  removed  to  this  house, 
Saad  and  Saadi,  who  had  scarcely  thought  of  me 
from  the  last  time  they  had  been  with  me,  called 
on  me  in  my  former  habitation,  and  learnt,  to  their 
great  surprise,  that  I  was  become  a  great  manu- 
facturer, and  was  no  longer  called  plain  Hassan, 
but  Cogia  Hassan  Alhabbal. 

They  immediately  set  out  to  visit  me  in  my  new 
abode.  I  saw  my  two  friends  as  they  aj^proached 
my  gate.  I  rose  from  my  seat,  ran  to  them,  and 
would  have  kissed  the  hem  of  their  garments  ; 
but  they  would  not  suffer  it,  and  embraced  me. 
I  assured  them  I  had  not  forgotten  that  I  was  poor 
Hassan  the  rope-maker,  nor  the  obligations  I  had 
to  them  ;  but  were  this  not  the  case,  I  knew  the 
respect  due  to  them,  and  begged  them  to  sit  down 


in  the  place  of  honor,  and  I  seated  myself  opposite 
to  them. 

Then  Saadi,  addressing  himself  to  me,  said : 
"  Cogia  Hassan,  I  cannot  express  my  joy  to  see 
you.  I  am  persuaded  that  those  four  hundred 
pieces  I  gave  you  have  made  this  wonderful  change 
in  your  fortune." 

Saad  did  not  at  all  agree  with  this  speech  of 
Saadi's.  When  he  had  done,  he  said  to  him  : 
"  Saadi,  I  am  vexed  that  you  still  persist  in  not 
believing  the  statements  Hassan  has  already  made 
you.  I  believe  those  two  accidents  which  befell 
him  are  true;  but  let  him  speak  himself,  and  say 
to  which  of  us  he  most  owes  his  present  good  fort- 
une." 

After  this  discourse  of  the  two  friends,  I  said, 
addressing  myself  to  them  both,  "  Gentlemen,  I 
will  declare  to  you  the  whole  truth  with  the  same 
sincerity  as  before."  1  then  told  them  every  cir- 
cumstance of  the  history  which  I  have  now  related 
to  you,  Commander  of  the  Faithful. 

All  my  protestations  had  no  effect  on  Saadi, 
"  Cogia  Hassan,"  replied  he,  "  the  adventure  of 
the  fish  and  of  the  diamond  found  in  his  stomach 
appears  to  me  as  incredible  as  the  vulture's  flying 
away  with  your  turban,  and  the  exchange  made 
by  your  wife  with  the  sandman.  Be  it  as  it  may, 
I  am  equalty  convinced  that  you  are  no  longer 
poor,  but  rich,  as  I  intended  you  should  be  by  my 
means  ;  and  I  rejoice  sincerely." 

As  it  grew  late,  they  arose  to  depart ;  when  I 
stopped  them,  and  said  :  "  There  is  one  favor  I 
have  to  ask.  I  beg  of  you  to  stay  with  me  to- 
night, and  to-morrow  I  will  carry  you  by  water 
to  a  small  country-house,  which  I  have  bought, 
and  we  will  return  in  thp  evening." 

"  If  Saad  has  no  business  that  calls  him  else- 
where," said  Saadi,  "  I  consent."  Saad  told  him 
that  nothing  should  prevent  him  enjoying  his 
company. 

While  supper  was  being  prepared,  I  showed  my 
benefactors  my  house  and  all  my  offices.  I  call 
them  both  benefactors,  without  distinction  ;  be- 
cause without  Saadi,  Saad  would  never  have  given 
me  the  piece  of   lead ;  and  without  Saad,  Saadi 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


267 


would  not  have  given  me  the  four  hundred  pieces 
of  gold.  Then  I  brought  them  back  again  into 
the  hall,  where  they  asked  me  several  questions 
about  my  concerns  ;  and  I  gave  them  such  an- 
swers as  satisfied  them. 

During  this  conversation,  my  servants  came  to 
tell  me  that  supper  was  served  up.  I  led  them 
into  another  hall,  where  they  admired  the  manner 
in  which  it  was  lighted,  the  furniture,  and  the 
entertainment  I  had  provided.  I  regaled  them 
also  with  a  concert  of  vocal  and  instrumental 
music  during  the  repast,  and  afterwards  with  a 
company  of  dancers,  and  other  entertainments, 
endeavoring  as  much  as  possible  to  show  them 
my  gratitude. 

The  next  morning,  as  we  had  agreed  to  set  out 
early  to  enjoy  the  fresh  air,  we  repaired  to  the 
river-side  by  sunrise,  and  went  on  board  a  pleas- 
ure-boat, well  carpeted,  that  waited  for  us  ;  and 
in  less  than  an  hour  and  a  half,  with  six  good 
rowers  and  the  stream,  we  arrived  at  my  country- 
house. 

Afterwards  we  walked  in  the  gardens,  where 
was  a  grove  of  orange  and  lemon-trees,  loaded 
with  fruit  and  flowers,  which  were  planted  at 
equal  distances,  and  watered  by  channels  cut 
from  a  neighboring  stream.  The  pleasant  shade, 
the  fragrant  smell  which  perfumed  the  air,  the 
soft  murmurings  of  the  water,  the  harmonious 
notes  of  an  infinite  number  of  birds,  were  so 
delightful,  that  they  frequently  stopped  to  express 
how  much  they  were  obliged  to  me  for  bringing 
them  to  so  exquisite  a  place,  and  to  offer  me  their 
congratulations.  I  led  them  to  the  end  of  the 
grove,  which  was  very  long  and  broad,  where  I 
showed  them  a  wood  of  large  trees,  which  termi- 
nated my  garden. 

Two  of  my  boys,  whom  I  had  sent  into  the  coun- 
try, with  a  tutor,  for  the  air,  had  gone  just  then 
into  the  wood;  and  seeing  a  nest,  which  was  built 
in  the  branches  of  a  lofty  tree,  they  bade  a  slave 
climb  the  tree  for  it.  The  slave,  when  he  came  to 
to  it,  was  much  surprised  to  find  it  composed  of  a 
turban.  He  took  it,  brought  it  down,  and  as  he 
thought  that  I  might  like  to  see  a  nest  that  was 


so    uncommon,   he  gave   it  to  the  eldest   boy  to 
bring  to  me. 

The  two  friends  and  I  were  very  much  surprised 
at  the  novelty  ;  but  I  much  more,  when  I  recognized 
the  turban  to  be  that  which  the  vulture  had  flown 
away  with.  After  I  had  examined  it  well,  and 
turned  it  about,  I  said  to  my  guests  :  "  Gentle- 
men, can  you  remember  the  turban  I  had  on  the 
day  you  did  me  the  honor  first  to  speak  to  me  ?  " 
"  I  do  not  think,"  said  Saad,  "  that  either  my 
friend  or  I  gave  any  attention  to  it;  but  if  the 
hundred  and  ninety  pieces  of  gold  are  in  it,  we  can- 
not doubt  of  it." 

"  Sir,"  replied  I,  "  there  is  no  doubt  but  it  is  the 
same  turban  ;  for,  besides  that  I  know  it  perfectly 
well,  I  feel  by  the  weight  it  is  too  heavy  to  be  any 
other,  and  you  will  perceive  this  if  you  give  your- 
self the  trouble  to  take  it  in  your  hand."  Then 
after  taking  out  the  young  birds,  I  put  it  into  his 
hands,  and  he  gave  it  to  Saadi. 

"  Now,  sir,"  added  I,  taking  the  turban  again, 
"observe  well  before  I  unwrap  it,  that  it  is  of  no 
very  fresh  date  in  the  tree  ;  and  the  state  in  which 
you  see  it,  and  the  nest  so  neatly  made  in  it,  are 
sufficient  proofs  that  the  vulture  dropped  or  laid  it 
in  the  tree  upon  the  day  it  was  seized." 

While  I  was  speaking,  I  pulled  off  the  linen 
cloth  which  was  wrapped  about  the  cap  of  the  tur- 
ban, and  took  out  the  purse,  which  Saadi  knew  to 
be  the  same  he  had  given  me.  I  emptied  it  before 
them,  and  said,  "  There,  gentlemen,  there  is  the 
money;  count  it,  and  see  if  it  be  right ;  "  which 
Saad  did,  and  found  it  to  be  one  hundred  and 
ninety  pieces  of  gold.  Then  Saadi,  who  could  not 
deny  so  manifest  a  truth,  addressing  himself  to 
me,  said  :  "  I  agree,  Cogia  Hassan,  that  this  money 
could  not  serve  to  enrich  you,  but  the  other  hun- 
dred and  ninety  pieces,  which  you  would  make  be- 
lieve yon  hid  in  a  pot  of  bran,  might."  "  Sir," 
answered  I,  "  I  have  told  you  the  truth  in  regard 
to  both  sums,  and  I  shall  hope  yet  to  prove  it  to 
your  satisfaction." 

After  this  we  returned,  and  entered  the  house, 
just  as  dinner  was  being  served.  After  dinner  I 
left  my  guests  to  take  their  siesta  during  the  heat 


268 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


of  the  day,  while  I  went  to  give  orders  to  my 
gardener.  Afterwards  I  returned  to  them  again, 
and  we  talked  of  indifferent  matters  till  it  grew  a 
little  cooler ;  when  we  returned  into  the  garden 
for  fresh  air,  and  stayed  till  sunset.  We  then 
mounted  our  horses,  and  after  a  ride  of  two  hours 
reached  Bagdad  by  moonlight. 

It  happened,  by  some  negligence  of  my  grooms, 
that  we  were  then  out  of  grain  for  the  horses,  and 
the  storehouses  were  all  shut  up  ;  when  one  of  my 
slaves,  seeking  about  the  neighborhood,  met  with 
a  pot  of  bran  in  a  shop ;  bought  the  bran,  and 
brought  the  pot  along  with  him,  promising  to 
carry  it  back  again  the  next  day.  The  slave  emp- 
tied the  bran,  and  dividing  it  among  the  horses, 
felt  a  linen  cloth  tied  up,  and  very  heavy  ;  he 
brought  the  cloth  to  me  in  the  condition  that  he 
found  it,  and  presented  it  to  me.  I  at  once  knew 
what  it  was,  and  said  to  my  two  benefactors : 
"  Gentlemen,  it  has  pleased  God  that  you  should 
not  part  from  me  without  being  fully  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  what  I  have  assured  you.  There  are 
the  other  hundred  and  ninety  pieces  of  gold  which 
you  gave  me,"  continued  I,  addressing  myself  to 
Saadi  ;  "  I  know  it  well  by  the  cloth,  which  I  tied 
up  with  my  own  hands ;  "  and  then  I  told  out  the 
money  before  them.  I  ordered  the  pot  to  be 
brought  to  me,  knew  it  to  be  the  same  ;  and  sent 
to  my  wife  to  ask  if  she  recognized  it.  She  sent 
me  word  that  it  was  the  same  pot  she  had  ex- 
changed full  of  bran  for  the  scouring-earth. 

Saadi  readily  submitted,  renounced  his  incredu- 
lity, and  said  to  Saad,  "  I  yield  to  you,  and  ac- 
knowledge that  money  is  not  always  the  means  of 
becoming  rich." 

When  Saadi  had  spoken,  I  said  to  him  :  "  I  dare 
not  propose  to  return  you  the  three  hundred  and 
eighty  pieces  of  gold  which  it  hath  pleased  God 
should  be  found,  to  undeceive  you  as  to  the  opin- 
ion of  my  honesty.  I  am  persuaded  that  you  did 
not  give  them  to  me  with  an  intention  that  I  should 
return  them  ;  and  if  you  approve  of  my  proposal, 
to-morrow  I  will  give  them  to  the  poor,  that  God 
may  bless  us  both." 

The   two  friends  lay  at  my  house  that  night 


also  ;  and  next  day,  after  embracing  me,  returned 
home.  I  thanked  them  both,  and  regarded  the 
permission  they  gave  me  to  cultivate  their  friend- 
ship, and  to  visit  them,  as  a  great  honor. 

The  caliph,  at  the  conclusion  of  this  story,  said  ; 
"  Cogia  Hassan,  I  have  not  for  a  long  time  heard 
anything  that  has  given  me  so  much  pleasure,  as 
having  been  informed  of  the  wonderful  ways  by 
which  God  gave  thee  thy  riches.  Thou  oughtest 
to  continue  to  return  Him  thanks,  and  to  use 
well  his  blessings.  That  same  diamond  which 
made  thy  fortune  is  now  in  my  treasury  ;  and  I 
am  happy  to  learn  how  it  came  there;  but  because 
there  may  remain  in  Saadi  some  doubts  on  the 
singularity  of  this  diamond,  which  I  esteem  the 
most  precious  and  valuable  jewel  I  possess,  I  would 
have  you  carry  him  and  Saad  to  my  treasurer,  who 
will  show  it  them." 

After  these  words,  the  caliph  signified  to  Cogia 
Hassan,  Sidi  Nouman,  and  Baba  Abdalla,  by  a 
bow  of  his  head,  that  he  was  satisfied  with  them ; 
they  all  prostrated  themselves  at  the  throne,  and 
retired. 

THE   STORY  OP   ABOU  HASSAN  ;    OR,  THE  SLEEPER 
AWAKENED. 

In  the  reign  of  the  Caliph  Haroun  Al-Raschid, 
there  lived  at  Bagdad  a  very  rich  merchant.  He 
had  one  only  child,  a  son,  whom  he  named  Abou 
Hassan,  and  whom  he  educated  with  great  strict- 
ness. When  his  son  was  thirty  years  old,  he  be- 
came his  father's  sole  heir  and  the  owner  of  im- 
mense wealth,  amassed  together  by  the  paternal 
frugality  and  application. 

Abou  Hassan,  whose  views  and  inclinations  were 
very  different  from  those  of  his  father,  determined 
to  make  another  use  of  his  wealth.  His  father 
had  never  allowed  him  any  money  but  what  was 
just  necessary  for  subsistence,  and  as  he  had  al- 
ways envied  his  rich  companions,  who  wanted  for 
nothing,  and  who  debarred  themselves  from  none 
of  those  pleasures  to  which  their  wealth  entitled 
them,  he  resolved  to  distinguish  himself  by  ex- 
travagances proportionable  to  his  fortune.  To 
this  end  he  divided  his  riches  into  two  parts ;  with 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF   THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


269 


one  half  be  bought  houses  in  the  city  and  farms 
in  the  country,  with  a  resolution  never  to  touch 
the  income  arising  from  them,  which  was  very 
large,  but  to  lay  it  all  by  as  he  received  it.  With 
the  other  half,  which  consisted  of  ready  money, 
he  designed  to  make  himself  amends  for  the  time 
he  had  lost  by  the  severe  restraint  in  which  his 
father  had  always  kept  him. 

With  this  intent,  Abou  Hassan  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  wealthy  youths  of  his  own  age  and 
rank,  who  thought  of  nothing  but  how  to  make 
their  time  pass  agreeably.  Every  day  he  gave 
them  splendid  entertainments,  at  which  the  most 
delicate  viands  were  served  up,  and  the  most  ex- 
quisite wines  flowed  in  profusion,  while  concerts 
of  the  best  vocal  and  instrumental  music  by  per- 
formers of  both  sexes  heightened  their  pleasures. 
These  entertainments,  renewed  every  day,  were 
so  expensive  to  Abou  Hassan,  that  he  could  not 
support  the  extravagance  above  one  year.  As 
soon  as  he  discontinued  his  feasts,  and  pleaded 
poverty  as  the  excuse,  his  friends  forsook  him  ; 
whenever  they  saw  him  they  avoided  him,  and  if 
by  chance  he  met  any  of  them,  and  tried  to  stop 
them,  they  always  excused  themselves  on  some 
pretense  or  other. 

Abou  Hassan  was  more  affected  by  this  be- 
havior of  his  friends  who  had  forsaken  him  so 
basely  and  ungratefully,  after  all  the  protestations 
they  had  made  him  of  inviolable  attachment, 
than  by  the  loss  of  the  money  he  had  so  foolishly 
squandered.  He  went  melancholy  and  thought- 
ful into  his  mother's  apartment,  and  sat  down  on 
the  end  of  a  sofa  at  a  distance  from  her.  "  What 
is  the  matter  with  you,  son  ?  "  said  his  mother, 
seeing  him  thus  depressed.  "  Why  are  you  so  de- 
jected ?  You  could  not  certainly  be  more  con- 
cerned, if  you  had  lost  all  you  had.  You  have 
still,  however,  a  good  estate.  I  do  not,  therefore, 
see  why  you  should  plunge  yourself  into  this 
deep  melancholy." 

At  these  words  Abou  Hassan  melted  into  tears  ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  his  sighs  exclaimed :  "  Ah ! 
mother,  how  insupportable  poverty  must  be  ;  it 
deprives  us  of  joy,  as  the  setting  of  the  sun  does 


of  light.  A  poor  man  is  looked  upon,  both  by 
friends  and  relations,  as  a  stranger.  You  know, 
mother,  how  I  have  treated  my  friends  for  this 
year  past,  and  now  they  have  left  me  when  they 
suppose  I  can  treat  them  no  longer.  Bismillah  ! 
praise  be  to  God !  I  have  yet  my  lands  and  farms, 
and  I  shall  now  know  how  to  use  what  is  left. 
But  I  am  resolved  to  try  how  far  my  friends,  who 
deserve  not  that  I  should  call  them  so,  will  carry 
their  ingratitude.  I  will  go  to  them  one  after  an- 
other, and  when  I  have  represented  to  them  what 
I  have  done  on  their  account,  ask  them  to  make 
up  a  sum  of  money  to  relieve  me,  merely  to  try 
if  I  can  find  any  sentiment  of  gratitude  remaining 
in  them."  Abou  Hassan  went  immediately  to  his 
friends,  whom  he  found  at  home  ;  represented  to 
them  the  great  need  he  was  in,  and  begged  of 
them  to  assist  him.  He  promised  to  give  bonds 
to  pay  them  the  money  they  might  lend  him  ; 
giving  them  to  understand  at  the  same  time,  that 
it  was  in  a  great  measure  on  their  account  that  he 
was  so  distressed.  That  he  might  the  more  power- 
fully excite  their  generosity,  he  forgot  not  to  al- 
lure them  with  the  hopes  of  being  once  again  en- 
tertained in  the  same  manner  as  before. 

Not  one  of  his  companions  was  affected  with 
the  arguments  which  the  afflicted  Abou  Hassan 
used  to  persuade  them  ;  and  he  had  the  mortifica- 
tion to  find  that  many  of  them  told  him  plainly 
they  did  not  know  him. 

He  returned  home  full  of  indignation ;  and 
going  into  his  mother's  apartment,  said  :  "  Ah  ! 
madam,  I  have  found  none  of  my  late  compan- 
ions who  deserve  my  friendship ;  I  renounce  them, 
and  promise  you  I  will  never  see  them  more." 
He  resolved  to  be  as  good  as  his  word,  taking  an 
oath  never  to  give  an  inhabitant  of  Bagdad  any 
entertainment  while  he  lived.  He  further  vowed 
that  he  would  not  put  in  his  purse  more  moneyr 
than  was  sufficient  to  ask  a  single  person  to  sup 
with  him,  who,  according  to  the  oath  he  had 
taken,  was  not  of  Bagdad,  but  a  stranger  arrived 
in  the  city  the  same  day,  and  who  must  take  his 
leave  of  him  the  following  morning. 

Conformably  to  this  plan,  Abou  Hassan   took 


270 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


care  every  morning  to  provide  whatever  was  nec- 
essary for  a  repast  for  two  persons,  and  towards 
the  close  of  the  evening  went  and  sat  at  the  end  of 
Bagdad  bridge  ;  and  as  soon  as  he  saw  a  stranger, 
accosted  him  civilly,  invited  him  to  sup  and  lodge 
with  him  that  night ;  and  after  having  informed 
him  of  the  law  he  had  imposed  upon  himself,  con- 
ducted him  to  his  house.  The  supper  to  which 
Abou  Hassan  invited  his  guests  was  not  costly, 
but  well  dressed,  with  plenty  of  good  wine,  and 
generally  lasted  till  the  night  was  pretty  far  ad- 
vanced :  instead  of  entertaining  his  guests  with 
the  affairs  of  state,  his  family,  or  business,  as  is 
too  frequent,  he  conversed  on  general  subjects. 
He  was  naturally  of  a  gay  and  pleasant  temper, 
and  made  the  most  melancholy  persons  merry. 
When  he  sent  away  his  guest  the  next  morning, 
he  always  said  :  "  God  preserve  you  from  all  sor- 
row wherever  you  go;  when  I  invited  you  yester- 
day to  come  and  sup  with  me,  I  informed  you  of 
the  law  I  have  imposed  on  myself;  therefore  do 
not  take  it  ill  if  I  tell  you  that  we  must  never  see 
one  another  again,  nor  drink  together,  eibher  at 
home  or  anywhere  else,  for  reasons  best  known  to 
myself ;  so  God  conduct  you." 

Abou  Hassan  was  very  exact  in  the  observance 
of  this  oath,  and  never  looked  upon  or  spoke  to  the 
strangers  he  had  once  entertained.  If  he  met 
them  afterwards  in  the  streets,  the  squares,  or 
any  public  assemblies,  he  turned  away  to  avoid 
them,  that  they  might  not  speak  to  him,  or  he 
have  any  communication  with  them.  He  had 
acted  for  a  long  time  in  this  manner,  when,  one 
afternoon,  a  little  before  sunset,  as  he  sat  upon 
the  bridge  according  to  custom,  the  Caliph  Ha- 
roun  Al-Raschid  came  by,  but  so  disguised  that 
it  was  impossible  to  know  him  ;  he  was  dressed 
like  a  merchant  of  Moussul,  and  was  followed  by 
a  tall  stout  slave. 

Abou  Hassan,  who  was  looking  out  for  a  guest, 
rose  up  as  he  appronched,  and,  after  having  saluted 
him  with  a  graceful  air,  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  I  con- 
gratulate you  on  your  happy  arrival  in  Bagdad  ; 
I  beg  you  to  do  me  the  honor  to  sup  with  me,  and 
repose  yourself  at  my  house  for  this  night,  after 


the  fatigue  of  your  journey  ; "  he  then  told  him 
his  custom  of  entertaining  the  first  stranger  he 
met  with.  The  caliph  found  something  so  odd 
and  singular  in  Abou  Hassan's  whim,  that  he  was 
very  desirous  to  know  the  cause;  and  told  him 
that  he  could  not  better  merit  a  civility,  which 
he  did  not  expect  as  a  stranger,  than  by  accept- 
ing the  obliging  offer  made  him  ;  that  he  had  only 
to  lead  the  way,  and  he  was  ready  to  follow  him. 

Abou  Hassan  treated  the  caliph  as  his  equal, 
conducted  him  home,  and  led  him  into  a  room 
very  neatly  furnished,  where  he  set  him  on  a  sofa, 
in  the  most  honorable  place.  Supper  was  ready, 
and  the  cloth  laid. 

Abou  Hassan  sat  down  opposite  his  guest,  and 
he  and  the  caliph  began  to  eat  heartily  of  what 
they  liked  best,  without  speaking  or  drinking, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  country.  When 
they  had  done  eating,  the  caliph's  slave  brought 
them  water  to  wash  their  hands  ;  and  in  the  mean 
time  Abou  Hassan's  mother  cleared  the  table,  and 
brought  up  a  dessert  of  all  the  various  sorts  of 
fruits  then  in  season,  —  as  grapes,  peaches,  ap- 
ples, pears,  and  various  pastes  of  dried  almonds, 
etc.  As  soon  as  it  grew  dark,  wax-candles  were 
lighted,  and  Abou  Hassan,  after  requesting  his 
mother  to  take  care  of  the  caliph's  slave,  set  down 
bottles  and  glasses. 

Abou  Hassan  filled  a  glass  of  wine,  and  holding 
it  in  his  hand,  said  to  the  caliph,  "Now,  taste  this 
wine,  sir;  I  will  warrant  you  find  it  good."  "I 
am  well  persuaded  of  that,"  replied  the  caliph, 
laughing  ;  "  you  know  how  to  choose  the  best." 
"  Oh  ! "  replied  Abou  Hassan,  "  one  need  only 
look  in  your  face  to  be  assured  that  you  have 
seen  the  world,  and  know  what  good  living  is. 
If,"  added  he  in  Arabic  verse,  "  my  house  could 
think  and  express  its  joy,  how  happy  would  it 
be  to  possess  you,  and  bowing  before  you,  would 
exclaim,  '  How  overjoyed  am  I  to  see  myself  hon- 
ored with  the  company  of  so  accomplished  and 
polite  a  personage,  and  for  meeting  with  a  man 
of  your  merit ! '  " 

The  caliph  and  Abou  Hassan  remained  together, 
drinking  and  talking  of  indifferent  subjects,  till 


THE  ADVENTURES    OF   THE    CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


271 


the  night  was  pretty  far  advanced,  when  the  caliph 
said, —  "  I  beg  of  you  to  let  me  understand  how  I 
may  serve  you,  and  }'0u  shall  see  I  will  not  be 
ungrateful.  Speak  freely  and  open  your  mind, 
for  though  I  am  but  a  merchant,  it  may  be  in  my 
power  to  oblige  you  myself,  or  by  some  friend." 

To  these  offers  Abou  Hassan  replied  :  "  I  can 
only  thank  you  for  your  obliging  offers,  and  the 
honor  you  have  done  me  in  partaking  of  my  frugal 
fare.  Yet  I  must  tell  you  there  is  one  thing  gives 
me  uneasiness.  The  imaun  of  the  mosque  situated 
in  the  district  in  which  I  live,  is  the  greatest  of 
hypocrites.  He  and  four  of  his  friends  try  to 
lord  it  over  me  and  the  whole  neighborhood.  I 
should  like  to  be  caliph  but  for  one  day,  in  the 
stead  of  our  sovereign  lord  and  master,  Haroun 
Al-Raschid,  Commander  of  the  Faithful.  I  would 
punish  the  imaun  and  his  four  friends  with  a  hun- 
dred strokes  each  on  the  soles  of  their  feet,  to 
teach  them  not  to  disturb  and  abuse  their  neigh- 
bors in  future." 

The  caliph  was  extremely  pleased  with  this 
thought  of  Abou  Hassan's ;  and  while  Abou  Has- 
san was  talking,  he  took  the  bottle  and  two  glasses, 
and  filling  his  own  first,  saying,  "  Here  is  a  cup 
of  thanks  to  you,"  and  then  filling  the  other,  put 
into  it  artfully  a  little  opiate  powder  which  he  had 
about  him,  and  giving  it  to  Abou  Hassan,  said, — 
"  You  have  taken  the  pains  to  fill  for  me  all  night, 
and  it  is  the  least  I  can  do  to  save  you  the  trouble 
once  ;  I  beg  you  to  take  this  glass  ;  drink  it  off 
for  my  sake." 

Abou  Hassan  took  the  glass,  and  to  show  his 
guest  with  how  much  pleasure  he  received  the 
honor,  drank  it  off  at  once.  Scarcely  had  he  set 
the  glass  upon  the  table,  when  the  powder  began 
to  operate,  and  he  fell  into  a  sound  sleep.  The 
caliph  commanded  the  slave  who  waited  for  him 
to  take  Abou  Hassan  and  carry  him  directly  to 
the  palace,  and  to  undress  him  and  put  him  into 
his  own  state  bed.  This  was  immediately  per- 
formed. 

The  caliph  next  sent  for  the  grand  vizier.  "  Gia- 
far,"  said  he,  "  I  have  sent  for  you  to  instruct  you, 
and    to  prevent  your  being    surprised    to-morrow 


when  you  come  to  audience,  at  seeing  this  man 
seated  on  my  throne  in  the  royal  robes ;  accost 
him  with  the  same  reverence  and  respect  as  you 
pay  to  myself;  observe  and  punctually  execute 
whatever  he  bids  you  do,  the  same  as  if  I  com- 
manded you.  He  will  exercise  great  liberality, 
and  commission  you  with  the  distribution  of  it. 
Do  all  he  commands,  even  if  his  liberality  should 
extend  so  far  as  to  empty  all  the  coffers  in  my 
treasury  ;  and  remember  to  acquaint  all  my  emirs, 
and  officers  within  the  palace,  to  pay  him  the 
same  honor  at  audience  as  to  myself,  and  to  carry 
on  the  matter  so  well  that  he  may  not  perceive 
the  least  thing  that  may  interrupt  the  diversion 
which  I  design  myself.  Above  all,  fail  not  to 
awaken  me  before  Abou  Hassan,  because  I  wish 
to  be  present  when  he  awakes." 

The  vizier  failed  not  to  do  as  the  caliph  had 
commanded,  and  as  soon  as  the  caliph  had  dressed, 
he  went  into  the  room  where  Abou  Hassan  lay, 
and  placed  himself  in  a  little  raised  closet,  from 
whence  he  could  see  all  that  passed.  All  the 
officers  and  ladies  who  were  to  attend  Abou  Has- 
san's levee  went  in  at  the  same  time,  and  took 
their  posts  according  to  their  rank,  ready  to  acquit 
themselves  of  their  respective  duties,  as  if  the 
caliph  himself  had  been  going  to  rise. 

As  it  was  just  daybreak,  and  time  to  prepare 
for  the  morning  prayer  before  sunrise,  the  officer 
who  stood  nearest  to  the  head  of  the  bed  put  a 
sponge  steeped  in  vinegar  to  Abou  Hassan's  nose, 
who  immediately  awoke.  When  Abou  Hassan 
opened  his  eyes,  lie  saw  by  the  dawning  light  a 
large  room,  magnificently  furnished,  with  a  finely 
painted  ceiling,  adorned  with  vases  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  the  floor  covered  with  a  rich  silk 
tapestry,  and  many  slaves  richly  clothed,  all  stand- 
ing with  great  modesty  and  respect.  After  cast- 
ing his  eyes  on  the  covering  of  the  bed,  he  per- 
ceived it  was  cloth  of  gold  richly  embossed  with 
pearl  and  diamonds  ;  and  near  the  bed  lay,  on  a 
cushion,  a  habit  of  tissue  embroidered  with  jewels, 
with  a  caliph's  turban. 

At  the  sight  of  this  splendor,  Abou  Hassan  wag 
in  the  most  inexpressible  amazement.     He  looked 


272 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


upon  all  he  saw  a9  a  dream  ;  yet  a  dream  he 
wished  it  not  to  be.  "So,"  said  he  to  himself, 
"  I  am  caliph  !  But,"  added  he,  recollecting  him- 
self, "  it  is  only  a  dream,  the  effect  of  the  wish  I 
entertained  my  guest  with  last  night ;  "  and  then 
he  turned  himself  about  and  shut  his  eyes  to  sleep. 
At  the  same  time  the 
vizier  said,  with  a 
prostration  to  the 
ground,  —  "  Com- 
mander of  the  Faith- 
ful, it  is  time  for  your 
majesty  to  rise  to 
prayers  ;  the  morning 
begins  to  advance." 

These  words  very 
much  surprised  A.bou 
Hassan.  He  clapped 
his  hands  before  his 
eyes,  and  lowering  his 
head,  said  to  himself  : 
"What  means  all 
this  ?  Where  am  I  ? 
and  to  whom  does  this 
palace  belong?  What 
can  these  viziers, 
emirs,  officers,  and 
musicians  mean  ? 
How  is  it  possible 
for  me  to  distinguish 
whether  I  am  in  my 
right  senses  or  in  a 
dream  ?  " 

When  he  took  his 
hands  from  his  eyes, 
opened  them,  and 
lifted  up  his  head, 
the  sun  shone  full 
in  at  the  chamber  window  ;  and  at  that  instant 
Mesrour,  the  chief  of  the  officers,  came  in,  pros- 
trated himself  before  Abou  Hassan,  and  said : 
"  Commander  of  the  Faithful,  your  majesty  will 
excuse  me  for  representing  to  you,  that  you  used 
not  to  rise  so  late,  and  that  the  time  of  prayer  is 
over.     It  is  time  to  ascend  your  throne  and  hold 


a  council  as  usual  ;  all  the  great  officers  of  stata 
wait  your  presence  in  the  council-hall." 

At  this  discourse,  Abou  Hassan  was  persuaded 
that  he  was  neither  asleep  nor  in  a  dream  ;  but  at 
the  same  time  was  not  less  embarrassed  and  con- 
fused  under  his  uncertainty  what  steps  to  take  ; 

at  last,  looking  ear- 
nestly at  Mesrour,  he 
said  to  him  in  a  seri- 
ous tone,  —  "  Whom 
is  it  you  speak  to, 
and  call  the  Com- 
mander of  the  Faith- 
ful ?  I  do  not  know 
you,  and  you  must 
mistake  me  for  some- 
body else." 

"  My  imperial  lord 
and  master,"  said  he, 
"  is  not  your  majesty 
the  Commander  of 
the  Faithful,  M  o  n- 
arch  of  the  world 
from  east  to  west, 
and  Vicar  on  earth 
to  the  Prophet  sent 
of  God?  Mesrour 
your  poor  slave  has 
not  forgotten  you, 
after  so  many  years 
that  he  has  had  the 
honor  and  happiness 
to  serve  and  pay  his 
respects  to  your  maj- 
esty." 

Abou  Hassan  burst 
out  a-laughing  at 
these  words,  and  fell 
backwards  upon  the  bolster,  which  pleased  the 
caliph  so  much  that  he  would  have  laughed  as 
loud  himself,  if  he  had  not  been  afraid  of  putting 
a  stop  too  soon  to  the  pleasant  scene  he  had  prom- 
ised himself. 

Abou  Hassan,  when  he  had  tired  himself  with 
laughing,  sat  up  again,  and  suddenly  calling  the 


THE  ADVENTURES    OF   THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


273 


officer  that  stood  nearest  to  him,  —  "  Come  hither," 
said  he,  holding  out  his  hand  ;  "  bite  the  end  of 
my  finger,  that  I  may  feel  whether  I  am  asleep  or 
awake." 

The  slave,  who  knew  the  caliph  saw  all  that 
passed,  and  being  anxious  to  please  him,  went 
with  a  grave  countenance,  and  putting  his  finger 
between  his  teeth,  bit  it  so  hard  that  he  put  him 
to  great  pain.  Snatching  his  hand  quickty  back 
again,  he  said,  "  I  find  I  am  awake  ;  I  feel,  and 
hear,  and  see,  and  thus  know  that  I  am  not  asleep. 
But  by  what  miracle  am  I  become  caliph  in  a 
night's  time  !  " 

Abou  Hassan  now  beginning  to  rise,  the  chief 
of  the  officers  offered  him  his  hand,  and  helped 
him  to  get  out  of  bed.     No  sooner  were  his  feet 

CD 

set  on  the  floor,  than  the  chamber  rang  with  the  re- 
peated salutations  of  those  present,  who  cried  out 
all  together,  "  Commander  of  the  Faithful,  God 
give  your  majesty  a  good  day."  "  O  Heaven  !  " 
cried  Abou  Hassan,  "  what  a  strange  thing  this 
is  !  Last  night  I  was  Abou  Hassan,  and  this  morn- 
ing I  am  the  Commander  of  the  true  Believers  ! 
I  cannot  comprehend  this  sudden  and  surprising 
change."  Presently  some  of  the  officers  began  to 
dress  him ;  and  when  they  had  done,  led  him 
through  all  the  attendants,  who  were  ranged  on 
both  sides,  quite  to  the  council-chamber  door, 
which  was  opened  by  one  of  the  officers.  Mesrour 
walked  before  him  to  the  foot  of  the  throne,  where 
he  stopped,  and  putting  one  hand  under  one  arm, 
while  another  officer  who  followed  did  the  same 
by  the  other,  they  helped  him  to  ascend  the  throne. 
Abou  Hassan  sat  down  amidst  the  acclamations  of 
the  officers,  who  wished  him  all  happiness  and 
prosperity,  and  turning  to  the  right  and  left,  he 
saw  the  royal  guards  ranged  in  order. 

The  caliph  in  the  mean  time  came  out  of  the 
closet,  and  went  into  another,  which  looked  into 
the  hall,  from  whence  he  could  see  and  hear  all 
that  passed  in  council,  where  his  grand  vizier  pre- 
sided in  his  place.  What  pleased  him  highly  was 
to  see  Abou  Hassan  fill  his  throne  with  almost  as 
much  gravity  as  himself. 

As  soon    as  Abou  Hassan  had  seated  himself, 

35 


the  grand  vizier  prostrated  himself  at  the  foot  of 
the  throne,  and  rising,  said:  "  Commander  of  the 
Faithful,  God  shower  down  blessings  on  your  maj- 
esty in  this  life,  receive  you  into  His  paradise  in 
the  other  world,  and  confound  your  enemies." 

Abou  Hassan,  after  all  that  had  happened  that 
morning,  at  these  words  of  the  grand  vizier,  never 
doubted  but  that  he  was  caliph,  as  he  wished  to 
be  ;  and  without  examining  any  farther,  how  or 
by  what  adventure,  or  sudden  change  of  fortune, 
he  had  become  so,  immediate^  began  to  exercise 
his  power,  and  looking  very  gravely  at  the  vizier, 
asked  him  what  he  had  to  say.  "  Commander  of 
the  Faithful,"  replied  the  grand  vizier,  "the  emirs, 
viziers,  and  other  officers  of  your  council  wait 
without  till  your  majesty  gives  them  leave  to  pay 
their  accustomed  respects."  Abou  Hassan  or- 
dered the  door  to  be  opened,  on  which  the  viziers, 
emirs,  and  principal  officers  of  the  court,  all  dressed 
magnificently  in  their  habits  of  ceremony,  went 
in  their  order  to  the  foot  of  the  throne,  paid  their 
respects  to  Abou  Hassan  ;  and  bowing  their  heads 
down  to  the  carpet,  saluted  him  with  the  title  of 
Commander  of  the  Faithful,  according  to  the  in- 
structions of  the  grand  vizier,  and  afterwards  took 
their  seats. 

When  this  ceremony  was  over,  there  was  a 
profound  silence.  The  grand  vizier  standing  be- 
fore the  throne,  began  to  make  his  report  of  af- 
fairs. The  caliph  could  not  but  admire  how  Abou 
Hassan  acquitted  himself  in  his  exalted  station, 
without  the  least  hesitation  and  embarrassment, 
and  decided  well  in  all  matters,  as  his  own  good 
sense  suggested.  But  before  the  grand  vizier  had 
finished  his  report,  Abou  Hassan  perceived  the 
cadi,  whom  he  knew  by  sight,  sitting  in  his  place  : 
"  Stop,"  said  he  to  the  grand  vizier,  interrupting 
him  ;  "  I  have  an  order  of  consequence  to  give  to 
the  cadi."  The  cadi  perceiving  that  Abou  Hassan 
looked  at  him,  and  hearing  his  name  mentioned, 
arose  from  his  seat,  and  went  gravely  to  the  foot 
of  the  throne,  where  he  prostrated  himself  with 
his  face  to  the  ground.  "  Go  immediately,"  said 
Abou  Hassan,  "  to  such  a  quarter,  where  you  will 
find  a  mosque  ;  seize  the  imaun  and  four  old  men, 


274 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


his  friends,  and  give  each  of  theni  a  hundred  bas- 
tinadoes. After  that,  mount  them  all  five,  clothed 
in  rags,  on  camels,  with  their  faces  to  the  tails, 
and  lead  them  through  the  whole  city,  with  a 
crier  before  them,  who  shall  proclaim  with  a  loud 
voice,  — '  This  is  the  punishment  of  all  those  who 
interfere  in  other  people's  affairs.'  Make  them 
also  leave  that  quarter,  and  never  set  foot  on  it 
more.  And  while  your  lieutenant  is  conducting 
them  through  the  town,  return  and  give  me  an  ac- 
count of  the  execution  of  my  orders."  The  judge 
of  the  police  laid  his  hand  upon  his  head,  to  show 
bis  obedience,  and  prostrating  himself  a  second 
time,  retired  to  execute  the  mandate. 

Abou  Hassan  then,  addressing  himself  to  the 
grand  vizier,  said  :  "  Go  to  the  high  treasurer  for 
a  purse  of  a  thousand  pieces  of  gold,  and  carry  it 
to  the  mother  of  one  Abou  Hassan  ;  she  lives  in 
the  same  quarter  to  which  I  sent  the  judge  of  the 
police.     Go,  and  return  immediately." 

The  grand  vizier,  after  laying  his  hand  upon 
his  head,  and  prostrating  himself  before  the 
throne,  went  to  the  high  treasurer,  who  gave  him 
the  mone)T,  which  he  ordered  a  slave  to  take,  and 
to  follow  him  to  Abou  Hassan's  mother,  to  whom 
he  gave  it,  saying  only,  "  The  caliph  makes  you 
this  present."  She  received  it  with  the  greatest 
surprise  imaginable. 

During  the  grand  vizier's  absence,  the  judge  of 
the  police  made  the  usual  report  of  his  office, 
which  lasted  till  the  vizier  returned.  As  soon  as 
he  came  into  the  council-chamber,  and  had  assured 
Abou  Hassan  that  he  had  executed  his  orders,  he 
made  a  sign  to  the  viziers,  the  emirs,  and  other 
officers,  that  the  council  was  over,  and  that  they 
might  all  retire  ;  which  they  did,  by  making  the 
same  prostration  at  the  foot  of  the  throne  as  when 
they  entered. 

Abou  Hassan  descended  from  the  caliph's 
throne,  and  was  conducted  with  much  ceremony 
into  a  magnificent  hall.  In  this  hall  was  a  table 
covered  with  massy  gold  plates  and  dishes,  which 
scented  the  apartment  with  the  spices  and  amber 
wherewith  the  meat  was  seasoned ;  and  seven 
young  and  most  beautiful  ladies,  dressed  in  the 


richest  habits,  stood  round  his  table,  each  with  a 
fan  in  her  hand,  to  fan  Abou  Hassan  when  at 
dinner. 

If  ever  mortal  was  charmed,  Abou  Hassan  was 
when  he  entered  this  stately  hall.  At  every  step 
he  took  he  could  not  help  stopping  to  contemplate 
at  leisure  all  the  wonders  that  regaled  his  eyes, 
and  turned  first  to  one  side  and  then  to  the  other ; 
which  gave  the  caliph,  wTho  viewed  him  with  at- 
tention, very  great  pleasure.  At  last  he  sat  down 
at  the  table,  and  presently  all  the  ladies  began  to 
fan  the  new  caliph.  He  looked  first  at  one,  then 
at  another,  and  admired  the  grace  with  which 
they  acquitted  themselves.  He  told  them  with  a 
smile  that  he  believed  one  of  them  was  enough  to 
give  him  all  the  air  he  wanted,  and  would  have 
six  of  the  ladies  sit  at  table  with  him,  three  on 
his  right  hand  and  three  on  his  left. 

The  six  ladies  obeyed  ;  and  Abou  Hassan,  taking 
notice  that  out  of  respect  the}7  did  not  eat,  helped 
them  himself,  and  invited  them  to  eat  in  the  most 
pressing  and  obliging  terms.  Afterwards  he  asked 
their  names,  which  they  told  him  were  Alabaster 
Neck,  Coral  Lips,  Moon  Face,  Sunshine,  Eye's 
Delight,  Heart's  Delight,  and  she  who  fanned  him 
was  Sugar  Cane.  The  many  soft  things  he  said 
upon  their  names  showed  him  to  be  a  man  of 
sprightly  wit,  and  it  is  not  to  be  conceived  how 
much  it  increased  the  esteem  which  the  caliph 
(who  saw  everything)  had  already  conceived  for 
him. 

When  the  ladies  observed  that  Abou  Hassan 
had  done  eating,  one  of  them  said  to  the  slaves 
who  waited,  "  The  Commander  of  the  Faithful 
will  go  into  the  hall  where  the  dessert  is  laid ; 
bring  some  water ;  "  upon  which  they  all  rose 
from  the  table,  and  taking  from  the  slaves,  one  a 
gold  basin,  another  a  ewer  of  the  same  metal,  and 
a  third  a  towel,  knelt  before  Abou  Hassan,  and 
presented  them  to  him  to  wash  his  hands.  As 
soon  as  he  had  done,  he  got  up  and  went,  preceded 
by  the  chief  officer,  who  never  left  him,  into  an- 
other hall,  as  large  as  the  former,  adorned  with 
paintings  by  the  best  artists,  and  furnished  with 
gold  and  silver  vessels,  carpets,  and  other  rich  fur- 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  THE    CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


275 


niture.  There  the  sultan's  musicians  began  a  sere- 
nade as  soon  as  Abou  Hassan  appeared.  In  this 
hall  there  were  seven  large  lustres,  a  table  in 
the  middle  covered  with  dried  sweetmeats,  the 
choicest  and  most  exquisite  fruits  of  the  season, 
raised  in  pyramids,  in  seven  gold  basins ;  and 
seven  other  beautiful  ladies  standing  round  it, 
each  with  a  fan  in  her  hand. 

These  new  objects  raised  still  greater  admira- 
tion in  xVbou  Hassan,  who,  after  he  had  made  a 
full  stop,  and  given  the  most  sensible  marks  of 
surprise  and  astonishment,  went  directly  to  the 
table,  where,  sitting  down,  he  gazed  a  considera- 
ble time  at  the  seven  ladies,  with  an  embarrass- 
ment that  plainly  showed  he  knew  not  to  which 
to  give  the  preference.  At  last  he  ordered  them 
all  to  lay  aside  their  fans,  and  sit  down,  and  eat 
with  him,  telling  them  that  it  was  not  so  hot  but 
he  could  spare  them  that  trouble. 

When  the  ladies  were  all  placed  about  him,  the 
first  thing  he  did  was  to  ask  their  names,  which 
were  different  from  the  other  seven,  and  expressed 
some  perfection  of  mind  or  body  which  distin- 
guished them  from  one  another  ;  upon  which  he 
took  an  opportunity,  when  he  presented  them 
with  fruit,  etc.,  to  say  something  gallant.  By 
these  sallies  Abou  Hassan  more  and  more  amused 
the  caliph,  who  was  delighted  with  his  words  and 
actions,  and  pleased  to  think  he  had  found  in  him 
a  man  who  diverted  him  so  agreeably. 

By  this  time,  the  day  beginning  to  close,  Abou 
Hassan  was  conducted  into  a  fourth  hall,  much 
more  superb  and  magnificently  furnished,  and 
lighted  with  wax  in  seven  gold  lustres,  which  gave 
a  splendid  light.  Abou  Hassan  found  there  what 
he  had  not  observed  in  any  of  the  other  halls,  a 
beaufet,  set  out  with  seven  large  silver  flagons, 
full  of  the  choicest  wines,  and  by  them  seven  crys- 
tal glasses  of  the  finest  workmanship. 

Hitherto,  in  the  first  three  halls,  Abou  Hassan 
had  drunk  nothing  but  water,  according  to  the 
custom  observed  at  Bagdad,  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest,  at  the  caliph's  court,  never  to  drink 
wine  till  the  evening. 

As   soon  as  Abou    Hassan  entered   the    fourth 


hall,  he  went  to  the  table,  sat  down,  and  was  a 
long  time  in  a  kind  of  ecstasy  at  the  sight  which 
surrounded  him,  and  which  was  much  more  beau- 
tiful than  anything  he  had  beheld  in  the  other 
halls.  He  was  desirous  to  continue  his  conversa- 
tion with  the  ladies,  his  fair  attendants,  and  he 
clapped  his  hands  for  the  musicians  to  cease.  A 
profound  silence  ensued.  Taking  by  the  hand  the 
lady  who  stood  on  the  right  next  to  him,  he  made 
her  sit  down  by  him,  and  presenting  her  with  a 
cake,  asked  her  name.  "  Commander  of  the 
Faithful,"  said  the  lady,  "I  am  called  Cluster  of 
Pearls."  "  No  name,"  refilled  Abou  Hassan, 
"  could  have  more  properly  expressed  your  worth  ; 
and  indeed  your  teeth  exceed  the  finest  pearls. 
Cluster  of  Pearls,"  added  he,  "  since  that  is  your 
name,  oblige  me  with  a  glass  of  wine  from  your 
fair  hand."  The  lady  went  to  the  beaufet,  and 
brought  him  a  glass  of  wine,  which  she  presented 
to  him  with  a  pleasant  air.  Abou  Hassan  took 
the  glass  with  a  smile,  and  said,  "  Cluster  of 
Pearls,  I  drink  your  health." 

After  Abou  Hassan  had  drunk,  he  made  an- 
other lady  sit  down  by  him,  and  presenting  her 
with  what  she  chose  in  the  basins,  asked  her 
name,  which  she  told  him  was  Morning  Star. 
"  Your  bright  eyes,"  said  he,  "  shine  with  greater 
lustre  than  that  star  whose  name  you  bear.  Do 
me  the  pleasure  to  bring  me  some  wine."  Which 
she  did  with  the  best  grace  in  the  world.  Then 
turning  to  the  third  lady,  whose  name  was  Day- 
light, he  ordered  her  to  do  the  same,  and  so  on  to 
the  seventh,  to  the  extreme  satisfaction  of  the  ca- 
liph. 

When  they  had  all  filled  him  a  glass  round, 
Cluster  of  Pearls,  whom  he  had  first  addressed, 
went  to  the  beaufet,  poured  out  a  glass  of  wine, 
and  putting  in  a  pinch  of  the  same  powder  the 
caliph  had  used  the  night  before,  presented  it  to 
Abou  Hassan.  "  Commander  of  the  Faithful," 
said  she,  "  I  beg  of  your  majesty  to  take  this  glass 
of  wine,  and  before  you  drink  it,  do  me  the  favor 
to  hear  a  song  I  have  composed  to-day,  and  which, 
I  flatter  myself,  will  not  displease  you." 

When  the  lady  had  concluded,   Abou   Hassan 


276 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


drank  off  his  glass,  and  turned  his  head  towards 
her,  to  give  her  those  praises  which  he  thought 
she  merited,  but  was  prevented  by  the  opiate  : 
for,  in  a  moment,  dropping  his  head  on  the  cush- 
ions, he  slept  as  profoundly  as  the  day  before, 
■when  the  caliph  had  given  him  the  powder.  One 
of  the  ladies  stood  ready  to  catch  the  glass,  which 
fell  out  of  his  hand ;  and  then  the  caliph,  who  en- 
joyed greater  satisfaction  in  this  scene  than  he  had 
promised  himself,  and  was  all  along  a  spectator  of 
what  had  passed,  came  into  the  hall  to  them, 
overjoyed  at  the  success  of  his  plan.  He  ordered 
Abou  Hassan  to  be  dressed  in  his  own  clothes, 
and  carried  back  to  his  house,  and  to  be  replaced 
in  his  usual  bed. 

Abou  Hassan  slept  till  very  late  the  next  morn- 
ing. When  the  powder  was  worked  off,  he  awoke, 
opened  his  eyes,  and  finding  himself  at  home,  was 
in  the  utmost  surprise.  "  Cluster  of  Pearls, 
Morning  Star,  Coral  Lips,  Moon  Face,"  cried  he, 
calling  the  ladies  of  the  palace  by  their  names,  as 
he  remembered  them,  "where  are  you?  Come 
hither." 

Abou  Hassan  called  so  loud  that  his  mother, 
who  was  in  her  own  apartment,  heard  him,  and 
running  to  him  upon  the  noise  he  made,  said, 
"  What  ails  you,  son  ?  what  has  happened  to 
you  ?  "  At  these  words  Abou  Hassan  lifted  up  his 
head,  and  looking  haughtily  at  his  mother,  said, 
"  Good  woman,  who  is  it  you  call  son  ?  "  "  Why, 
you,"  answered  his  mother,  very  mildly  ;  "  are  not 
you  Abou  Hassan,  my  son  ?  It  is  strange  that  you 
have  forgotten  yourself  so  soon."  "  I  your  son  !  " 
replied  Abou  Hassan.  "  You  know  not  what  you 
say.  I  am  not  Abou  Hassan,  I  tell  you.  but  the 
Commander  of  the  Faithful ;  and  you  shall  never 
persuade  me  to  the  contrary  !  "  "  Pray,  son,"  said 
the  mother,  "  let  us  leave  off  this  discourse.  Let 
us  talk  of  something  else.  I  will  tell  you  what 
happened  yesterday  in  our  quarter  to  the  imaun  of 
the  mosque,  and  the  four  sheiks,  our  neighbors. 
The  cadi  came  and  seized  them,  and  gave  each  of 
them  I  know  not  how  many  strokes  with  a  basti- 
nado, while  a  crier  proclaimed  that  such  was  the 
punishment  of  all  those  who  troubled  themselves 


about  other  people's  business.  He  afterwards  led 
them  through  all  the  streets,  and  ordered  them 
never  to  come  into  our  quarter  again." 

Abou  Hassan  no  sooner  heard  this  relation,  but 
he  cried  out,  "  Know  then  that  it  was  by  my  order 
the  imaun  and  the  four  sheiks  were  punished  ;  and 
I  tell  you  I  am  the  Commander  of  the  Faithful, 
and  all  thy  arguments  shall  not  convince  me  of 
the  contrary." 

The  mother,  who  could  not  imagine  why  her 
son  so  positively  maintained  himself  to  be  caliph, 
no  longer  doubted  but  that  he  had  lost  his  senses, 
and  in  this  thought  said  :  "  I  pray  God,  son,  to  have 
mercy  upon  you,  and  to  give  you  grace  to  talk 
more  reasonably.  What  would  the  world  say  to 
hear  you  rave  in  this  manner?  " 

These  remonstrances  only  enraged  Abou  Has- 
san the  more  and  he  was  so  provoked  that  he  lost 
all  the  respect  due  from  a  son  to  his  mother. 
Getting  up  hastily,  and  laying  hold  of  a  cane,  he 
ran  to  his  mother  in  great  fury,  and  said,  "  Tell  me 
directly  who  I  am."  "  I  do  not  believe,  son,"  re- 
plied she,  looking  at  him  tenderly  and  without  fear, 
"  that  you  are  so  abandoned  by  God  as  not  to  know 
your  mother,  who  brought  you  into  the  world,  and 
to  mistake  yourself.  You  are  indeed  my  son  Abou 
Hassan,  and  are  much  in  the  wrong  to  arrogate  to 
yourself  the  title  which  belongs  only  to  our  sover- 
eign lord  the  Caliph  Haroun  Al-Raschid,  especially 
after  the  noble  and  generous  present  of  a  thousand 
pieces  of  gold  that  he  sent  us  yesterday  !  " 

At  these  words  Abou  Hassan  grew  quite  mad. 
"  Well,"  cried  he,  "  will  you  be  convinced  when  I 
tell  you  that  I  sent  you  those  thousand  pieces  of 
gold,  as  I  was  Commander  of  the  Faithful  ?  Why 
then  do  you  maintain  with  such  obstinacy  that  I 
am  your  son  ?  But  you  shall  not  go  unpunished." 
After  these  words,  in  the  height  of  his  frenzy  he 
beat  her  with  his  cane. 

The  poor  mother,  who  could  not  understand  her 
son,  called  out  for  help  so  loud  that  the  neighbors 
ran  in  to  her  assistance.  Abou  Hassan  continued  to 
beat  her,  at  every  stroke  asking  her  if  he  was  the 
Commander  of  the  Faithful ;  to  which  she  always 
answered  tenderly  that  he  was  her  son. 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


277 


On  hearing  her  cries  for  help,  the  neighbors 
came  in  and  remonstrated  with  Abou  Hassan  on 
his  conduct,  and  claimed  acquaintance  with  him. 
He  said  to  them  :  "  Begone  !  I  neither  know  her 
nor  you.  I  am  not  Abou  Hassan  ;  I  am  the  Com- 
mander of  the  Faithful,  and  will  make  you  feel  it 
to  your  cost." 

At  this  speech,  the  neighbors,  no  longer  doubt- 
ing that  he  was  mad,  seized  him,  bound  him  hand 
and  foot,  and  conducted  him  to  the  hospital  for 
mad  people,  where  he  was  lodged  in  a  grated  cell 
and  beaten  with  fifty  strokes  of  the  bastinado  on 
his  shoulders.  This  punishment  was  repeated 
every  day,  and  each  time  the  executioner  bade 
him  remember  that  he  was  not  the  Commander  of 
the  Faithful. 

Abou  Hassan's  mother  went  every  day  to  visit 
her  son,  and  could  not  forbear  weeping  at  the 
hardships  he  endured.  These  practical  proofs 
that  he  was  not  the  caliph  began  to  have  their 
effect  on  Abou  Hassan.  Sometimes  he  would  say 
to  himself,  "  If  I  was  caliph  and  Commander  of 
the  Faithful,  why  should  the  grand  vizier,  and  all 
those  emirs  and  governors  of  provinces,  who  pros- 
trated themselves  at  my  feet,  forsake  me  ?  How 
came  I  at  home  dressed  in  my  own  robes  ?  Cer- 
tainly I  ought  to  look  upon  all  as  a  dream.  But 
yet  there  are  so  many  things  about  it  that  I  can- 
not comprehend,  that  I  will  put  my  trust  in  God, 
who  knows  all  things." 

Abou  Hassan  was  taken  up  with  these  thoughts 
and  reflections  when  his  mother  came  to  see  him. 
"  Well,  my  son,"  said  she,  wiping  her  tears,  "how 
do  you  do,  and  how  do  you  find  yourself  ?  "  "  In- 
deed, mother,"  replied  Abou  Hassan,  very  ration- 
ally and  calmly,  "  I  acknowledge  my  error.  I  have 
been  deceived  by  a  dream  ;  but  by  so  extraordi- 
nary a  one,  and  so  like  to  truth,  that  while  I  am 
speaking  I  can  hardly  persuade  myself  but  that 
what  befell  me  was  matter  of  fact.  But  whatever 
it  was,  I  am  convinced  that  I  am  not  the  caliph 
and  Commander  of  the  Faithful,  but  Abou  Hassan 
your  son."  "  My  son  !  "  cried  she,  transported 
with  pleasure,  "  to  hear  you  talk  so  reasonably 
gives  me  as  much  joy  as  if  I  had  brought  you  into 


the  world  a  second  time ;  but  I  must  tell  you  my 
opinion  of  that  adventure.  I  fear  the  stranger 
whom  you  brought  home  the  evening  before  your 
illness  to  sup  with  you  threw  you  into  the  horrible 
illusion  you  have  been  in ;  therefore,  my  son,  you 
ought  to  return  God  thanks  for  your  deliverance, 
and  beseech  Him  to  keep  you  from  falling  again 
under  the  enchantments  of  magic."  Upon  this  his 
mother  went  immediately  to  the  keeper,  who  came, 
examined,  and  released  him  in  her  presence. 

When  Abou  Hassan  came  home,  he  recovered 
his  strength,  and  within  a  few  days  resumed  the 
same  plan  he  had  before  pursued,  of  regaling  a 
stranger  at  night.  On  the  first  day  on  which  Abou 
Hassan  renewed  his  former  custom,  he  had  not  been 
long  arrived  at  the  bridge,  when  he  perceived  the 
Mussulman  merchant,  followed  by  the  same  slave. 
Persuaded  that  all  his  misfortunes  were  owing  to 
the  merchant,  he  shuddered  at  the  sight  of  him. 
"  God  preserve  me  !  "  said  he  to  himself  ;  "  if  I  am 
not  deceived  there  is  again  the  magician  who  en- 
chanted me  !  "  He  trembled  with  agitation,  and 
resolved  not  to  see  him  till  he  was  past. 

The  caliph  had  taken  care  to  inform  himself  of 
all  that  had  happened  to  Abou  Hassan,  and  was 
glad  to  learn  that  he  had  returned  to  his  usual 
manner  of  living.  He  perceived  Abou  Hassan  at 
the  same  time  that  he  saw  him,  and  when  he  came 
nigh  him,  he  looked  him  in  the  face.  "  Ho, 
brother  Abou  Hassan,"  said  he,  "  is  it  you  ?  —  I 
greet  you  !  Give  me  leave  to  embrace  you  ?  " 
"  Not  I,"  replied  Abou  Hassan,  "  I  do  not  greet 
you  ;  I  will  have  neither  your  greeting  nor  your 
embraces.      Go,  I  say,  about  your  business." 

The  caliph  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  his 
purpose  by  this  rude  behavior.  He  knew  well 
the  law  Abou  Hassan  had  imposed  on  himself, 
never  to  have  commerce  again  with  a  stranger  he 
had  once  entertained,  but  pretended  to  be  igno- 
rant of  it. 

"  Ah!  brother  Abou  Hassan,"  replied  the  caliph, 
embracing  him,  "  I  do  not  intend  to  part  with  you 
thus,  since  I  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet 
with  you  a  second  time  ;  you  must  exercise  the 
same  hospitality  towards  me  again  that  you  showed 


278 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


me  a  month  ago,  when  I  had  the  honor  to  drink 
with  you." 

Abou  Hassan,  notwithstanding  his  resolution 
never  to  admit  the  same  stranger  a  second  time, 
could  not  resist  the  caresses  of  the  caliph,  whom 
he  still  took  for  a  merchant  of  Moussul.  "  I  will 
consent,"  said  he,  "  on  one  condition,  that  you  dis- 
pense with  your  good  wishes,  and  that  you  prom- 
ise to  form  none  for  me.  All  the  mischief  that 
has  hitherto  befallen  me  arose  from  those  you 
expressed  for  me."  "  Well,"  replied  the  caliph, 
"  since  you  will  have  it  so,  I  promise  you  I  will 
form  none."  "  You  give  me  pleasure  by  speaking 
so,"  said  Abou  Hassan  ;  "  I  desire  no  more  ;  I 
shall  be  more  than  satisfied  provided  you  keep 
your  word,  and  I  shall  forgive  you  all  the  rest." 

As  soon  as  Abou  Hassan  entered  his  house,  he 
called  for  his  mother  and  for  candles,  desired  his 
guest  to  sit  down  upon  a  sofa,  and  then  placed 
himself  by  him.  A  little  time  after,  supper  was 
brought  up,  and  they  both  began  to  eat  without 
ceremony.  When  they  had  done,  Abou  Hassan's 
mother  cleared  the  table,  set  on  a  small  dessert  of 
fruit,  wine,  and  glasses  by  her  son,  then  withdrew, 
and  appeared  no  more.  Abou  Hassan  first  filled 
out  his  own  glass  and  then  the  caliph's  ;  and  after 
they  had  drunk  some  time,  and  talked  of  indiffer- 
ent matters,  "  It  is  a  great  pity,"  said  the  caliph, 
"  that  so  gallant  a  man  as  you,  who  owns  himself 
not  insensible  of  love,  should  lead  so  solitary  a 
life."  "  I  prefer  the  easy  quiet  life  I  live,"  replied 
Abou  Hassan,  "-before  the  company  of  a  wife,  who 
might  not  please  me.  I  should  require  beauty, 
accomplishments,  the  art  of  pleasing,  and  wit  in 
conversation  ;  but  where  is  such  a  woman  to  be 
found  except  in  the  caliph's  palace?"  "Let  me 
alone,"  said  the  disguised  merchant  in  reply ; 
"  since  you  have  the  same  good  taste  as  every 
other  honest  man,  I  warrant  you  I  will  find  you 
a  wife  that  shall  please  you."  Then  taking  Abou 
Hassan's  glass,  and  putting  a  pinch  of  the  same 
powder  into  it,  he  filled  him  up  a  bumper,  and 
presenting  it  to  him,  said,  "  Come,  let  us  drink  be- 
forehand the  fair  lady's  health,  who  is  to  make 
you  happy.     I  am  sure  you  will  like  her." 


Abou  Hassan  took  the  glass  laughing,  and  shak 
ing  his  head,  said,  "  Be  it  so,  since  you  desire  it ; 
I  cannot  be  guilty  of  so  great  a  piece  of  incivility, 
nor  disoblige  a  guest  of  so  much  merit  in  such  a 
trifling  matter.  I  will  drink  the  health  of  the 
lady  you  promise  me,  though  I  am  very  well  con- 
tented as  I  am,  and  do  not  rely  on  your  keeping 
your  word."  No  sooner  had  Abou  Hassan  drank 
off  his  bumper  than  he  fell  into  as  deep  a  sleep  as 
before ;  and  the  caliph  ordered  the  same  slave  to 
take  him  and  carry  him  to  the  palace. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  palace,  the  calipb  or- 
dered Abou  Hassan  to  be  dressed  in  the  same 
robes  in  which  he  had  acted  as  caliph,  and  to  be 
laid  on  a  sofa  in  the  fourth  hall,  from  whence  he 
had  been  carried  home  fast  asleep  a  month  before. 
He  then  charged  all  the  viziers,  officers,  ladies, 
and  musicians  who  were  in  the  hall  when  he  drank 
the  last  glass  of  wine  which  had  put  him  to  sleep, 
to  be  there  by  daybreak,  and  to  take  care  to  act 
their  parts  well  when  he  should  awake.  He  then 
retired  to  rest,  charging  Mesrour  to  awake  him 
first,  that  he  might  conceal  himself  in  the  closet 
as  before. 

Things  being  thus  disposed,  and  the  caliph's 
powder  having  had  its  effect,  Abou  Hassan  began 
to  awake.  At  that  instant  the  hautboys,  fifes, 
flutes,  and  other  instruments  commenced  a  very 
agreeable  concert.  Abou  Hassan  was  in  great 
surprise  to  hear  the  delightful  harmony ;  but 
when  he  opened  his  eyes,  and  saw  the  ladies  and 
officers  about  him,  and  the  gorgeous  chamber 
which  he  had  visited  in  his  first  dream,  his  amaze- 
ment increased. 

When  the  concert  ceased,  and  all  the  officers  of 
the  chamber  waited,  in  profound  and  respectful 
silence,  Abou  Hassan  bit  his  finger,  and  cried  loud 
enough  for  the  caliph  to  hear  him  :  "  Alas  !  I  am 
fallen  again  into  the  same  dream  that  happened  to 
me  a  month  ago,  and  must  expect  again  the  basti- 
nado and  grated  cell  at  the  mad-house.  He  was  a 
wicked  man  that  I  entertained  at  my  house  last 
night,  who  has  been  the  cause  of  this  illusion,  and 
the  hardships  I  must  again  undergo.  Great  God ! 
I  commit  myself  into  thy  hands  ;  preserve  me  from 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF   THE    CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


279 


the  temptation  of  Satan."  On  saying  tins  he  re- 
solved to  go  to  sleep  again,  and  to  regard  all  he 
saw  as  a  dream.  They  did  not  give  him  time  to 
do  this,  for  one  of  the  officers  taking  him  by  one 
arm,  and  a  second  by  the  other,  they  lifted  him 
up,  and  carried  him  into  the  middle  of  the  hall, 
where  they  seated  him,  and  all  taking  hands, 
danced  and  skipped  round  him  while  the  music 
played,  and  sounded  loudly  in  his  ears. 

Abou  Hassan,  having  commanded  silence,  fell 
into  a  great  perplexity,  and  inquired  whether  he 
were  indeed  the  caliph.  On  being  informed  that 
he  had  never  been  out  of  that  hall  since  the  time 
he  fell  asleep  in  it,  he  then  uncovered  his  shoul- 
ders, and  showed  the  ladies  the  livid  weals  of  the 
blows  he  had  received.  "Look,"  said  he,  "and 
judge  whether  these  strokes  could  come  to  me  in 
a  dream  or  when  I  was  asleep.  For  my  part,  I 
can  affirm  that  they  were  real  blows ;  I  feel  the 
smart  of  them  yet,  and  that  is  a  sure  testimony. 
Now,  if  I  received  these  strokes  in  my  sleep,  in 
this  hall,  it  is  the  most  extraordinary  thing  in  the 
world,  and  surpasses  my  comprehension." 

In  this  uncertainty,  Abou  Hassan  called  to  one 
of  the  officers  that  stood  near  him.  "  Come 
hither,"  said  he,  "  and  bite  the  tip  of  my  ear,  that 
I  may  know  whether  I  am  asleep  or  awake."  The 
officer  obeyed,  and  bit  so  hard  that  he  made  him 
cry  out  loudly  with  the  pain  ;  the  music  struck  up 
at  the  same  time,  and  the  officers  and  ladies  all 
began  to  sing,  dance,  and  skip  about  Abou  Has- 
san, and  made  such  a  noise  that  he  was  the  more 
3onvinced  that  he  was  the  subject  of  a  pleasantry ; 
and  joining  in  the  joke,  he  threw  off  his  caliph's 
habit  and  his  turban,  jumped  up  in  his  shirt  and 
drawers,  danced  with  the  rest,  jumping  and  cut- 
ting capers,  so  that  the  caliph  could  not  contain 
himself,  but  burst  into  violent  laughter  ;  and  put- 
ting his  head  into  the  room,  cried,  "Abou  Hassan, 
Abou  Hassan,  have  you  a  mind  to  kill  me  with 
laujrhinjr  ?  " 

As  soon  as  the  caliph's  voice  was  heard  every- 
body was  silent,  and  Abou  Hassan,  turning  his 
head  to  see  from  whence  the  voice  came,  recog- 
nized the  Moussul  merchant,  and  knew  him  to  be 


the  caliph.  He  was  not  in  the  least  daunted.  On 
the  contrary,  he  saw  at  once  all  that  had  hap- 
pened to  him,  and  entered  into  the  caliph's  hu- 
mor. "  Ha  !  ha  !  "  said  he,  looking  at  him  with 
good  assurance,  "  you  pretend  to  be  a  merchant 
of  Moussul,  and  complain  that  I  would  kill  you. 
You  have  made  me  beat  my  mother,  and  to  lose 
my  senses,  and  have  been  the  occasion  of  all 
my  misfortunes.  I  beg  of  you  to  tell  me  what 
you  did  to  disturb  my  brain  in  this  manner :  I 
would  know,  that  I  may  perfectly  recover  my 
senses." 

"  You  will  remember,"  said  the  caliph,  "  the 
evening  that  you  invited  me  to  supper,  in  our  con- 
versation you  told  me  that  the  only  thing  you 
wished  for  was  to  be  caliph  for  four-and-twenty 
hours.  I  saw  in  this  desire  of  yours  a  fruitful 
source  of  diversion  to  me  and  to  my  court,  and  I 
determined  to  procure  for  you  the  fulfillment  of 
your  wish.  By  means  of  a  strong  opiate  which  I 
put,  without  your  knowledge,  in  the  last  glass  I 
pi'esented  to  you,  I  had  you  conveyed  to  my  pal- 
ace. You  know  the  rest.  I  am  sorry  that  my 
pastime  should  have  caused  you  so  much  suffering, 
but  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  make  you  amends.  Thou 
art  my  brother ;  ask  what  thou  wilt  and  thou 
shalt  have  it." 

"  Commander  of  the  Faithful,"  replied  Abou 
Hassan,  "how  great  soever  my  tortures  may  have 
been,  they  are  all  blotted  out  of  my  remembrance, 
since  my  sovereign  lord  and  master  had  a  share  in 
thein.  The  only  boon  I  would  beg  is  that  I  may 
have  access  to  your  person,  to  enjoy  the  happiness 
of  admiring,  all  my  lifetime,  your  virtues." 

Upon  leaving,  the  caliph  ordered  a  rich  robe  to 
be  brought,  and  assigned  him  an  office  in  the  pal- 
ace, and  directed  the  treasurer  to  give  him  a  purse 
of  a  thousand  gold  pieces,  and  to  allow  him  at  all 
times  access  to  his  person. 

Abou  Hassan  made  a  low  prostration,  and  the 
caliph  left  him  to  go  to  his  divan. 

Abou  Hassan  returned  home,  and  informed  his 
mother  of  his  good  fortune,  and  that  his  story  was 
not  all  a  dream  ;  for  that  he  had  actually  been  ca- 
liph, had  acted  as  such,  and  received  all  the  hon. 


280 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


ors ;  and  that  this  had  been  confirmed  by  the  ca- 
liph himself. 

Abou  Hassan  was,  as  we  have  seen,  a  man  of  a 
pleasant  temper  and  ready  wit,  and  the  caliph 
often  had  him  at  court,  and  took  him  to  visit  his 
Queen  Zobeide,  to  whom  he  had  related  his  story. 
Now  Zobeide  soon  observed  that  every  time  he 
came  with  the  caliph,  he  had  his  eyes  always  fixed 
upon  one  of  her  attendants,  called  Nouzhatoul- 
aouadat.  "  Commander  of  the  Faithful,"  said  she 
one  day,  "  you  do  not  observe  that  every  time 
Abou  Hassan  attends  you  in  your  visits  to  me,  he 
never  keeps  his  eyes  off  Nouzhatoul-aouadat,  and 
pays  her  great  attention.  If  you  approve  of  it,  we 
will  make  a  match  between  them." 

"  Madam,"  replied  the  caliph,  "  I  have  already 
promised  Abou  Hassan  a  wife  ;  but  it  is  better 
that  he  should  choose  for  himself." 

Abou  Hassan  threw  hir^self  at  the  caliph's  and 
Zobeide's  feet,  and  rising  up,  said :  "  I  cannot  re- 
ceive a  wife  from  better  bands ;  but  dare  not  hope 
that  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  will  give  her  consent." 
At  these  words  he  looked  at  the  princess's  slave, 
who  showed  by  her  respectful  silence,  and  the  sud- 
den blush  that  arose  in  her  cheeks,  that  she  was 
disposed  to  obey  the  caliph  and  her  mistress. 

The  nuptials  were  celebrated  in  the  palace,  with 
great  rejoicings,  which  lasted  several  days.  Zo- 
beide made  her  slave  considerable  presents,  and 
the  caliph  did  the  same  to  Abou  Hassan.  The 
bride  was  conducted  to  the  apartment  the  caliph 
had  assigned  Abou  Hassan,  who  received  her  with 
the  sound  of  all  sorts  of  instruments,  and  musi- 
cians of  both  sexes,  who  made  the  air  echo  with 
their  concert. 

Abou  Hassan  and  his  spouse  were  charmed  with 
each  other.  Indeed,  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  was  just 
such  a  wife  as  he  had  described  to  the  caliph. 
After  their  marriage,  they  gave  costly  entertain- 
ments, and  each  vied  with  the  other  in  sparing  no 
expense  for  the  amusement  of  their  friends,  until, 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  their  marriage,  they 
had  expended  all  the  presents  given  by  the  sultan 
and  Zobeide,  as  well  as  the  patrimony  inherited 
by  Abou  Hassan. 


Being  in  great  straits,  and  willing  neither  to 
forego  their  manner  of  life  nor  to  ask  the  sultan 
or  Zobeide  for  further  presents,  they  took  secret 
counsel  together,  when  Abou  Hassan  resolved 
both  to  put  a  pleasant  trick  on  the  caliph  and  on 
Zobeide,  and  to  obtain  from  them  the  means  of 
carrying  on  his  usual  mode  of  living.  "  I  will  tell 
you  what  I  propose,"  said  he  to  Nouzhatoul- 
aouadat.  "  I  will  feign  myself  to  be  dead,  and 
you  shall  place  me  in  the  middle  of  my  chamber, 
with  my  turban  upon  my  face,  my  feet  towards 
Mecca,  as  if  ready  to  be  carried  out  to  burial. 
When  you  have  done  this,  you  must  weep,  tear 
your  clothes  and  hair,  and  go  all  in  tears,  with 
your  locks  dishevelled,  to  Zobeide.  The  princess 
will  of  course  inquire  the  cause  of  your  grief ;  and 
when  you  have  told  her,  she  will  pity  you,  give 
you  money  to  defray  the  expense  of  my  funeral, 
and  a  piece  of  good  brocade,  in  the  room  of  that 
you  will  have  torn.  As  soon  as  you  return  with 
the  money  and  the  brocade,  I  will  rise,  lay  you  in 
my  place,  and  go  and  act  the  same  part  with  the 
caliph,  who,  I  dare  say,  will  be  as  generous  to  me 
as  Zobeide  will  have  been  to  you." 

Nouzhatoul-aouadat  highly  approved  the  proj- 
ect, and  having  acted  upon  her  husband's  sug- 
gestion and  placed  him  as  he  desired,  she  pulled 
off  her  head-dress,  and  with  a  dismal  cry  and  lam- 
entation, beating  her  face  and  breast  with  all  the 
marks  of  the  most  lively  grief,  ran  across  the  court 
to  Zobeide's  apartments. 

The  princess,  amazed  to  see  her  slave  in  such 
extraordinary  affliction,  asked  what  had  hap- 
pened; but,  instead  of  answering,  she  continued 
her  sobs ;  and  at  last  feigning  to  strive  to  check 
them,  said,  with  words  interrupted  with  sighs  : 
"  Alas  !  my  most  honored  mistress,  what  greater 
misfortune  could  have  befallen  me.  Abou  Has- 
san !  poor  Abou  Hassan  !  whom  you  honored  with 
your  esteem,  and  gave  me  for  a  husband,  is  no 
more !  " 

Zobeide  was  extremely  concerned  at  this  news, 
and  after  having  expressed  her  sorrow,  commanded 
her  women  to  fetch  a  hundred  pieces  of  gold  and 
a  rich  cloth  of  gold,  and  to  give  then?  to  Nouzha- 


THE  ADVENTURES    OF   THE    CALIPH  HAB.OUN  AL-RASCHID. 


281 


toul-aouadat,  who  threw  herself  again  at  the  prin- 
cess's feet,  and  thanked  her  with  great  self-satis- 
faction at  finding  she  had  succeeded  so  well. 

As  soon  as  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  got  out  of  the 
princess's  presence,  she  dried  up  her  tears,  and  re- 
turned with  joy  to  Abou  Hassan.  Unable  to  con- 
tain herself  at  the  success  of  her  artifice,  "  Come, 
husband,"  said  she,  laughing,  "  now  do  you  hasten 
and  see  if  you  can  manage  the  caliph  as  well  as  I 
have  done  Zobeide." 

"  That  is  the  temper  of  all  women,"  replied 
Abou  Hassan,  "  who,  we  may  well  say,  have  al- 
ways the  vanity  to  believe  they  can  do  things  bet- 
ter than  men,  though  at  the  same  time  what  good 
they  do  is  by  their  advice.  It  would  be  odd  in- 
deed, if  I,  who  laid  this  plot  myself,  could  not 
carry  it  on  as  well  as  you.  But  let  us  lose  no 
time  in  idle  discourse  ;  lie  down  in  my  place,  and 
witness  if  I  do  not  come  off  with  as  much  ap- 
plause." 

Abou  Hassan  wrapped  up  his  wife  as  she  had 
done  him,  and  with  his  turban  unrolled,  like  a 
man  in  the  greatest  affliction,  ran  to  the  caliph. 
He  presented  himself  at  the  door,  and  the  officer, 
knowing  he  had  free  access,  opened  it.  He  en- 
tered holding  with  one  hand  his  handkerchief  be- 
ts 

fore  his  eyes,  to  hide  the  feigned  tears,  and  struck 
his  breast  with  the  other,  and  uttered  exclama- 
tions expressing  extraordinary  grief. 

The  caliph,  always  used  to  see  Abou  Hassan 
with  a  merry  countenance,  inquired  with  much 
concern  the  cause  of  his  grief.  "  Commander  of 
the  Faithful,"  answered  Abou  Hassan,  with  re- 
peated sighs  and  sobs,  "  may  you  long  reign  !  A 
greater  calamity  could  not  have  befallen  me  than 
what  I  now  lament.  Alas  !  Nouzhatoul-aouadat ! 
my  wife,  alas  !  alas  !  " 

The  caliph,  who  now  understood  that  Abou 
Hassan  came  to  tell  him  of  the  death  of  his  wife, 
seemed  much  concerned,  and  said  to  him  with  an 
air  which  showed  how  much  he  regretted  her  loss, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  her  !  She  was  a  good  slave, 
and  we  gave  her  to  you  with  an  intention  to  make 
you  happy ;  she  deserved  a  longer  life."  And 
having  said  this,    he  ordered   his   treasurer,  who 

36 


was  present,  to  give  Abou  Hassan  a  purse  of  a 
hundred  pieces  of  gold  and  a  piece  of  brocade. 
Abou  Hassan  immediately  cast  himself  at  the  ca- 
liph's feet,  and  thanked  him  for  his  present.  As 
soon  as  he  had  got  the  purse  and  piece  of  brocade,, 
he  went  home,  well  pleased  with  having  found  out 
so  quick  and  easy  a  way  of  supplying  the  neces- 
sity which  had  given  him  so  much  uneasiness. 

Nouzhatoul-aouadat,  as  soon  as  she  heard  the 
door  open,  sprang  up,  ran  to  her  husband,  and 
asked  him  if  he  had  imposed  on  the  caliph  as  clev- 
erly as  she  had  done  on  Zobeide.  "  You  see  !  " 
said  he,  showing  her  the  stuff,  and  shaking  the 
purse. 

The  caliph  was  so  impatient  to  condole  with 
the  princess  on  the  death  of  her  slave,  that  he  rose 
up  as  soou  as  Abou  Hassan  was  gone.  "  Follow 
me,"  said  he  to  the  vizier,  "  let  us  go  and  share 
with  the  princess  the  grief  which  the  death  of  her 
slave  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  must  have  occasioned." 

Accordingly  they  went  to  Zobeide's  apartment, 
whom  the  caliph  found  sitting  on  a  sofa,  much  af- 
flicted, and  still  in  tears.  "  Madam,"  said  the  ca- 
liph, "  I  wish  to  tell  you  how  much  I  partake 
with  you  in  your  affliction  in  your  loss  of  Nouzha- 
toul-aouadat, your  faithful  slave."  "  Commander 
of  the  Faithful,"  replied  Zobeide,  "  I  do  not  la- 
ment my  slave's  death,  but  that  of  Abou  Hassan, 
her  husband."  "  Madam,"  said  the  caliph,  "  I 
tell  you  that  you  are  deceived  ;  Nouzhatoul-aoua- 
dat is  dead,  and  Abou  Hassan  is  alive,  and  in  per- 
fect health." 

Zobeide,  much  piqued  at  this  answer  of  the  ca- 
liph, replied,  "  Permit  me  to  repeat,  once  more, 
that  it  is  Abou  Hassan  who  is  dead,  and  that  my 
slave  Nouzhatoul-aouadat,  his  widow,  is  living. 
It  is  not  an  hour  since  she  went  from  hence,  hav- 
ing told  me  her  affliction.  All  my  women,  who 
wept  with  me,  can  bear  me  witness  that  I  made 
her  a  present  of  a  hundred  pieces  of  gold  and  a 
piece  of  brocade ;  the  grief  which  you  found  me 
in  was  on  account  of  the  death  of  her  husband  ; 
and  just  at  the  instant  you  entered,  I  was  going 
to  send  you  a  compliment  of  condolence." 

At  these  words  of  Zobeide,  the  caliph  cried  out 


282 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


in  a  fit  of  laughter,  "  This,  madam,  is  a  strange 
piece  of  obstinacy  ;  but,"  continued  he,  seriously 
"  you  may  depend  upon  Nouzhatoul-aouadat' s  be- 
ing dead."  "  I  tell  you  no,  sir,"  replied  Zobeide  ; 
"  it  is  Abou  Hassan  that  is  dead,  and  you  shall 
never  make  me  believe  otherwise." 

Upon  this  the  caliph's  anger  rose  in  his  counte- 
nance, and  lie  ordered  the  vizier  to  go  at  once  and 
ascertain  the  truth  and  bring  him  word.  No 
sooner  was  the  vizier  gone,  than  the  caliph  ad- 
dressing himself  to  Zobeide,  said,  "  You  will  see 
in  a  moment  which  of  us  is  right."  "  For  my 
part,"  replied  Zobeide,  "I  know  very  well  that  I 
am  in  the  right,  and  you  will  find  it  to  be  Abou 
Hassan."  "  And  for  myself,"  returned  the  caliph, 
"I  am  so  sure  that  it  is  Nouzhatoul-aouadat,  that  I 
will  stake  my  garden  of  pleasures  against  your 
palace  of  paintings,  though  the  one  is  worth  much 
more  than  the  other."  "  I  accept  the  wager," 
said  Zobeide,  "  and  will  abide  by  it."  The  caliph 
declared  the  same  intention  ;  and  both  awaited 
the  vizier's  return. 

While  the  caliph  and  Zobeide  were  disputing 
so  earnestly,  and  with  so  much  warmth,  Abou 
Hassan,  who  foresaw  their  difference,  was  very  at- 
tentive to  whatever  might  happen.  As  soon  as 
tie  perceived  the  vizier  through  a  window,  at 
which  he  sat  talking  with  his  wife,  and  observed 
that  he  was  coming  directly  to  their  apartment,  he 
guessed  his  commission,  and  bade  his  wife  make 
haste  to  act  the  part  they  had  agreed  on,  without 
loss  of  time.  They  were  so  pressed  that  Abou 
Hassan  had  much  ado  to  wrap  up  his  wife,  and 
lay  the  piece  of  brocade  which  the  caliph  had 
given  him  upon  her,  before  the  vizier  reached  the 
the  house. 

Having  ascertained  the  truth,  the  vizier  has- 
tened back  to  the  caliph  and  Zobeide. 

"Commander  of  the  Faithful,"  said  the  vizier, 
naving  entered  the  apartment  and  made  his  salu- 
tation, "  it  is  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  who  is  dead, 
for  the  loss  of  whom  Abou  Hassan  is  as  much  af- 
flicted as  when  he  appeared  before  your  majesty." 
The  caliph,  not  giving  him  time  to  pursue  his 
story,  interrupted  him,  and  addressing  himself  to 


Zobeide,  "Well,  madam,"  said  he,  "have  you 
yet  anything  to  say  against  so  certain  a  truth  ? 
Will  you  still  believe  that  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  is 
alive,  and  that  Abou  Hassan  is  dead  ?  And  will 
you  not  own  that  you  have  lost  your  wager  ?  " 

"  How,  sir?"  replied  Zobeide;  "I  am  not  blind 
or  mad !  With  these  eyes  I  saw  Nouzhatoul- 
aouadat  in  the  greatest  affliction.  I  spoke  to  her 
myself,  and  she  told  me  that  her  husband  was 
dead.  My  women  also  heard  her  cries  and  saw 
her  affliction.  Let  me,  I  pray  you,  send  my 
nurse,  in  whom  I  can  place  confidence,  to  Abou 
Hassan's,  to  know  whether  or  not  I  am  in  error." 
The  caliph  consented,  and  the  nurse  set  out  on 
her  inquiry. 

In  the  mean  time  Abou  Hassan,  who  watched 
at  the  window,  perceived  the  nurse  at  a  distance, 
and  guessing  that  she  was  sent  by  Zobeide,  called 
his  wife,  and  told  her  that  the  princess's  nurse  was 
coming  to  know  the  truth.  "  Therefore,"  said  he, 
"  make  haste,  and  do  to  me  as  we  have  agreed 
on."  Accordingly,  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  covered 
him  with  the  brocade  Zobeide  had  given  her,  and 
put  his  turban  upon  his  face.  The  nurse,  eager 
to  acquit  herself  of  her  commission,  hobbled  as  fast 
as  age  would  allow  her,  and  entering  the  room, 
perceived  Nouzhatoul-aouadat  in  tears,  her  hair 
disheveled,  and  seated  at  the  head  of  her  hus- 
band, beating  her  breast  with  all  the  expressions 
of  violent  grief. 

As  soon  as  the  nurse  was  gone,  Nouzhatoul- 
aouadat  wiped  her  eyes,  and  released  Abou  Has- 
san. They  both  went  and  sat  down  on  a  sofa 
against  the  window,  expecting  what  would  be  the 
end  of  this  stratagem,  and  to  be  ready  to  act  ac- 
cording as  circumstances  might  require. 

The  nurse,  in  the  mean  time,  made  all  the 
haste  she  could  to  Zobeide,  and  gave  the  caliph 
and  the  princess  a  true  account  of  what  she  saw, 
affirming  that  it  was  Abou  Hassan  who  was  dead. 
This  perplexed  the  caliph  more  and  more  ;  and  he 
said  :  "  It  seems  to  me  a  strange  series  of  marvels, 
and  that  no  one  can  be  believed  more  than  an- 
other. Therefore,  I  propose  we  go  ourselves  to  ex- 
amine the  truth,  for  I  see  no  other  way  to  clear 


THE  ADVENTURES    OF   THE   CALIPH  HAROUN  AL-RASCHID. 


283 


these  doubts."     So  saying,  the  caliph  arose,  and 
the  princess  and  her  train  followed. 

Abou  Hassan,  who  saw  them  coming,  apprised 
his  wife  of  it.  "  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  cried  she  ; 
"we  are  ruined."  "  Not  at  all ;  don't  be  afraid," 
returned  Abou  Hassan.  "Let  us  do  as  we  have 
agreed;  and  all,  you  shall  see,  will  turn  out  well. 
At  the  rate  they  are  coming,  we  shall  be  ready 
before  they  reach  the  door." 

In  fact,  Abou  Hassan  and  his  wife  covered 
themselves  as  well  as  they  could,  and  having 
placed  themselves,  one  beside  the  other,  in  the 
middle  of  the  chamber,  each  under  the  piece  of 
brocade,  they  waited  quietly  for  the  arrival  of  the 
caliph  and  Zobeide.  On  entering  the  chamber, 
followed  by  all  their  people,  they  were  much  sur- 
prise and  perplexed  at  the  dismal  spectacle  which 
presented  itself  to  their  view.  Zobeide  at  last 
broke  silence.  "  Alas !  "  said  she  to  the  caliph, 
'  it  is  too  true  my  dear  slave  is  dead,  as  indeed  it 
will  appear,  for  grief  at  having  lost  her  husband." 
"Allow  rather,  madam,"  replied  the  caliph,  "  that 
Nouzhatoul-aouadat  died  first,  and  that  the  poor 
Abou  Hassan  fell  under  the  affliction  of  seeing 
lis  wife,  your  dear  slave,  die."  "  No,"  replied  Zo- 
3eide,  with  a  spirit  excited  by  the  contradiction 
)f  the  caliph,  "  Abou  Hassan  died  first,  because  my 
urse  saw  his  wife  alive,  and  lamenting  her  hus- 
band's death." 

At  last  the  caliph,  reflecting  upon  all  that  had 
massed,  and  vexed  at  not  being  able  to  come  at 
;he  truth,  tried  to  devise  some  expedient  which 
hould  determine  the  wager  in  his  own  favor 
md  against  Zobeide.  "  I  will  give,"  cried  he,  "  a 
,housand  pieces  to  the  person  who  shall  ascer- 
iain  which  of  the  two  died  first." 

The  caliph  had  scarcely  spoken  these  words, 
ivhen  he  heard  a  voice,  under  the  brocade  which 
iovered  Abou  Hassan,  say,  "  Commander  of  the 
Taithful,  I  died  first ;  give  me  the  thousand  pieces 
>f  gold."     And  at  the  same  time  he  saw  Abou 


Hassan  free  himself  from  the  brocade  which  cov- 
ered him,  and  throw  himself  at  his  feet.  His  wife 
uncovered  herself  in  the  same  manner,  and  ran  to 
throw  herself  at  the  feet  of  Zobeide.  Zobeide  set 
up  a  loud  cry  of  fright  and  alarm.  At  last  re- 
covering herself,  she  was  overjoyed  at  seeing  her 
dear  slave  again,  almost  at  the  moment  she  felt 
inconsolable  at  having  seen  her  dead. 

"  So  then,  Abou  Hassan,"  said  the  caliph,  laugh- 
ing, "  how  came  it  into  your  head  thus  to  surprise 
both  Zobeide  and  me  in  a  way  we  could  not  possi- 
bly be.  upon  our  guard  against  ?  " 

"  Commander  of  the  Faithful,"  replied  Abou 
Hassan,  "  I  will  tell  you  the  whole  truth.  I  and 
the  wife  you  gave  me  have  been  too  profuse  in 
our  entertainments  to  our  friends,  and  we  have 
expended  all  the  treasures  which  your  royal  bounty 
supplied  us  with.  This  morning  we  found  our 
chest  quite  empty  ;  and  knowing  your  highnesses' 
partiality  to  a  pleasant  joke,  we  invented  this  arti- 
fice to  supply  our  need,  which  we  humbly  entreat 
you  will  have  the  goodness  to  forgive." 

The  caliph  and  Zobeide  were  very  well  satisfied 
with  the  sincerity  of  Abou  Hassan,  and  were  dis- 
posed to  forgive  him  the  deception  practiced  on 
them.  "  Follow  me,  both  of  you,"  said  the  caliph  ; 
"  I  will  give  you  the  thousand  pieces  of  gold  that 
I  promised  you,  for  the  joy  I  feel  that  you  are 
neither  of  you  dead." 

"  Commander  of  the  Faithful,"  resumed  Zo- 
beide, "  content  yourself,  I  beseech  you,  with  caus- 
ing the  thousand  pieces  of  gold  to  be  given  to 
Abou  Hassan  ;  you  owe  them  only  to  him.  As 
to  his  wife,  that  is  my  business."  At  the  same 
time  she  gave  a  thousand  pieces  of  gold  to  Nouz- 
hatoul-aouadat, in  proof  of  the  joy  she  felt  that 
she  was  still  alive. 

Thus  did  Abou  Hassan  and  Nouzhatoul-aouad  at 
obtain  the  favor  of  the  Caliph  Haroun  Al-Raschid 
and  of  Zobeide,  and  gained  from  their  bounty 
enough  to  supply  all  their  wants. 


284 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


VI.     THE   HISTORY   OF   ALI   BABA,   AND   OF   THE   FORTY   ROBBERS    KILLED  BY 

ONE   SLAVE. 

He  determined  to  leave  his  asses 
to  save  himself.  He  climbed  up 
a  large  tree,  planted  on  a  high 
rock,  whose  branches  were  thick 
enough  to  conceal  him,  and  yet 
enabled  him  to  see  all  that  passed 
without  being  discovered. 

The    troop,    who    were    to   the 
number  of  forty,  all  well  mounted 
and    armed,   came  to  the  foot  of 
the  rock  on  which  the  tree  stood, 
and     there    dismounted.       Every 
man   unbridled  his  horse,  tied  him  to  some  shrub, 
and  hung  about  his  neck  a  bag  of  corn  which  they 
brought  behind  them.     Then  each  of  them  took 
off  his  saddle-bag,  which  seemed  to  Ali  Baba  to 
be  full  of  gold  and  silver  from  its  weight.     One, 
whom  he  took  to  be  their  captain,  came  under  the 
tree  in   which  Ali  Baba  was  concealed ;  and  mak- 
ing  his    way  through    some    shrubs,    pronounced 
these  words,  —  "  Open,  Sesame  !  "  1     As  soon  as 
the  captain  of  the  robbers  had  thus  spoken,  a  door 
opened  in  the  rock  ;  and  after  he  had  made  all  his 
troop  enter  before  him,  he  followed  them,  when 
the  door  shut  again  of  itself. 

The  robbers  stayed  some  time  within  the  rock, 
during  which  Ali  Baba,  fearful  of  being  caught, 
remained  in  the  tree. 

At  last  the  door  opened  again,  and  as  the  cap- 
tain went  in  last,  so  he  came  out  first,  and  stood 
to  see  them  all  pass  by  him ;  when  Ali  Baba 
heard  him  make  the  door  close  by  pronouncing 
these  words,  —  "  Shut,  Sesame  !  "  Every  man  at 
once  went  and  bridled  his  horse,  fastened  his  wal- 
let, and  mounted  again.  When  the  captain  saw 
them  all  ready,  he  put  himself  at  their  head,  and 
they  returned  the  way  they  had  come. 

Ali  Baba  followed  them  with  his  eyes  as  far  as 
he  could  see  them ;  and  afterwards  stayed  a  con- 
siderable time  before  he  descended.     Remember- 


There  once  lived 
in  a  town  of  Persia 
two  brothers,  one 
named  Cassim,  and 
the  other  Ali  Baba. 
Their  father  divided 
a  small  inheritance 
equally  between  them. 
Cassim  married  a  very 
rich  wife,  and  became 
a  wealthy  merchant. 
Ali  Baba  married  a 
woman  as  poor  as  him- 
self, and  lived  by  cut- 
ting wood,  and  bring- 
ing it  upon  three  asses 
into  the  town  to  sell. 

One  day,  when  Ali 
Baba  was  in  the  for- 
est, and  had  just  cut 
wood  enough  to  load 
his  asses,  he  saw  at  a 
distance  a  great  cloud 
of  dust,  which  seemed 
to  approach  him.  He 
observed    it  with    at- 


tention, and  distinguished    soon    after  a  body  of 
horsemen  whom  he   suspected  might   be  robbers. 

i  "  Sesame,"  is  a  small  grain. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ALI  BAB  A,  AND    OF   THE  FORTY  ROBBERS. 


285 


ing  the  words  the  captain  of  the  robbers  used  to 
cause  the  door  to  open  and  shut,  he  had  the  curi- 
osity to  try  if  his  pronouncing  them  would  have 
the  same  effect.  Accordingly,  he  went  among 
the  shrubs,  and  perceiving  the  door  concealed  be- 
hind them,  stood  before  it,  and  said,  "  Open,  Ses- 
ame !  "      The  door  instantly  flew  wide  open. 

Ali  Baba,  who  expected  a  dark,  dismal  cavern, 
was  surprised  to  see  a  well-lighted  and  spacious 
chamber,  which  received  the  light  from  an  open- 
ing at  the  top  of  the  rock,  and  in  which  were  all 
sorts  of  provisions,  rich  bales  of  silk,  stuff,  brocade, 
and  valuable  carpeting,  piled  upon  one  another, 
gold  and  silver  ingots  in  great  heaps,  and  money 
in  bass.  The  sight  of  all  these  riches  made  him 
suppose  that  this  cave  must  have  been  occupied 
for  ages  by  robbers,  who  had  succeeded  one  an- 
other. 

Ali  Baba  went  boldly  into  the  cave,  and  col- 
lected as  much  of  the  gold  coin,  which  was  in 
bags,  as  he  thought  his  three  asses  could  carry. 
When  he  had  loaded  them  with  the  bags,  he  laid 
wood  over  them  in  such  a  manner  that  they  could 
not  be  seen.  When  he  had  passed  in  and  out  as 
often  as  he  wished,  he  stood  before  the  door,  and 
pronouncing  the  words,  "  Shut,  Sesame  !  "  the  door 
closed  of  itself.  He  then  made  the  best  of  his 
way  to  town. 

When  Ali  Baba  got  home,  he  drove  his  asses 
into  a  little  yard,  shut  the  gates  very  carefully, 
threw  off  the  wood  that  covered  the  panniers, 
carried  the  bags  into  his  house,  and  ranged  them 
in  order  before  his  wife.  He  then  emptied  the 
bags,  which  raised  such  a  great  heap  of  gold  as 
dazzled  his  wife's  eyes,  and  then  he  told  her  the 
whole  adventure  from  beginning  to  end,  and, 
above  all,  recommended  her  to  keep  it  secret. 

The  wife  rejoiced  greatly  at  their  good  fortune, 
and  would  count  all  the  gold  piece  by  piece. 
"  Wife,"  replied  Ali  Baba,  "  you  do  not  know 
what  you  undertake,  when  you  pretend  to  count 
the  money  ;  you  will  never  have  done.  I  will  dig 
a  hole  and  bury  it.  There  is  no  time  to  be  lost." 
"  You  are  in  the  right,  husband,"  replied  she  ; 
"  but  let  us  know,  as  nigh  as  possible,  how  much 


we  have.  I  will  borrow  a  small  measure,  and 
measure  it,  while  you  dig  the  hole." 

Away  the  wife  ran  to  her  brother-in-law  Cas- 
sim,  who  lived  just  by,  and  addressing  herself  to 
his  wife,  desired  her  to  lend  her  a  measure  for  a 
little  while.  Her  sister-in-law  asked  her  whether 
she  would  have  a  great  or  a  small  one.  The  other 
asked  for  a  small  one.  She  bade  her  stay  a  little, 
and  she  would  readily  fetch  one. 

The  sister-in-law  did  so,  but  as  she  knew  Ali 
Baba's  poverty,  she  was  curious  to  know  what 
sort  of  grain  his  wife  wanted  to  measure,  and  art- 
fully putting  some  suet  at  the  bottom  of  the  meas- 
ure, brought  it  to  her,  with  an  excuse  that  she 
was  sorry  that  she  had  made  her  stay  so  long,  but 
that  she  could  not  find  it  sooner. 

Ali  Baba's  wife  went  home,  set  the  measure 
upon  the  heap  of  gold,  filled  it,  and  emptied  it 
often  upon  the  sofa,  till  she  had  done,  when  she 
was  very  well  satisfied  to  find  the  number  of  meas- 
ures amounted  to  so  many  as  they  did,  and  went 
to  tell  her  husband,  who  had  almost  finished  dig- 
ging the  hole.  While  Ali  Baba  was  burying  the 
gold,  his  wife,  to  show  her  exactness  and  diligence 
to  her  sister-in-law,  carried  the  measure  back 
again,  but  without  taking  notice  that  a  piece  of 
gold  had  stuck  to  the  bottom.  "  Sister,"  said  she, 
giving  it  to  her  again,  "  you  see  that  I  have  not 
kept  your  measure  long.  I  am  obliged  to  you  for 
it,  and  return  it  with  thanks." 

As  soon  as  Ali  Baba's  wife  was  gone,  Cassim's 
looked  at  the  bottom  of  the  measure,  and  was  in 
inexpressible  surprise  to  find  a  piece  of  gold  stick- 
ing to  it.  Envy  immediately  possessed  her  breast. 
"  What !  "  said  she,  "  has  Ali  Baba  gold  so  plenti- 
ful as  to  measure  it?  Whence  has  he  all  this 
wealth  ?  " 

Cassim,  her  husband,  was  at  his  counting-house. 
When  he  came  home  his  wife  said  to  him  :  "  Cas- 
sim, I  know  you  think  3'ourself  rich,  but  Ali  Baba 
is  infinitely  richer  than  you.  He  does  not  count 
his  money,  but  measures  it."  Cassim  desired  her 
to  explain  the  riddle,  which  she  did,  by  telling 
him  the  stratagem  she  had  used  to  make  the  dis- 
covery, and  showed  him  the  piece  of  money,  which 


286 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


was  so  old  that  they  could  not  tell  in  what  prince's 
reign  it  was  coined. 

Cassim,  after  he  had  married  the  rich  widow, 
had  never  treated  Ali  Baba  as  a  brother,  but 
neglected  him  ;  and  now,  instead  of  being  pleased, 
he  conceived  a  base  envy  at  his  brother's  prosper- 
ity. He  could  not  sleep  all  that  night,  and  went 
to  him  in  the  morning  before  sunrise.  "  Ali 
Baba,"  said  he,  "  I  am  surprised  at  you  ;  you  pre- 
tend to  be  miserably  poor,  and  yet  you  measure 
gold.  My  wife  found  this  at  the  bottom  of  the 
measure  you  borrowed  yesterday." 

By  this  discourse,  Ali  Baba  perceived  that  Cas- 
sim and  his  wife,  through  his  own  wife's  folly, 
knew  what  they  had  so  much  reason  to  conceal ; 
but  what  was  done  could  not  be  undone.  There- 
fore, without  showing  the  least  surprise  or  trouble, 
he  confessed  all,  and  offered  his  brother  part  of  his 
treasure  to  keep  the  secret. 

"  I  expect  as  much,"  replied  Cassim,  haughtily  ; 
"  but  I  must  know  exactly  where  this  treasure  is, 
and  how  I  may  visit  it  myself  when  I  choose  ; 
otherwise,  I  will  go  and  inform  against  you,  and 
then  you  will  not  only  get  no  more,  but  will  lose 
all  you  have,  and  I  shall  have  a  share  for  my  in- 
formation." 

Ali  Baba  told  him  all  he  desired,  even  to  the 
very  words  he  was  to  use  to  gain  admission  into 
the  cave. 

Cassim  rose  the  next  morning  long  before  the 
sun,  and  set  out  for  the  forest  with  ten  mules  bear- 
ing great  chests,  which  he  designed  to  fill,  and  fol- 
lowed the  road  which  Ali  Baba  had  pointed  out 
to  him.  He  was  not  long  before  he  reached  the 
rock,  and  found  out  the  place,  by  the  tree  and 
other  marks  which  his  brother  had  given  him. 
When  he  reached  the  entrance  of  the  cavern,  he 
pronounced  the  words,  "  Open,  Sesame  !  "  The 
door  immediately  opened,  and  when  he  was  in, 
closed  upon  him.  In  examining  the  cave,  he  was 
in  great  admiration  to  find  much  more  riches  than 
he  had  expected  from  Ali  Baba's  relation.  He 
quickly  laid  as  many  bags  of  gold  as  he  could 
carry  at  the  door  of  the  cavern  ;  but  his  thoughts 
were  so  full  of  the  great  riches  he  should  possess, 


that  he  could  not  think  of  the  necessary  word  to 
make  it  open,  but  instead  of  "  Sesame,"  said, 
"  Open,  Bailey!  "  and  was  much  amazed  to  find 
that  the  door  remained  fast  shut.  He  named  sev- 
eral sorts  of  grain,  but  still  the  door  would  not 
open. 

Cassim  had  never  expected  such  an  incident, 
and  was  so  alarmed  at  the  danger  he  was  in,  that 
the  more  he  endeavored  to  remember  the  word 
"  Sesame,"  the  more  his  memory  was  confounded, 
and  he  had  as  much  forgotten  it  as  if  he  had  never 
heard  it  mentioned.  He  threw  down  the  bags  he 
had  loaded  himself  with,  and  walked  distractedly 
up  and  down  the  cave,  without  having  the  least 
regard  to  the  riches  that  were  round  him. 

About  noon  the  robbers  visited  their  cave.  At 
some  distance  they  saw  Cassim's  mules  straggling 
about  the  rock,  with  great  chests  on  their  backs. 
Alarmed  at  this,  they  galloped  full  speed  to  the 
cave.  They  drove  away  the  mules,  who  strayed 
through  the  forest  so  far  that  they  were  soon  out 
of  sight,  and  went  directly,  with  their  naked 
sabres  in  their  hands,  to  the  door,  which,  on  their 
captain  pronouncing  the  proper  words,  immedi- 
ately opened. 

Cassim,  who  heard  the  noise  of  the  horses'  feet, 
at  once  guessed  the  arrival  of  the  robbers,  and  re- 
solved to  make  one  effort  for  his  life.  He  rushed 
to  the  door,  and  no  sooner  saw  the  door  open,  than 
he  ran  out  and  threw  the  leader  down,  but  could 
not  escape  the  other  robbers,  who  with  their  scim- 
itars soon  deprived  him  of  life. 

The  first  care  of  the  robbers  after  this  was  to 
examine  the  cave.  They  found  all  the  bags  which 
Cassim  had  brought  to  the  door,  to  be  read}'  to 
load  his  mules,  and  carried  them  again  to  their 
places,  but  they  did  not  miss  what  Ali  Baba  had 
taken  away  before.  Then  holding  a  council,  and 
deliberating  upon  this  occurrence,  thejr  guessed 
that  Cassim,  when  he  was  in,  could  not  get  out 
again,  but  could  not  imagine  how  he  had  learned 
the  secret  words  by  which  alone  he  could  enter. 
They  could  not  deny  the  fact  of  his  being  there  ; 
and  to  terrify  any  person  or  accomplice  who  should 
attempt  the  same  thing,  they  agreed  to  cut  Cas- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ALI  BABA,  AND    OF   THE  FORTY  ROBBERS. 


287 


sim's  body  into  four  quarters  —  to  hang  two  on 
one  side,  and  two  on  the  other,  within  the  door  of 
the  cave.  They  had  no  sooner  taken  this  resolu- 
tion than  they  put  it  in  execution  ;  and  when  they 
had  nothing  more  to  detain  them,  left  the  place 
of  their  hoards  well  closed.  They  mounted  their 
horses,  went  to  beat  the  roads  again,  and  to  attack 
the  caravans  they  might  meet. 

In  the  mean  time  Cassim's  wife  was  vei-y  un- 
easy when  night  came,  and  her  husband  was  not 
returned.  She  ran  to  Ali  Baba  in  great  alarm, 
and  said :  "  I  believe,  brother-in-law,  that  you 
know  Cassim  is  gone  to  the  forest,  and  upon  what 
account ;  it  is  now  night,  and  lie  lias  not  returned  ; 
I  am  afraid  some  misfortune  has  happened  to 
him."  Ali  Baba  told  her  that  she  need  not 
frighten  herself,  for  that  certainly  Cassim  would 
not  think  it  proper  to  come  into  the  town  till  the 
night  should  be  pretty  far  advanced. 

Cassim's  wife,  considering  how  much  it  con- 
cerned her  husband  to  keep  the  business  secret, 
was  the  more  easily  persuaded  to  believe  her 
brother-in-law.  She  went  home  again,  and  waited 
patiently  till  midnight.  Then  her  fear  redoubled, 
and  her  grief  was  the  more  sensible  because  she 
was  forced  to  keep  it  to  herself.  She  repented  of 
her  foolish  curiosity,  and  cursed  her  desire  of  pry- 
ing into  the  affairs  of  her  brother  and  sister-in- 
law.  She  spent  all  the  night  in  weeping ;  and  as 
soon  as  it  was  day,  went  to  them,  telling  them,  by 
her  tears,  the  cause  of  her  coming. 

Ali  Baba  did  not  wait  for  his  sister-in-law  to 
desire  him  to  go  to  see  what  was  become  of  Cas- 
sim, but  departed  immediately  with  his  three 
asses,  begging  of  her  first  to  moderate  her  afflic- 
tion. He  went  to  the  forest,  and  when  he  came 
near  the  rock,  having  seen  neither  his  brother  nor 
the  mules  in  his  way,  was  seriously  alarmed  at 
finding  some  blood  spilt  near  the  door,  which  he 
took  for  an  ill  omen ;  but  when  he  had  pronounced 
the  word,  and  the  door  had  opened,  he  was  struck 
with  horror  at  the  dismal  sight  of  his  brother's 
body.  He  was  not  long  in  determining  how  he 
should  pay  the  last  dues  to  his  brother ;  but  with- 
out adverting  to  the  little  fraternal  affection  he 


had  shown  for  him,  went  into  the  cave,  to  find 
something  to  enshroud  his  remains;  and  having 
loaded  one  of  his  asses  with  them,  covered  them 
over  with  wood.  The  other  two  asses  he  loaded 
with  bags  of  gold,  covering  them  with  wood  also 
as  before  ;  and  then  bidding  the  door  shut,  came 
away  ;  but  was  so  cautious  as  to  stop  some  time  at 
the  end  of  the  forest,  that  he  might  not  go  into  the 
town  before  night.  When  he  came  home,  he  drove 
the  two  asses  loaded  with  gold  into  his  little  yard, 
and  left  the  care  of  unloading  them  to  his  wife, 
while  he  led  the  other  to  his  sister-in-law's  house. 

Ali  Baba  knocked  at  the  door,  which  was  opened 
by  Morgiana,  a  clever  intelligent  slave,  who  was 
fruitful  in  inventions  to  meet  the  most  difficult 
circumstances.  When  he  came  into  the  court,  he 
unloaded  the  ass,  and  taking  Morgiana  aside,  said 
to  her  :  "  You  must  observe  an  inviolable  secrecy. 
Your  master's  body  is  contained  in  these  two  pan- 
niers. We  must  bury  him  as  if  he  had  died  a 
natural  death.  Go  now  and  tell  your  mistress.  I 
leave  the  matter  to  your  wit  and  skillful  devices." 

Ali  Baba  helped  to  place  the  body  in  Cassim's 
house,  again  recommended  to  Morgiana  to  act  her 
part  well,  and  then  returned  with  his  ass. 

Morgiana  went  out  early  the  next  morning  to  a 
druggist,  and  asked  for  a  sort  of  lozenge  which 
was  considered  efficacious  in  the  most  dangerous 
disorders.  The  apothecary  inquired  who  was  ill? 
She  replied,  with  a  sigh,  "  Her  good  master  Cassim 
himself ;  and  that  he  could  neither  eat  nor  speak." 
In  the  evening  Morgiana  went  to  the  same  drug- 
gist's again,  and  with  tears  in  her  eyes  asked  for 
an  essence  which  they  used  to  give  to  sick  people 
only  when  at  the  last  extremity.  "  Alas  !  "  said 
she,  taking  it  from  the  apothecary,  "  I  am  afraid 
this  remedy  will  have  no  better  effect  than  the 
lozenges ;  and  that  I  shall  lose  my  good  master." 

On  the  other  hand,  as  Ali  Baba  and  his  wife 
were  often  seen  to  go  between  Cassim's  and  their 
own  house  all  that  day,  and  to  seem  melancholy, 
nobody  was  surprised  in  the  evening  to  hear  the 
lamentable  shrieks  and  cries  of  Cassim"s  wife  and 
Morgiana,  who  gave  out  everywhere  that  her  mas- 
ter was  dead.     The  next  morning,  at  daybreak, 


288 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


Morgiana  went  to  an  old  cobbler  whom  she  knew 
to  be  always  early  at  his  stall,  and  bidding  him 
good  morrow,  put  a  piece  of  gold  into  his  hand, 
saying,  "  Baba  Mustapha,  you  must  bring  with 
you  your  sewing  tackle,  and  come  with  me ;  but  I 
must  tell  you,  I  shall  blindfold  you  when  you 
come  to  such  a  place." 

Baba  Mustapha  seemed  to  hesitate  a  little  at 
these  words.  "  Oh  !  oh  !  "  replied  he,  "  you 
would  have  me  do  something  against  my  con- 
science, or  against  my  honor?"  "God  forbid," 
said  Morgiana,  putting  another  piece  of  gold  into 
his  hand,  "  that  I  should  ask  anything  that  is  con- 
trary to  your  honor !  only  come  along  with  me, 
and  fear  nothing." 

Baba  Mustapha  went  with  Morgiana,  who,  after 
she  had  bound  his  eyes  with  a  handkerchief  at  the 
place  she  had  mentioned,  conveyed  him  to  her 
deceased  master's  house,  and  never  unloosed  his 
eyes  till  he  had  entered  the  room  where  she  had 
put  the  corpse  together.  "  Baba  Mustapha,"  said 
she,  "  you  must  make  haste  and  sew  the  parts  of 
this  body  together ;  and  when  you  have  done,  I 
will  give  you  another  piece  of  gold." 

After  Baba  Mustapha  had  finished  his  task,  she 
blindfolded  him  again,  gave  him  the  third  piece 
of  gold  as  she  had  promised,  and  recommending 
secrecy  to  him,  carried  him  back  to  the  place 
where  she  first  bound  his  eyes,  pulled  off  the  band- 
age, and  let  him  go  home,  but  watched  him  that 
he  returned  towards  his  stall,  till  he  was  quite  out 
of  sight,  for  fear  he  should  have  the  curiosity  to 
return  and  dog  her  ;  she  then  went  home.  Mor- 
giana, on  her  return,  warmed  some  water  to  wash 
the  body,  and  at  the  same  time  Ali  Baba  per- 
fumed it  with  incense,  and  wrapped  it  in  the  bury- 
ing clothes  with  the  accustomed  ceremonies.  Not 
long  after,  the  proper  officer  brought  the  bier,  and 
when  the  attendants  of  the  mosque,  whose  busi- 
ness it  was  to  wash  the  dead,  offered  to  perform 
their  duty,  she  told  them  that  it  was  done  al- 
ready. Shortly  after  this  the  imaun  and  the  other 
ministers  of  the  mosque  arrived.  Four  neighbors 
carried  the  corpse  to  the  burying-ground,  follow- 
ing the  imaun,   who   recited   some   prayers.     Ali 


Baba  came  after  with  some  neighbors,  who  often 
relieved  the  others  in  carrying  the  bier  to  the  bury- 
ing-ground. Morgiana,  a  slave  to  the  deceased, 
followed  in  the  procession,  weeping,  beating  her 
breast,  and  tearing  her  hair.  Cassim's  wife  stayed 
at  home  mourning,  uttering  lamentable  cries  with 
the  women  of  the  neighborhood,  who  came,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  during  the  funeral,  and  joining 
their  lamentations  with  hers,  filled  the  quarter  far 
and  near  with  sounds  of  sorrow. 

In  this  manner  Cassim's  melancholy  death  was 
concealed,  and  hushed  up  between  Ali  Baba,  his 
widow,  and  Morgiana  his  slave,  with  so  much  con- 
trivance, that  nobody  in  the  city  had  the  least 
knowledge  or  suspicion  of  the  cause  of  it.  Three 
or  four  days  after  the  funeral,  Ali  Baba  removed 
his  few  goods  openly  to  his  sister-in-law's  house, 
in  which  it  was  agreed  that  he  should  in  future 
live  ;  but  the  money  he  had  taken  from  the  robbers 
he  conveyed  thither  by  night.  As  for  Cassim's 
warehouse,  he  intrusted  it  entirely  to  the  manage- 
ment of  his  eldest  son. 

While  these  things  were  being  done,  the  forty 
robbers  again  visited  their  retreat  in  the  forest. 
Great,  then,  was  their  surprise  to  find  Cassim's 
body  taken  away,  with  some  of  their  bags  of  gold. 
"  We  are  certainly  discovered,"  said  the  captain. 
"  The  removal  of  the  body,  and  the  loss  of  some 
of  our  money,  plainly  shows  that  the  man  whom 
we  killed  had  an  accomplice ;  and  for  our  own 
lives'  sake  we  must  try  and  find  him.  What  say 
you,  my  lads  ?  " 

All  the  robbers  unanimously  approved  of  the 
captain's  proposal. 

"  Well,"  said  the  captain,  "  one  of  you,  the 
boldest  and  most  skillful  among  you,  must  go  into 
the  town,  disguised  as  a  traveler  and  a  stranger, 
to  try  if  he  can  hear  any  talk  of  the  man  whom  we 
have  killed,  and  endeavor  to  find  out  who  he  was 
and  where  he  lived.  This  is  a  matter  of  the  first 
importance,  and  for  fear  of  any  treachery,  I  pro- 
pose that  whoever  undertakes  this  business  with- 
out success,  even  though  the  failure  arises  only 
from  an  error  of  judgment,  shall  suffer  death." 

Without  waiting  for  the  sentiments  of  his  com- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ALI  BAB  A,   AND    OF   THE  FORTY  ROBBERS. 


289 


panions,  one  of  the  robbers  started  up,  and  said, 
"  I  submit  to  this  condition,  and  think  it  an  honor 
to  expose  my  life  to  serve  the  troop." 

After  this  robber  had  received  great  commenda- 
tions from  the  captain  and  his  comrades,  he  dis- 
guised himself  so  that  nobody  would  take  him  for 
what  he  was ;  and  taking  his  leave  of  the  troop 
that  night,  went  into  the  town  just  at  daybreak; 
and  walked  up  and  down,  till  accidentally  he  came 
to  Baba  Mustapha's  stall,  which  was  always  open 
before  any  of  the  shops. 

Baba  Mustapha  was  seated  with  an  awl  in  his 
hand,  just  going  to  work.  The  robber  saluted 
him,  bidding  him  good  morrow;  and  perceiving 
that  he  was  old,  said :  "  Honest  man,  you  begin  to 
work  very  early  ;  is  it  possible  that  one  of  your 
age  can  see  so  well  ?  I  question,  even  if  it  were 
somewhat  lighter,  whether  you  could  see  to 
stitch." 

"You  do  not  know  me,"  replied  Baba  Musta- 
pha; "  for  old  as  I  am,  I  have  extraordinary  good 
eyes ;  and  you  will  not  doubt  it  when  I  tell  you 
that  I  sewed  the  body  of  a  dead  man  together  in  a 
place  where  I  had  not  so  much  light  as  I  have 
now." 

"A  dead  body!"  exclaimed  the  robber,  with 
affected  amazement.  "  Yes,  yes,"  answered  Baba 
Mustapha,  "  I  see  you  want  to  have  me  speak  out, 
but  you  shall  know  no  more." 

The  robber  felt  sure  that  he  had  discovered 
what  he  sought.  He  pulled  out  a  piece  of  gold, 
and  putting  it  into  Baba  Mustapha's  hand,  said  to 
him  :  "  I  do  not  want  to  learn  your  secret,  though 
I  can  assure  you,  you  might  safely  trust  me  with 
it.  The  only  thing  I  desire  of  you  is  to  show  me 
the  house  where  you  stitched  up  the  dead  body." 

-  "  If  I  were  disposed  to  do  you  that  favor,"  re- 
plied Baba  Mustapha,  "  I  assure  you  I  cannot.  I 
was  taken  to  a  certain  place,  whence  I  was  led 
blindfold  to  the  house,  and  afterwards  brought 
back  again  in  the  same  manner ;  you  see,  there- 
fore, the  impossibility  of  my  doing  what  you  de- 
sire." 

"  Well,"  replied  the  robber,  "  you  may,  how- 
ever, remember  a  little  of  the  way  that  you  were 

37 


led  blindfold.  Come,  let  me  blind  your  eyes  at 
the  same  place.  We  will  walk  together  ;  perhaps 
you  may  recognize  some  part  ;  and  as  everybody 
ought  to  be  paid  for  their  trouble,  there  is  another 
piece  of  gold  for  you  ;  gratify  me  in  what  I  ask 
you."  So  saying,  he  put  another  piece  of  gold 
into  his  hand. 

The  two  pieces  of  gold  were  great  temptations 
to  Baba  Mustapha.  He  looked  at  them  a  long 
time  in  his  hand,  without  saying  a  word,  but  at 
last  he  pulled  out  his  purse  and  put  them  in.  "  I 
cannot  promise,"  said  he  to  the  robber,  "  that  I 
can  remember  the  way  exactly  ;  but  since  you  de- 
sire, I  will  try  what  I  can  do."  At  these  words 
Baba  Mustapha  rose  up,  to  the  great  joy  of  the 
robber,  and  led  him  to  the  place  where  Morgiana 
had  bound  his  eyes.  "  It  was  here,"  said  Baba 
Mustapha,  "  I  was  blindfolded  ;  and  I  turned  this 
way."  The  robber  tied  his  handkerchief  over  his 
eyes,  and  walked  by  him  till  he  stopped  directly 
at  Cassim's  house,  where  Ali  Baba  then  lived. 
The  thief,  before  he  pulled  off  the  band,  marked 
the  door  with  a  piece  of  chalk,  which  he  had 
ready  in  his  hand,  and  then  asked  him  if  he  knew 
whose  house  that  was  ;  to  which  Baba  Mustapha 
replied,  that,  as  he  did  not  live  in  that  neighbor- 
hood, he  could  not  tell. 

The  robber,  finding  he  could  discover  no  more 
from  Baba  Mustapha,  thanked  him  for  the  trouble 
he  had  taken,  and  left  him  to  go  back  to  his  stall, 
while  he  returned  to  the  forest,  persuaded  that  he 
should  be  very  well  received. 

A  little  after  the  robber  and  Baba  Mustapha 
had  parted,  Morgiana  went  out  of  Ali  Baba's 
house  upon  some  errand,  and  upon  her  return, 
seeing  the  mark  the  robber  had  made,  stopped  to 
observe  it.  "  What  can  be  the  meaning  of  this 
mark?"  said  she  to  herself;  "  somebody  intends 
my  master  no  good ;  however,  with  whatever  in- 
tention it  was  done,  it  is  advisable  to  guard  against 
the  worst."  Accordingly,  she  fetched  a  piece  of 
chalk,  and  marked  two  or  three  doors  on  each 
side,  in  the  same  manner,  without  saying  a  word 
to  her  master  or  mistress. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  robber  rejoined  his  troop 


290 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


in  the  forest,  and  recounted  to  them  his  success ; 
expatiating  upon  his  good  fortune  in  meeting  so 
soon  with  the  only  person  who  could  inform  him 
of  what  he  wanted  to  know.  All  the  robbers  list- 
ened to  him  with  the  utmost  satisfaction  ;  when 
the  captain,  after  commending  his  diligence,  ad- 
dressing himself  to  them  all,  said :  "  Comrades, 
we  have  no  time  to  lose  ;  let  us  set  off  well  armed, 
without  its  appearing  who  we  are ;  but  that  we 
may  not  excite  any  suspicion,  let  only  one  or  two 
go  into  the  town  together,  and  join  at  our  rendez- 
vous, which  shall  be  the  great  square.  In  the 
mean  time,  our  comrade  who  brought  us  the  good 
news  and  I  will  go  and  find  out  the  house,  that  we 
may  consult  what  had  best  be  done." 

This  speech  and  plan  was  approved  of  by  all, 
and  they  were  soon  read}'.  They  filed  off  in  par- 
ties of  two  each,  after  some  interval  of  time,  and 
got  into  the  town  without  being  in  the  least  sus- 
pected. The  captain  and  he  who  had  visited  the 
town  in  the  morning  as  spy  came  in  the  last.  He 
led  the  captain  into  the  street  where  he  had 
marked  Ali  Baba's  residence ;  and  when  they 
came  to  the  first  of  the  houses  which  Morgiana 
had  marked,  he  pointed  it  out.  But  the  captain 
observed  that  the  next  door  was  chalked  in  the 
same  manner,  and  in  the  same  place  ;  and  showing 
it  to  his  guide,  asked  him  which  house  it  was, 
that,  or  the  first.  The  guide  was  so  confounded 
that  he  knew  not  what  answer  to  make  ;  but  still 
more  puzzled,  when  he  and  the  captain  saw  five 
or  six  houses  similarly  marked.  He  assured  the 
captain,  with  an  oath,  that  he  had  marked  but 
one,  and  could  not  tell  who  had  chalked  the  rest, 
so  that  he  could  not  distinguish  the  house  which 
the  cobbler  had  stopped  at. 

The  captain,  finding  that  their  design  had 
proved  abortive,  went  directly  to  the  place  of  ren- 
dezvous, and  told  his  troop  that  they  had  lost 
their  labor,  and  must  return  to  their  cave.  He 
himself  set  them  the  example,  and  they  all  re- 
turned as  they  had  come. 

When  the  troop  was  all  got  together,  the  cap- 
tain told  them  the  reason  of  their  returning  ;  and 
presently    the    conductor    was    declared    by    all 


worthy  of  death.  He  condemned  himself,  ac-> 
knowledging  that  he  ought  to  have  taken  better 
precaution,  and  prepared  to  receive  the  stroke 
from  him  who  was  appointed  to  cut  off  his  head. 

But  as  the  safety  of  the  troop  required  the  dis- 
covery of  the  second  intruder  into  the  cave,  an- 
other of  the  gang,  who  promised  himself  that  he 
should  succeed  better,  presented  himself,  and  his 
offer  being  accepted,  he  went  and  corrupted  Baba 
Mustapha,  as  the  other  had  done  ;  and  being  shown 
the  house,  marked  it  in  a  place  more  remote  from 
sight,  with  red  chalk. 

Not  long  after,  Morgiana,  whose  eyes  nothing 
could  escape,  went  out,  and  seeing  the  red  chalk, 
and  arguing  with  herself  as  she  had  done  before, 
marked  the  other  neighbors'  houses  in  the  same 
place  and  manner. 

The  robber,  at  his  return  to  his  company,  val- 
ued himself  much  on  the  precaution  he  had  taken, 
which  he  looked  upon  as  an  infallible  way  of  dis- 
tinguishing Ali  Baba's  house  from  the  others ; 
and  the  captain  and  all  of  them  thought  it  must 
succeed.  They  conveyed  themselves  into  the 
town  with  the  same  precaution  as  before ;  but 
when  the  robber  and  his  captain  came  to  the 
street,  they  found  the  same  difficulty  ;  at  which 
the  captain  was  enraged,  and  the  robber  in  as 
great  confusion  as  his  predecessor. 

Thus  the  captain  and  his  troop  were  forced  to- 
retire  a  second  time,  and  much  more  dissatisfied ; 
while  the  robber,  who  had  been  the  author  of  the 
mistake,  underwent  the  same  punishment,  which 
he  willingly  submitted  to. 

The  captain,  having  lost  two  brave  fellows  of 
his  troop,  was  afraid  of  diminishing  it  too  much 
by  pursuing  this  plan  to  get  information  of  the 
residence  of  their  plunderer.  He  found  by  their 
example  that  their  heads  were  not  so  good  as  their 
hands  on  such  occasions  ;  and  therefore  resolved 
to  take  upon  himself  the  important  commission. 

Accordingly,  he  went  and  addressed  himself  to 
Baba  Mustapha,  who  did  him  the  same  service  he 
had  done  to  the  other  robbers.  He  did  not  set 
any  particular  mark  on  the  house,  but  examined 
and    observed    it    so  carefully,    by    passing  often- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ALI  BABA,  AND    OF   THE  FORTY  ROBBERS. 


291 


before  it,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  mis- 
take it. 

The  captain,  well  satisfied  with  his  attempt, 
and  informed  of  what  he  wanted  to  know,  returned 
to  the  forest  :  and  when  he  came  into  the  cave, 
where  the  troop  waited  for  him,  said  :  "  Now, 
comrades,  nothing  can  prevent  our  full  revenge, 
as  I  am  certain  of  the  house  ;  and  in  my  way- 
hither  I  have  thought  how  to  put  it  into  execu- 
tion, but  if  any  one  can  form  a  better  expedient, 
let  him  communicate  it."  He  then  told  them  his 
contrivance  ;  and  as  they  approved  of  it,  ordered 
them  to  go  into  the  villages  about,  and  buy  nine- 
teen mules,  with  thirty-eight  large  leather  jars, 
one  full  of  oil,  and  the  others  empty. 

In  two  or  three  days'  time  the  robbers  had  pur- 
chased the  mules  and  jars,  and  as  the  mouth  of 
the  jars  were  rather  too  narrow  for  his  purpose, 
the  captain  caused  them  to  be  widened  ;  and  after 
having  put  one  of  his  men  into  each,  with  the 
weapons  which  he  thought  fit,  leaving  open  the 
seam  which  had  been  undone  to  leave  them  room 
to  breathe,  he  rubbed  the  jars  on  the  outside  with 
oil  from  the  full  vessel. 

Things  being  thus  prepared,  when  the  nineteen 
mules  were  loaded  with  thirty-seven  robbers  in 
jars,  and  the  jar  of  oil,  the  captain,  as  their  driver, 
set  out  with  them,  and  reached  the  town  by  the 
dusk  of  the  evening,  as  he  had  intended.  He  led 
them  through  the  streets  till  he  came  to  Ali  Baba's, 
at  whose  door  he  designed  to  have  knocked  ;  but 
was  prevented  by  his  sitting  there  after  supper  to 
take  a  little  fresh  air.  He  stopped  his  mules,  ad- 
dressed himself  to  him,  and  said  :  "  I  have  brought 
some  oil  a  great  way,  to  sell  at  to-morrow's  mar- 
ket; and  it  is  now  so  late  that  I  do  not  know 
where  to  lodge.  If  I  should  not  be  troublesome  to 
you,  do  me  the  favor  to  let  me  pass  the  night  with 
you,  and  I  shall  be  very  much  obliged  by  your 
hospitality." 

Though  Ali  Baba  had  seen  the  captain  of  the 
robbers  in  the  forest,  and  had  heard  him  speak, 
it  was  impossible  to  know  him  in  the  disguise  of 
an  oil-merchant.  He  told  him  he  should  be  wel- 
come, and  immediately  opened  his  gates  for  the 


mules  to  go  into  the  yard.  At  the  same  time  he 
called  to  a  slave,  and  ordered  him,  when  the  mules 
were  unloaded,  to  put  them  into  the  stable,  and 
to  feed  them  ;  and  then  went  to  Morgiana,  to  bid 
her  get  a  good  supper  for  his  guest.  After  they 
had  finished  supper,  Ali  Baba  charging  Morgiana 
afresh  to  take  care  of  his  guest,  said  to  her:  "  To- 
morrow morning  I  design  to  go  to  the  bath  before 
day  ;  take  care  my  bathing  linen  be  ready  ;  give 
them  to  Abdalla  (which  was  the  slave's  name), 
and  make  me  some  good  broth  against  I  return." 
After  this  he  went  to  bed. 

In  the  mean  time  the  captain  of  the  robbers 
went  into  the  yard,  and  took  off  the  lid  of  each 
jar,  and  gave  his  people  orders  what  to  do.  Be- 
ginning at  the  first  jar,  and  so  on  to  the  last,  he 
said  to  each  man  :  "  As  soon  as  I  throw  some 
stones  out  of  the  chamber  window  where  I  lie,  do 
not  fail  to  come  out,  and  I  will  immediately  join 
you."  After  this  he  returned  into  the  house, 
when  Morgiana,  taking  up  a  light,  conducted  him 
to  his  chamber,  where  she  left  him  ;  and  he,  to 
avoid  any  suspicion,  put  the  light  out  soon  after, 
and  laid  himself  down  in  his  clothes,  that  he 
might  be  the  more  ready  to  rise. 

Morgiana,  remembering  Ali  Baba's  orders,  got 
his  bathing  linen  ready,  and  ordered  Abdalla  to 
set  on  the  pot  for  the  broth  ;  but  while  she  was 
preparing  it,  the  lamp  went  out,  and  there  was 
no  more  oil  in  the  house,  nor  any  candles.  What 
to  do  she  did  not  know,  for  the  broth  must  be 
made.  Abdalla,  seeing  her  very  uneasy,  said, 
"  Do  not  fret  and  tease  yourself,  but  go  into  the 
yard,  and  take  some  oil  out  of  one  of  the  jars." 

Morgiana  thanked  Abdalla  for  his  advice,  took 
the  oil-pot,  and  went  into  the  yard  ;  when,  as  she 
came  nigh  the  first  jar,  the  robber  within  said 
softly,  "  Is  it  time  ?  " 

Though  naturally  much  surprised  at  finding  a 
man  in  the  jar  instead  of  the  oil  she  wanted,  she 
immediately  felt  the  importance  of  keeping  si- 
lence, as  Ali  Baba,  his  family,  and  herself  were 
in  great  danger;  and  collecting  herself,  without 
showing  the  least  emotion,  she  answered,  "  Not 
yet,  but   presently."     She    went   quietly  in    this 


292 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


manner  to  all  the  jars,  giving  the  same  answer, 
till  she  came  to  the  jar  of  oil. 

By  this  means  Morgiana  found  that  her  master 
Ali  Baba  had  admitted  thirty-eight  robbers  into 
his  house,  and  that    this  pretended  oil-merchant 


was  their  captain.  She  made  what  haste  she  could 
to  fill  her  oil-pot,  and  returned  into  her  kitchen, 
where,  as  soon  as  she  had  lighted  her  lamp,  she 
took  a  great  kettle,  went  again  to  the  oil-jar, 
filled  the  kettle,  set  it  on  a  large  wood  fire,  and 
as  soon  as  it  boiled  went  and  poured  enough  into 
every  jar  to  stifle  and  destroy  the  robber  within. 

When  this  action,  worthy  of  the  courage  of 
Morgiana,  was  executed  without  any  noise,  as 
she  had  projected,  she  returned  into  the  kitchen 
with  the  empty  kettle  ;  and  having  put  out  the 
great  fire  she  had  made  to  boil  the  oil,  and  leaving 
just  enough  to  make  the  broth,  put  out  the  lamp 
also,  and  remained  silent,  resolving  not  to  go  to  rest 
till  she  had  observed  what  might  follow  through 
a  window  of  the  kitchen,  which  opened  into  the 
yard. 

She  had  not  waited  long  before  the  captain  of 
the  robbers  got  up,  opened  the  window,  and  find- 
ing no  light,  and  hearing  no  noise,  or  any  one 
stirring  in  the  house,  gave  the  appointed  signal, 
by  throwing  little  stones,  several  of  which  hit  the 
jars,  as  he  doubted  not  by  the  sound  they  gave. 
He  then  listened,  but  not  hearing  or  perceiving 
anything  whereby  he  could  judge  that  his  com- 
panions stirred,  he  began  to  grow  very  uneasy, 
threw  stones  again  a  second,  and  also  a  third 
time,  and  could  not  comprehend  the  reason  that 
none  of  them  should  answer  his  signal.  Much 
alarmed,  he  went  softly  down  into  the  yard,  and 


going  to  the  first  jar,  whilst  asking  the  robber, 
whom  he  thought  alive,  if  he  was  in  readiness, 
smelt  the  hot  boiled  oil,  which  sent  forth  a  steam 
out  of  the  jar.  Hence  he  suspected  that  his  plot 
to  murder  Ali  Baba,  and  plunder  his  house,  was 
discovered.  Examining  all  the  jars,  one  after  an- 
other, he  found  that  all  his  gang  were  dead  ;  and, 
enraged  to  despair  at  having  failed  in  his  design, 
he  forced  the  lock  of  a  door  that  led  from  the  yard 
to  the  garden,  and  climbing  over  the  walls  made 
his  escape. 

When  Morgiana  saw  him  depart,  she  went  to 
bed,  satisfied  and  pleased  to  have  succeeded  so 
well  in  saving  her  master  and  family. 

Ali  Baba  rose  before  day,  and  followed  by  his 
slave,  went  to  the  baths,  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
important  event  which  had  happened  at  home. 

When  he  returned  from  the  baths,  he  was  very 
much  surprised  to  see  the  oil-jars,  and  that  the 
merchant  was  not  gone  with  the  mules.  He  asked 
Morgiana,  who  opened  the  door,  the  reason  of  it. 
"  My  good  master,"  answered  she,  "  God  preserve 
you  and  all  your  family.  You  will  be  better  in- 
formed of  what  you  wish  to  know  when  you  have 
seen  what  I  have  to  show  you,  if  you  will  follow 
me." 

As  soon  as  Morgiana  had  shut  the  door,  Ali 
Baba  followed  her,  when  she  requested  him  to 
look  into  the  first  jar,  and  see  if  there  was  any  oil. 
Ali  Baba  did  so,  and  seeing  a  man,  started  back 
in  alarm,  and  cried  out.  "  Do  not  be  afraid,"  said 
Morgiana,  "  the  man  you  see  there  can  neither  do 
you  nor  anybody  else  any  harm.  He  is  dead." 
"  Ah,  Morgiana,"  said  Ali  Baba,  "  what  is  it  you 
show  me?  Explain  yourself."  "  I  will,"  replied 
Morgiana.  "  Moderate  your  astonishment,  and  do 
not  excite  the  curiosity  of  your  neighbors  ;  for  it 
is  of  great  importance  to  keep  this  affair  secret. 
Look  into  all  the  other  jars." 

Ali  Baba  examined  all  the  other  jars,  one  after 
another ;  and  when  he  came  to  that  which  had 
the  oil  in  it,  found  it  prodigiously  sunk,  and  stood 
for  some  time  motionless,  sometimes  looking  at 
the  jars,  and  sometimes  at  Morgiana,  without  sav- 
ing a  word,  so  great  was  his  surprise.     At  last, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  ALI  BABA,   AND    OF  THE  FORTY  ROBBERS. 


293 


when  he  had  recovered  himself,  he  said,  "And 
what  is  become  of  the  merchant  ?  " 

"Merchant!"  answered  she:  "he  is  as  much 
one  as  I  am.  I  will  tell  you  wbo  be  is,  and  what 
is  become  of  him  ;  but  you  had  better  hear  the 
story  in  your  own  chamber ;  for  it  is  time  for  your 
health  that  you  had  your  broth  after  your  bath- 
ing." 

Morgiana  then  told  him  all  she  had  done,  from 
the  first  observing  the  mark  upon  the  house,  to 
the  destruction  of  the  robbers  and  the  flight  of 
their  captain. 

On  hearing  of  these  brave  deeds  from  the  lips 
of  Morgiana,  Ali  Baba  said  to  her,  —  "  God,  by 
your  means,  has  delivered  me  from  the  snares 
these  robbers  laid  for  my  destruction.  I  owe, 
therefore,  my  life  to  you  ;  and,  for  the  first  token 
of  my  acknowledgment,  give  you  your  liberty 
from  this  moment,  till  I  can  complete  your  recom- 
pense as  I  intend." 

Ali  Baba's  garden  was  very  long,  and  shaded 
at  the  farther  end  by  a  great  number  of  large 
trees.  Near  these  he  and  the  slave  Abdalla  dug 
a  trench,  long  and  wide  enough  to  hold  the  bodies 
of  the  robbers ;  and  as  the  earth  was  light,  they 
were  not  long  in  doing  it.  When  this  was  done, 
Ali  Baba  hid  the  jars  and  weapons  ;  and  as  he 
had  no  occasion  for  the  mules,  he  sent  them  at 
different  times  to  be  sold  in  the  market  by  his 
slave. 

While  Ali  Baba  took  these  measures,  the  cap- 
tain  of  the  forty  robbers  returned  to  the  forest 
with  inconceivable  mortification.  He  did  not  stay 
long ;  the  loneliness  of  the  gloomy  cavern  became 
frightful  to  him.  He  determined,  however,  to 
avenge  the  fate  of  his  companions,  and  to  accom- 
plish the  death  of  Ali  Baba.  For  this  purpose  he 
returned  to  the  town,  and  took  a  lodgina:  in  a 
khan,  and  disguised  himself  as  a  merchant  in  silks. 
Under  this  assumed  character,  he  gradually  con- 
veyed a  great  many  sorts  of  rich  stuffs  and  fine 
linen  to  his  lodging  from  the  cavern,  but  with  all 
the  necessary  precautions  to  conceal  the  place 
whence  he  brought  them.  In  order  to  dispose  of 
the  merchandise,  when  he  had  thus  amassed  them 


together,  he  took  a  warehouse,  which  happened  to 
be  opposite  to  Cassim's,  which  Ali  Baba's  son  had 
occupied  since  the  death  of  his  uncle. 

He  took  the  name  of  Cogia  Houssain,  and,  as  a 
new-comer,  was,  according  to  custom,  extremely 
civil  and  complaisant  to  all  the  merchants  his 
neighbors.  Ali  Baba's  son  was,  from  his  vicinitv, 
one  of  the  first  to  converse  with  Cogia  Houssain, 
who  strove  to  cultivate  his  friendship  more  partic- 
ularly. Two  or  three  days  after  he  was  settled, 
Ali  Baba  came  to  see  his  son,  and  the  captain  of 
the  robbers  recognized  him  at  once,  and  soon 
learned  from  his  son  who  he  was.  After  this  he 
increased  his  assiduities,  caressed  him  in  the  most 
engaging  manner,  made  him  some  small  presents, 
and  often  asked  him  to  dine  and  sup  with  him, 
when  he  treated  him  very  handsomely. 

Ali  Baba's  son  did  not  choose  to  lie  under  such 
obligation  to  Cogia  Houssain  ;  but  was  so  much 
straitened  for  want  of  room  in  his  house,  that  he 
could  not  entertain  him.  He  therefore  acquainted 
his  father,  Ali  Baba,  with  his  wish  to  invite  him 
in  return. 

Ali  Baba  with  great  pleasure  took  the  treat 
upon  himself.  "  Son,"  said  he,  "  to-morrow  being 
Friday,  which  is  a  day  that  the  shops  of  such 
great  merchants  as  Cogia  Houssain  and  yourself 
are  shut,  get  him  to  accompany  you,  and  as  you 
pass  by  my  door,  call  in.  I  will  go  and  order 
Morgiana  to  provide  a  supper." 

The  next  da}7  Ali  Baba's  son  and  Cogia  Hous- 
sain met  by  appointment,  took  their  walk,  and  as 
they  returned,  Ali  Baba's  son  led  Cogia  Houssain 
through  the  street  where  his  father  lived,  and  when 
they  came  to  the  house,  stopped  and  knocked  at 
the  door.  "  This,  sir,"  said  he,  "  is  my  father's 
house,  who,  from  the  account  I  have  given  him  of 
your  friendship,  charged  me  to  procure  him  the 
honor  of  your  acquaintance  ;  and  I  desire  you  to 
add  this  pleasure  to  those  for  which  I  am  already 
indebted  to  you." 

Though  it  was  the  sole  aim  of  Cogia  Houssain 
to  introduce  himself  into  Ali  Baba's  house,  that  he 
might  kill  him,  without  hazarding  his  own  life  or 
making  any  noise,  yet  he    excused   himself,  and 


294 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


offered  to  take  his  leave  ;  but  a  slave  having 
opened  the  door,  Ali  Baba's  son  took  him  oblig- 
ingly by  the  hand,  and,  in  a  manner,  forced  him 
in. 

Ali  Baba  received  Cogia  Houssain  with  a  smil- 
ing countenance,  and  in  the  most  obliging  manner 
he  could  wish.  He  thanked  him  for  all  the  favors 
he  had  done  his  son  ;  adding  withal  the  obligation 
was  the  greater  as  he  was  a  young  man,  not  much 
acquainted  with  the  world,  and  that  he  might  con- 
tribute to  his  information. 

Cogia  Houssain  returned  the  compliment  by  as- 
suring Ali  Baba,  that  though  his  son  might  not 
have  acquired  the  experience  of  older  men,  he  had 
good  sense  equal  to  the  experience  of  many  others. 
After  a  little  more  conversation  on  different  sub- 
jects, he  offered  again  to  take  his  leave,  when  Ali 
Baba,  stopping  him,  said  :  "  Where  are  you  going, 
sir,  in  so  much  haste  ?  I  beg  you  would  do  me 
the  honor  to  sup  with  me,  though  my  entertain- 
ment may  not  be  worthy  your  acceptance  :  such 
as  it  is  I  heartily  offer  it."  "  Sir,"  replied  Cogia 
Houssain,  "  I  am  thoroughly  persuaded  of  your 
good-will;  but  the  truth  is,  I  can  eat  no  victuals 
that  have  any  salt  in  them  ;  therefore  judge  how 
I  should  feel  at  }'our  table."  "  If  that  is  the  only 
reason,"  said  Ali  Baba,  "  it  ought  not  to  deprive 
me  of  the  honor  of  your  company  ;  for,  in  the  first 
place,  there  is  no  salt  ever  put  into  my  bread,  and 
as  to  the  meat  we  shall  have  to-night,  I  promise 
you  there  shall  be  none  in  that.  Therefore  you 
must  do  me  the  favor  to  stay.  I  will  return  im- 
mediately." 

Ali  Baba  went  into  the  kitchen,  and  ordered 
Morgiana  to  put  no  salt  to  the  meat  that  was  to 
be  dressed  that  night ;  and  to  make  quickly  two 
or  three  ragouts  besides  what  he  had  ordered,  but 
be  sure  to  put  no  salt  in  them. 

Morgiana,  who  was  always  ready  to  obey  her 
master,  could  not  help  being  surprised  at  his 
strange  order.  "  Who  is  this  strange  man,"  said 
she,  "  who  eats  no  salt  with  his  meat  ?  Your 
supper  will  be  spoiled,  if  I  keep  it  back  so  long." 
"  Do  not  be  angry,  Morgiana,"  replied  Ali  Baba  ; 
"  he  is  an  honest  man,  therefore  do  as  I  bid  you." 


Morgiana  obeyed,  though  with  no  little  reluct- 
ance, and  had  a  curiosity  to  see  this  man  who  ate 
no  salt.  To  this  end,  when  she  had  finished  what 
she  had  to  do  in  the  kitchen,  she  helped  Abdalla 
to  carry  up  the  dishes ;  and  looking  at  Cogia 
Houssain,  knew  him  at  first  sight,  notwithstand- 
ing his  disguise,  to  be  the  captain  of  the  rob- 
bers, and  examining  him  very  carefully,  perceived 
that  he  had  a  dagger  under  his  garment.  "I 
am  not  in  the  least  amazed,"  said  she  to  herself, 
"  that  this  wicked  man,  who  is  my  master's  great- 
est enemy,  would  eat  no  salt  with  him,  since  he 
intends  to  assassinate  him ;  but  I  will  prevent 
him." 

Morgiana,  while  they  were  at  supper,  deter- 
mined in  her  own  mind  to  execute  one  of  the 
boldest  acts  ever  meditated.  When  Abdalla  came 
for  the  dessert  of  fruit,  and  had  put  it  with  the 
wine  and  glasses  before  Ali  Baba,  Morgiana  re- 
tired, dressed  herself  neatly,  with  a  suitable  head- 
dress like  a  dancer,  girded  her  waist  with  a  silver- 
gilt  girdle,  to  which  there  hung  a  poniard  with  a 
hilt  and  guard  of  the  same  metal,  and  put  a  hand- 
some mask  on  her  face.  When  she  had  thus  dis- 
guised herself,  she  said  to  Abdalla,  "  Take  your 
tabor,  and  let  us  go  and  divert  our  master  and 
his  son's  friend,  as  we  do  sometimes  when  he  is 
alone." 

Abdalla  took  his  tabor  and  played  all  the  way 
into  the  hall  before  Morgiana,  who,  when  she  came 
to  the  door,  made  a  low  obeisance  by  way  of  ask- 
ing leave  to  exhibit  her  skill,  while  Abdalla  left 
off  playing.  "  Come  in,  Morgiana,"  said  Ali 
Baba,  "  and  let  Cogia  Houssain  see  what  you  can 
do,  that  he  may  tell  us  what  he  thinks  of  your 
performance." 

Cogia  Houssain,  who  did  not  expect  this  diver- 
sion after  supper,  began  to  fear  he  should  not  be 
able  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  he 
thought  he  had  found,  but  hoped,  if  he  now  missed 
his  aim,  to  secure  it  another  time,  by  keeping  up  a 
friendly  correspondence  with  the  father  and  son  -, 
therefore,  though  he  could  have  wished  Ali  Baba 
would  have  declined  the  dance,  he  pretended  to 
be  obliged  to  him  for  it,  and  had  the  complaisance 


THE  BISTORT  OF  ALI  BABA,   AND    OF   THE  FORTY  ROBBERS. 


295 


to  express  his  satisfaction  at  what  he  saw,  which 
pleased  his  host. 

As  soon  as  Abdalla  saw  that  Ali  Baba  and  Cogia 
Houssain  had  done  talking,  he  began  to  play  on 
the  tabor,  and  accompanied  it  with  an  air,  to 
which  Morgiana,  who  was  an  excellent  performer, 
danced  in  such  a 
manner  as  would  have 
created  admiration  in 
any  company. 

After  she  had 
danced  several  dances 
with  much  grace,  she 
drew  the  poniard,  and 
holding  it  in  her  hand, 
began  a  dance,  in 
which  she  outdid  her- 
self, by  the  many  dif- 
ferent figures,  light 
movements,  and  the 
surprising  leaps  and 
wonderful  exertions 
with  which  she  ac- 
companied it.  Some- 
times she  presented 
the  poniard  to  one 
breast,  sometimes  to 
another,  and  often- 
times seemed  to  strike 
her  own.  At  last,  she 
snatched  the  tabor 
from  Abdalla  with 
her  left  hand,  and 
holding  the  dagger  in 
her  right,  presented 
the  other  side  of  the 
tabor,  after  the  man- 
ner of  those  who  get 
a  livelihood  by  dancing,  and  solicit  the  liberality 
of  the  spectators. 

Ali  Baba  put  a  piece  of  gold  into  the  tabor,  as 
did  also  his  son  ;  and  Cogia  Houssain,  seeing  that 
she  was  coming  to  him,  had  pulled  his  purse  out 
of  his  bosom  to  make  her  a  present ;  but  while  he 
was  putting    his  hand  into  it,  Morgiana,  with  a 


courage  and  resolution  worthy  of  herself,  plunged 
the  poniard  into  his  heart. 

Ali  Baba  and  his  son,  shocked  at  this  action, 
cried  out  aloud.  "Unhappy  woman!"  exclaimed 
Ali  Baba,  "  what  have  you  done  to  ruin  me  and 
my  family  ?  "     "  It  was   to  preserve,   not  to  ruin 

you,"  answered  Mor- 
giana ;  "  for  see  here," 
continued  she,  open- 
ing the  pretended  Co- 
gia Houssain's  gar- 
ment, and  showing 
the  dagger,  "  what  an 
enemy  you  had  enter- 
tained !  Look  well 
at  him,  and  you  will 
find  him  to  be  both 
the  fictitious  oil-mer- 
chant and  the  captain 
of  the  gang  of  forty 
robbers.  Remember, 
too,  that  he  would  eat 
no  salt  with  you  ;  and 
what  would  you  have 
more  to  persuade  you 
of  his  wicked  design  ? 
Before  I  saw  him,  I 
suspected  him  as  soon 
as  you  told  me  you  had 
such  a  guest.  I  knew 
him,  and  you  now  find 
that  my  suspicion  was 
not  groundless." 

Ali  Baba,  who  im- 
mediately felt  the  new 
obligation  he  had  to 
Morgiana  for  saving 
his  life  a  second  time, 
embraced  her  ;  "  Morgiana,"  said  he,  "  I  gave  you 
your  liberty,  and  then  promised  you  that  my 
gratitude  should  not  stop  there,  but  that  I  would 
soon  give  you  higher  proofs  of  its  sincerity,  which 
I  now  do  by  making  you  my  daughter-in-law." 
Then  addressing  himself  to  his  son,  he  said  :  "  I 
believe  you,  son,  to  be  so  dutiful  a  child,  that  you 


296 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


will  not  refuse  Morgiana  for  your  wife.  You  see 
that  Cogia  Houssain  sought  your  friendship  with 
a  treacherous  design  to  take  away  my  life  ,  and  if 
he  had  succeeded,  there  is  no  doubt  but  he  would 
have  sacrificed  you  also  to  his  revenge.  Consider 
that  by  marrying  Morgiana  you  marry  the  pre- 
server of  my  family  and  your  own." 

The  son,  far  from  showing  any  dislike,  readily 
consented  to  the  marriage  ;  not  only  because  he 
would  not  disobey  his  father,  but  also  because  it 
was  agreeable  to  his  inclination.  After  this  they 
thought  of  burying  the  captain  of  the  robbers 
with  his  comrades,  and  did  it  so  privately  that  no- 
body discovered  their  bones  till  many  years  after, 
when  no  one  had  any  concern  in  the  publication 
of  this  remarkable  history.  A  few  days  after- 
wards Ali  Baba  celebrated  the  nuptials  of  his  son 
and  Morgiana  with  great  solemnity,  a  sumptuous 
feast,  and  the  usual  dancing  and  spectacles  ;  and 
had  the  satisfaction  to  see  that  his  friends  and 
neighbors,  whom  he  invited,  had  no  knowledge 
of  the  true  motives  of  the  marriage ;  but  that 
those  who  were  not  unacquainted  with  Morgiana's 


good  qualities  commended  his  generosity  and  good^ 
ness  of  heart.  Ali  Baba  did  not  visit  the  robber's 
cave  for  a  year,  as  he  supposed  the  other  two, 
whom  he  could  get  no  account  of,  might  be  alive. 

At  the  year's  end,  when  he  found  they  had  not 
made  any  attempt  to  disturb  him,  he  had  the  curi- 
osity to  make  another  journey.  He  mounted  his 
horse,  and  when  he  came  to  the  cave  he  alighted, 
tied  his  horse  to  a  tree ;  then  approaching  the  en- 
trance and  pronouncing  the  words,  "  Open,  Ses- 
ame ! "  the  door  opened.  He  entered  the  cavern, 
and  by  the  condition  he  found  things  in,  judged 
that  nobody  had  been  there  since  the  captain  had 
fetched  the  goods  for  his  shop.  From  this  time  he 
believed  he  was  the  only  person  in  the  world  who 
had  the  secret  of  opening  the  cave,  and  that  all  the 
treasure  was  at  his  sole  disposal.  He  put  as  much 
gold  into  his  saddle-bag  as  his  horse  would  carry, 
and  returned  to  town.  Some  years  later  he  car- 
ried his  son  to  the  cave,  and  taught  him  the  se- 
cret, which  he  handed  down  to  his  posterity,  who, 
using  their  good  fortune  with  moderation,  lived  in 
great  honor  and  splendor. 


VII.     THE   STORY   OF  SINDBAD   THE   SAILOR. 


In  the  reign  of  the  same  caliph,  Haroun  Al- 
Raschid,  of  whom  we  have  already  heard,  there 
lived  at  Bagdad  a  poor  porter  called  Hindbad. 
One  day,  when  the  weather  was  excessively  hot, 
he  was  employed  to  carry  a  heavy  burden  from 
one  end  of  the  town  to  the  other.  Being  much 
fatigued,  he  took  off  his  load,  and  sat  upon  it,  near 
a  large  mansion. 

He  was  much  pleased  that  he  stopped  at  this 
place ;  for  the  agreeable  smell  of  wood  of  aloes 
and  of  pastils  that  came  from  the  house,  mixing 
with  the  scent  of  the  rose-water,  completely  per- 
fumed and  embalmed  the  air.  Besides,  he  heard 
from  within  a  concert  of  instrumental  music,  ac- 
companied with  the  harmonious  notes  of  nightin- 
gales and  other  birds.  This  charming  melody, 
and  the  smell  of   several  sorts  of   savory  dishes, 


made  the  porter  conclude  there  was  a  feast,  with 
great  rejoicings  within.  His  business  seldom 
leading  him  that  way,  he  knew  not  to  whom  the 
mansion  belonged  ;  but  he  went  to  some  of  the 
servants,  whom  he  saw  standing  at  the  gate  in 
magnificent  apparel,  and  asked  the  name  of  the 
proprietor.  "  How,"  replied  one  of  them,  "  do  you 
live  in  Bagdad,  and  know  not  that  tin's  is  the 
house  of  Sindbad  the  Sailor,  that  famous  voyager, 
who  has  sailed  round  the  world?"  The  porter 
lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  said,  loud  enough 
to  be  heard :  "  Almighty  Creator  of  all  things, 
consider  the  difference  between  Sindbad  and  me  ! 
I  am  every  day  exposed  to  fatigues  and  calamities, 
and  can  scarcely  get  coarse  barley-bread  for  my- 
self and  my  family,  whilst  happy  Sindbad  pro- 
fusely expends  immense  riches,  and  leads  a  life  of 


THE  STORY  OF  SINDBAD    THE  SAILOR. 


297 


continual  pleasure.  What  has  he  done  to  obtain 
from  Thee  a  lot  so  agreeable  ?  And  what  have  I 
done  to  deserve  one  so  wretched  ?  " 

Whilst  the  porter  was  thus  indulging  his  mel- 
ancholy, a  servant  came  out  of  the  house,  and 
taking  him  by  the  arm,  bade  him  follow  him,  for 
Sindbad,  his  master,  wanted  to  speak  to  him. 

The  servant  brought  him  into  a  great  hall, 
where  a  number  of  people  sat  round  a  table,  cov- 
ered with  all  sorts  of  savory  dishes.  At  the  up- 
per end  sat  a  comely,  venerable  gentleman,  with  a 
long  white  beard,  and  behind  him  stood  a  number 
of  officers  and  domestics,  all  ready  to  attend  his 
pleasure.  This  person  was  Sindbad.  Hindbad, 
whose  fear  was  increased  at  the  sight  of  so  many 
people,  and  of  a  banquet  so  sumptuous,  saluted 
the  company  trembling.  Sindbad  bade  him  draw 
near,  and  seating  him  at  his  right  hand,  served 
him  himself,  and  gave  him  excellent  wine,  of 
which  there  was  an  abundance  upon  the  side- 
board. 

Now,  Sindbad  had  himself  heard  the  porter 
complain  through  the  window,  and  this  it  was  that 
induced  him  to  have  him  brought  in.  When  the 
repast  was  over,  Sindbad  addressed  his  conversa- 
tion to  Hindbad,  and  inquired  his  name  and  em- 
ployment, and  said,  "  I  wish  to  hear  from  your 
own  month  what  it  was  you  lately  said  in  the 
street." 

At  this  request,  Hindbad  hung  down  his  head 
in  confusion,  and  replied  :  "  My  lord,  I  confess 
that  my  fatigue  put  me  out  of  humor,  and  occa- 
sioned me  to  utter  some  indiscreet  words,  which  1 
beg  you  to  pardon."  "  Do  not  think  I  am  so  un- 
just," resumed  Sindbad,  "  as  to  resent  such  a  com- 
plaint. But  I  must  rectify  your  error  concerning 
myself.  You  think,  no  doubt,  that  I  have  ac- 
quired without  labor  and  trouble  the  ease  and  in- 
dulgence which  I  now  enjoy.  But  do  not  mis- 
take ;  I  did  not  attain  to  this  happy  condition 
without  enduring  for  several  years  more  trouble 
of  body  and  mind  than  can  well  be  imagined. 
Yes,  gentlemen,"  he  added,  speaking  to  the  whole 
company,  "  I  assure  you  that  my  sufferings  have 
been  of  a  nature  so  extraordinary,  as  would  de- 

28 


prive  the  greatest  miser  of  his  love  of  riches ;  and 
as  an  opportunity  now  offers,  I  will,  with  your 
leave,  relate  the  dangers  I  have  encountered, 
which  I  think  will  not  be  uninteresting  to  you." 

THE    FIEST   VOYAGE   OF    SINDBAD   THE   SAILOR. 

My  father  was  a  wealthy  merchant  of  much  re- 
pute. He  bequeathed  me  a  large  estate,  which  I 
wasted  in  riotous  living.  I  quickly  perceived  my 
error,  and  that  I  was  misspending  my  time,  which 
is  of  all  things  the  most  valuable.  I  remembered 
the  saying  of  the  great  Solomon,  which  I  had  fre- 
quently heard  from  my  father,  "A  good  name  is 
better  than  precious  ointment  ;  "  and  again, 
"  Wisdom  is  good  with  an  inheritance."  Struck 
with  these  reflections,  I  resolved  to  walk  in  my 
father's  ways,  and  I  entered  into  a  contract  with 
some  merchants,  and  embarked  with  them  on 
board  a  ship  we  had  jointly  fitted  out. 

We  set  sail,  and  steered  our  course  towards  the 
Indies,  through  the  Persian  Gulf,  which  is  formed 
by  the  coasts  of  Arabia  Felix  on  the  right,  and  by 
those  of  Persia  on  the  left.  At  first  I  was 
troubled  with  sea-sickness,  but  speedily  recovered, 
my  health,  and  was  not  afterwards  subject  to  that 
complaint. 

In  our  voyage  we  touched  at  several  islands, 
where  we  sold  or  exchanged  our  goods.  One  day, 
whilst  under  sail,  we  were  becalmed  near  a  small 
island,  but  little  elevated  above  the  level  of  the 
water,  and  resembling  a  green  meadow.  The  cap- 
tain ordered  his  sails  to  be  furled,  and  permitted 
such  persons  as  were  so  inclined  to  land ;  of  this 
number  I  was  one. 

But  while  we  were  enjoying  ourselves  in  eating 
and  drinking,  and  recovering  ourselves  from  the 
fatigue  of  the  sea,  the  island  on  a  sudden  trembled 
and  shook  us  terribly. 

The  trembling  of  the  island  was  perceived  on 
board  the  ship,  and  we  were  called  upon  to  reern- 
bark  speedily,  or  we  should  all  be  lost ;  for  what 
we  took  for  an  island  proved  to  be  the  back  of  a 
sea-monster.  The  nimblest  got  into  the  sloop , 
others  betook  themselves  to  swimming;  but  as  for 
myself,  I  was  still  upon  the  island  when  it  disap- 


298 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


peared  into  the  sea,  and  I  had  only  time  to  catch 
hold  of  a  piece  of  wood  that  we  had  brought  out 
of  the  ship  to  make  a  fire.  Meanwhile  the  cap- 
tain, having  received  those  on  board  who  were  in 
the  sloop,  and  taken  up  some  of  those  that  swam, 
resolved  to  improve  the  favorable  gale  that  had 
just  risen,  and  hoisting  his  sails,  pursued  his  voy- 
age, so  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  recover  the 
ship. 

Thus  was  I  exposed  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves 
all  the  rest  of  the  day  and  the  following  night. 
By  this  time  I  found  my  strength  gone,  and  de- 
spaired of  saving  my  life,  when  happily  a  wave 
threw  me  against  an  island.  The  bank  was  high 
and  rugged  ;  so  that  I  could  scarcely  have  got  up 
had  it  not  been  for  some  roots  of  trees  which  I 
found  within  reach.  When  the  sun  rose,  though 
I  was  very  feeble,  both  from  hard  labor  and  want 
of  food,  I  crept  along  to  find  some  herbs  fit  to  eat, 
and  had  the  good  luck  not  only  to  procure  some, 
but  likewise  to  discover  a  spring  of  excellent 
water,  which  contributed  much  to  recover  me. 
After  this  I  advanced  farther  into  the  island,  and 
at  last  reached  a  fine  plain,  where  I  perceived 
some  horses  feeding.  I  went  towards  them,  when 
I  heard  the  voice  of  a  man,  who  immediately  ap- 
peared, and  asked  me  who  I  was.  I  related  to 
him  my  adventure,  after  which,  taking  me  by  the 
hand,  he  led  me  into  a  cave,  where  there  were 
several  other  people,  no  less  amazed  to  see  me 
than  I  was  to  see  them. 

I  partook  of  some  provisions  which  they  offered 
me.  I  then  asked  them  what  they  did  in  suck  a 
desert  place ;  to  which  they  answered,  that  they 
were  grooms  belonging  to  the  Maha-raja,  sov- 
ereign of  the  island,  and  that  every  year  they 
brought  thither  the  king's  horses  for  pasturage. 
They  added,  that  they  were  to  return  home  on 
the  morrow,  and  had  I  been  one  day  later,  I  must 
have  perished,  because  the  inhabited  part  of  the 
island  was  a  great  distance  off,  and  it  would  have 
been  impossible  for  me  to  have  got  thither  without 
a  guide. 

Next  morning  they  returned  to  the  capital  of 
the  island,  took  me  with  them,  and  presented  me 


to  the  Maha-raja.  He  asked  me  who  I  was,  and 
by  what  adventure  I  had  come  into  his  dominions. 
After  I  had  satisfied  him,  he  told  me  he  was  much 
concerned  for  my  misfortune,  and  at  the  same 
time  ordered  that  I  should  want  for  nothing ; 
which  commands  his  officers  were  so  generous  and 
careful  as  to  see  exactly  fulfilled. 

Being  a  merchant,  I  frequented  men  of  my  own 
profession,  and  particularly  inquired  for  those  who 
were  strangers,  that  perchance  I  might  hear  news 
from  Bagdad,  or  find  an  opportunity  to  return. 
For  the  Maha-raja's  capital  is  situated  on  the  sea- 
coast,  and  has  a  fine  harbor,  where  ships  arrive 
daily  from  the  different  quarters  of  the  world.  I 
frequented  also  the  society  of  the  learned  Indians, 
and  took  delight  to  hear  them  converse ;  but 
withal,  I  took  care  to  make  my  court  regularly  to 
the  Maha-raja,  and  conversed  with  the  governors 
and  petty  kings,  his  tributaries,  that  were  about 
him.  They  put  a  thousand  questions  respecting 
my  country  ;  and  I  being  willing  to  inform  myself 
as  to  their  laws  and  customs,  asked  them  concern- 
ing everything  which  I  thought  worth  knowing. 

There  belongs  to  this  king  an  island  named 
Cassel.  They  assured  me  that  every  night  a  noise 
of  drums  was  heard  there,  whence  the  mariners 
fancied  that  it  was  the  residence  of  Degial.  I 
determined  to  visit  this  wonderful  place,  and  in 
my  way  thither  saw  fishes  of  100  and  200  cubits 
long,  that  occasion  more  fear  than  hurt ;  for  they 
are  so  timorous,  that  they  will  fly  upon  the  rat- 
tling of  two  sticks  or  boards.  I  saw  likewise 
other  fish  about  a  cubit  in  length  that  had  heads 
like  owls. 

As  I  was  one  day  at  the  port  after  my  return, 
the  ship  arrived  in  which  I  had  embarked  at  Bus- 
sorah.  I  at  once  knew  the  captain,  and  I  went 
and  asked  him  for  my  bales.  "  I  am  Sindbad," 
said  I,  "and  those  bales  marked  with  his  name 
are  mine." 

When  the  captain  heard  me  speak  thus,  "  Heav- 
ens !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  whom  can  we  trust  in  these 
times  !  I  saw  Sindbad  perish  with  my  own  eyes, 
as  did  also  the  passengers  on  board,  and  yet  you 
tell  me  you  are  that  Sindbad.     What  impudence 


THE   STORY  OF  SINDBAD    THE  SAILOR. 


299 


is  this !  and  what  a  false  tale  to  tell,  in  order  to 
possess  yourself  of  what  does  not  belong  to  you  !  " 
"  Have  patience,"  replied  I ;  "  do  me  the  favor  to 
hear  what  I  have  to  say."  The  captain  was  at 
length  persuaded  that  I  was  no  cheat ;  for  there 
came  people  from  his  ship  who  knew  me,  paid  me 
great  compliments,  and  expressed  much  joy  at 
seeing  me  alive.  At  last  he  recollected  me  him- 
self, and  embracing  me,  "  Heaven  be  praised," 
said  he  "  for  your  happy  escape !  I  cannot  ex- 
press the  joy  it  affords  me.  There  are  your 
goods  ;  take  and  do  with  them  as  you  please." 

I  took  out  what  was  most  valuable  in  my  bales, 
and  presented  them  to  the  Maha-raja,  who,  know- 
ing my  misfortune,  asked  me  how  I  came  by  such 
rarities.  I  acquainted  him  with  the  circumstance 
of  their  recovei-y.  He  was  pleased  at  my  good 
luck,  accepted  my  present,  and  in  return  gave  me 
one  much  more  considerable.  Upon  this  I  took 
leave  of  him,  and  went  aboard  the  same  ship,  after 
I  had  exchanged  my  goods  for  the  commodities  of 
that  country.  I  carried  with  me  wood  of  aloes, 
sandals,  camphire,  nutmegs,  cloves,  pepper,  and 
ginger.  We  passed  by  several  islands,  and  at  last 
arrived  at  Bussorah,  from  whence  I  came  to  this 
city,  with  the  value  of  100,000  sequins. 

Sindbad  stopped  here,  and  ordered  the  musi- 
cians to  proceed  with  their  concert,  which  the 
story  had  interrupted.  When  it  was  evening, 
Sindbad  sent  for  a  purse  of  100  sequins,  and  giv- 
ing it  to  the  porter,  said,  "  Take  this,  Hindbad ; 
return  to  your  home,  and  come  back  to-morrow  to 
hear  more  of  my  adventures."  The  porter  went 
away,  astonished  at  the  honor  done  him,  and  the 
present  made  him.  The  account  of  this  adventure 
proved  very  agreeable  to  his  wife  and  children, 
who  did  not  fail  to  return  thanks  for  what  Provi- 
dence had  sent  them  by  the  hand  of  Sindbad. 

Hindbad  put  on  his  best  robe  next  day,  and  re- 
turned to  the  bountiful  traveler,  who  received 
him  with  a  pleasant  air,  and  welcomed  him  heart- 
ily. When  all  the  guests  had  arrived,  dinner  was 
served,  and  continued  a  long  time.  When  it  was 
ended,  Sindbad,  addressing  himself  to  the  com- 
pany, said  :   "  Gentlemen,  be  pleased  to  listen  to 


the  adventures  of  my  second  voyage.  They  de- 
serve your  attention  even  more  than  those  of  the 
first."  Upon  which  every  one  held  his  peace,  and 
Sindbad  proceeded  :  — 

THE   SECOND    VOYAGE   OP   SINDBAD    THE   SAILOR. 

I  designed,  after  my  first  voyage,  to  spend  the 
rest  of  my  days  at  Bagdad,  but  it  was  not  long  ere 
I  grew  weary  of  an  indolent  life,  and  I  put  to  sea 
a  second  time,  with  merchants  of  known  probity. 
We  embarked  on  board  a  good  ship,  and  after 
recommending  ourselves  to  God,  set  sail.  We 
traded  from  island  to  island,  and  exchanged  com- 
modities with  great  profit.  One  day  we  landed  on 
an  island  covered  with  several  sorts  of  fruit-trees, 
but  we  could  see  neither  man  nor  animal.  We 
walked  in  the  meadows,  along  the  streams  that 
watered  them.  Whilst  some  diverted  themselves 
with  gathering  flowers  and  others  fruits,  I  took 
my  wine  and  provisions,  and  sat  down  near  a 
stream  betwixt  two  high  trees,  which  formed  a 
thick  shade.  I  made  a  good  meal,  and  afterwards 
fell  asleep.  I  cannot  tell  how  long  I  slept,  but 
when  I  awoke  the  ship  was  gone. 

In  this  sad  condition,  I  was  ready  to  die  with 
grief.  I  cried  out  in  agony,  beat  my  head  and 
breast,  and  threw  myself  upon  the  ground,  where 
I  lay  some  time  in  despair.  I  upbraided  myself  a 
hundred  times  for  not  being  content  with  the  pi-od- 
uce  of  my  first  voyage,  that  might  have  sufficed 
me  all  my  life.  But  all  this  was  in  vain,  and  my 
repentance  came  too  late.  At  last  I  resigned  my- 
self to  the  will  of  God.  Not  knowing  what  to  do, 
I  climbed  up  to  the  top  of  a  lofty  tree,  from 
whence  I  looked  about  on  all  sides,  to  see  if  I 
could  discover  anything  that  could  give  me  hopes. 
When  I  gazed  towards  the  sea  I  could  see  noth- 
ing but  sky  and  water  ;  but  looking  over  the  land 
I  beheld  something  white  ;  and  coming  down,  I 
took  what  provision  I  had  left,  and  went  towards 
it,  the  distance  being  so  great  that  I  could  not  dis- 
tinguish what  it  was. 

As  I  approached,  I  thought  it  to  be  a  white 
dome,  of  a  prodigious  height  and  extent :  and 
when  I  came  up  to  it,  I  touched  it,  and  found  it  to 


300 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


;  very  smooth. 

vvent  round  to 

open   on   any 

;  was  not,  and 

there  was   no  climbing 

)  the  top,  as  it  was  so 

th.     It  was  at  least  fifty 

round. 

this  time  the  sun  was 
md  all  of  a 
sudden  the  sky  became  as 
dark  as  if  it  had  been  covered 
a  thick  cloud.  I  was  much 
astonished  at  this  sudden  darkness, 
but  much  more  when  I  found  it  oc- 
casioned by  a  bird  of  a  monstrous 
size,  that  came  flying  towards  me. 
I  remembered  that  I  had  often 
heard  mariners  speak  of  a  miracu- 
lous bird  called  the  roc,  and  con- 
ceived that  the  great  dome  which 
I  so  much  admired  must  be  its 
egg.  In  short,  the  bird  alighted, 
and  sat  over  the  egg.  As  I  per- 
ceived her  coming,  I  crept  close  to 
the  egg,  so  that  I  had  before  me  one  of  the  legs  of 
the  bird,  which  was  as  big  as  the  trunk  of  a  tree. 
I  tied  myself  strongly  to  it  with  my  turban,  in 
hopes  that  the  roc  next  morning  would  carry  me 
with  her  out  of  this  desert  island.  After  hav- 
ing passed  the  night  in  this  condition,  the  bird 
flew  away  as  soon  as  it  was  daylight,  and  carried 


she  afterwards  descended  with  so 
much  rapidity  that  I  lost  my 
senses.  But  when  I  found  my- 
self on  the  ground,  I  speedily  un- 
tied the  knot,  and  had  scarcely 
done  so,  when  the  roc,  having 
taken  up  a  serpent  of  a  monstrous 
length  in  her  bill,  flew  away. 

The   spot   where  the  bird  left 

me  was  encompassed  on  all  sides 

by    mountains,    that    seemed    to 

reach    above    the  clouds,   and    so 

steep  that  there  was  no  possibility  of  getting  out 

of  the  valley.     This  was  a  new  perplexity  ;  so  that 

when  I  compared  this  place  with  the  desert  island 

from  which  the  roc  had  brought  me,  I  found  that 

I  had  gained  nothing  by  the  change. 

As  I  walked  through  this  valley,  I  perceived  it 
was  strewed  with  diamonds,  some  of  which  were 
of  a  surprising  bigness.  I  took  pleasure  in  look- 
ing upon  them  ;  but  shortly  saw  at  a  distance  such 
objects  as  greatly  diminished  my  satisfaction,  and 
which  I  could  not  view  without  terror,  namely,  a 
great  number  of  serpents,  so  monstrous  that  the 
least  of  them  was  capable  of  swallowing  an  ele- 
phant. They  retired  in  the  daytime  to  their  dens, 
where  they  hid  themselves  from  the  roc,  their 
enemy,  and  came  out  only  in  the  night. 

I  spent  the  day  in  walking  about  in  the  valley, 
resting  myself  at  times  in  such  places  as  I  thought 
most  convenient.  When  night  came  on  I  went 
into  a  cave,  where  I  thought  I  might  repose  in 
safety.  I  secured  the  entrance,  which  was  low 
and  narrow,  with  a  great  stone,  to  preserve  me 
from  the  serpents ;  but  not  so  far  as  to  exclude  the 
light.  I  supped  on  part  of  my  provisions,  but  the 
serpents,  which  began  hissing  round  me,  put  me 
into  such  extreme  fear  that  I  did  not  sleep. 
When  day  appeared  the  serpents  retired,  and  I 
came  out  of  the  cave  trembling.  I  can  justly  say, 
that  I  walked  upon  diamonds,  without  feeling  any 
inclination  to  touch  them.  At  last  I  sat  down, 
and  notwithstanding  my  apprehensions,  not  having 
closed  my  eyes  during  the  night,  fell  asleep,  after 


me  so  high,  that  I  could  not  discern  the  earth  ;     having  eaten  a  little  more  of  my  provisions.    But  I 


THE  STORT   OF  SINDBAD    THE  SAILOR. 


301 


had  scarcely  shut  my  eyes  when  something  that  t'ell 
by  me  with  a  great  noise  awaked  me.  This  was  a 
large  piece  of  raw  meat ;  and  at  the  same  time  I 
saw  several  others  fall  down  from  the  rocks  in  dif- 
ferent places. 

I  had  always  regarded  as  fabulous  what  I  had 
heard  sailors  and  others  relate  of  the  valley  of 
diamonds,  and  of  the  stratagems  employed  by 
merchants  to  obtain  jewels  from  thence  ;  but  now 
I  found  that  they  had  stated  nothing  but  the 
truth.  For  the  fact  is,  that  the  merchants  come 
to  the  neighborhood  of  this  valley,  when  the  ea- 
gles have  young  ones,  and  throwing  great  joints  of 
meat  into  the  valley,  the  diamonds,  upon  whose 
points  they  fall,  stick  to  them  ;  the  eagles,  which 
are  stronger  in  this  country  than  anywhere  else, 
pounce  with  great  force  upon  those  pieces  of  meat, 
and  carry  them  to  their  nests  on  the  precipices  of 
the.  rocks  to  feed  their  young ;  the  merchants  at 
this  time  run  to  their  nests,  disturb  and  drive  off 
the  eagles  by  their  shouts,  and  take  away  the  dia- 
monds that  stick  to  the  meat. 

I  perceived  in  this  device  the  means  of  my  de- 
liverance. 

Having  collected  together  the  largest  diamonds 
I  could  find,  and  put  them  into  the  leather  bag  in 
which  I  used  to  carry  my  provisions,  I  took  the 
largest  of  the  pieces  of  meat,  tied  it  close  round 
me  with  the  cloth  of  my  turban,  and  then  laid 
myself  upon  the  ground,  with  my  face  down- 
wards, the  bag  of  diamonds  being  made  fast  to 
my  girdle. 

I  had  scarcely  placed  myself  in  this  posture 
when  one  of  the  eagles,  having  taken  me  up  with 
the  piece  of  meat  to  which  I  was  fastened,  carried 
me  to  his  nest  on  the  top  of  the  mountain.  The 
merchants  immediately  began  their  shouting  to 
frighten  the  eagles  ;  and  when  they  had  obliged 
them  to  quit  their  prey,  one  of  them  came  to  the 
nest  where  I  was.  He  was  much  alarmed  when 
he  saw  me  ;  but  recovering  himself,  instead  of  in- 
quiring how  I  came  thither,  began  to  quarrel  with 
me,  and  asked  why  I  stole  his  goods  ?  "  You  will 
treat  me,"  replied  I.  "  with  more  civility,  when 
you  know  me  better.     Do  not  be  uneasy  ;  I  have 


diamonds  enough  for  you  and  myself,  more  than 
all  the  other  merchants  together.  Whatever  they 
have  they  owe  to  chance  ;  but  I  selected  for  my- 
self, in  the  bottom  of  the  valley,  those  which  you 
see  in  this  bag." 

I  had  scarcely  clone  speaking,  when  the  other 
merchants  came  crowding  about  us,  much  aston- 
ished to  see  me  ;  but  they  were  much  more  sur- 
prised when  I  told  them  my  story. 

They  conducted  me  to  their  encampment ;  and 
there  having  opened  my  bag,  they  were  surprised 
at  the  largeness  of  my  diamonds,  and  confessed 
that  they  had  never  seen  any  of  such  size  and  per- 
fection. I  prayed  the  merchant  who  owned  the 
nest  to  which  I  had  been  carried  (for  every  mer- 
chant had  his  own),  to  take  as  many  for  his  share 
as  he  pleased.  He  contented  himself  with  one, 
and  that,  too,  the  least  of  them ;  and  when  I 
pressed  him  to  take  more,  without  fear  of  doing 
me  any  injury,  "  No,"  said  he,  "  I  am  very  well 
satisfied  with  this,  which  is  valuable  enough  to 
save  me  the  trouble  of  making  any  more  voyages, 
and  will  raise  as  great  a  fortune  as  I  desire." 

I  spent  the  night  with  the  merchants,  to  whom 
I  related  my  story  a  second  time,  for  the  satisfac- 
tion of  those  who  had  not  heard  it.  I  could  not 
moderate  my  joy  when  I  found  myself  delivered 
from  the  danger  I  have  mentioned.  I  thought 
myself  in  a  dream,  and  could  scarcely  believe  my- 
self out  of  danger. 

The  merchants  had  thrown  their  pieces  of  meat 
into  the  valley  for  several  days  ;  and  each  cf 
them  being  satisfied  with  the  diamonds  that  had 
fallen  to  his  lot,  we  left  the  place  the  next  morn- 
ing, and  traveled  near  high  mountains,  where 
there  were  serpents  of  a  prodigious  length,  which 
we  had  the  good  fortune  to  escape.  We  took 
shipping  at  the  first  port  we  reached,  and  touched 
at  the  isle  of  Roha,  where  the  trees  grow  that 
yield  camphire.  This  tree  is  so  large,  and  its 
branches  so  thick,  that  one  hundred  men  may 
easily  sit  under  its  shade.  The  juice,  of  which 
the  camphire  is  made,  exudes  from  a  hole  bored 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  tree,  is  received  in  a  ves- 
sel, where  it  thickens  to    a    consistency,  and  be- 


302 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'   ENTERTAINMENTS. 


comes  what  we  call  camphire.  After  the  juice  is 
thus  drawn  out,  the  tree  withers  and  dies. 

In  this  island  is  also  found  the  rhinoceros,  an 
animal  less  than  the  elephant,  but  larger  than  the 
buffalo.  It  has  a  horn  upon  it  nose,  about  a  cubit 
in  length  ;  this  horn  is  solid,  and  cleft  through 
the  middle.  The  rhinoceros  fights  with  the  ele- 
phant, runs  his  horns  into  his  belly,  and  carries 
him  off  upon  his  head  ;  but  the  blood  and  the  fat 
of  the  elephant  running  into  his  eyes  and  making 
him  blind,  he  falls  to  the  ground ;  and  then, 
strange  to  relate,  the  roc  comes  and  carries  them 
both  away  in  her  claws,  for  food  for  her  young 
ones. 

I  pass  over  many  other  things  peculiar  to  this 
island,  lest  I  should  weary  you.  Here  I  ex- 
changed some  of  my  diamonds  for  merchandise. 
From  hence  we  went  to  other  islands,  and  at  last, 
having  touched  at  several  trading  towns  of  the 
continent,  we  landed  at  Bussorah,  from  whence  I 
proceeded  to  Bagdad.  There  I  immediately  gave 
large  presents  to  the  poor,  and  lived  honorably 
upon  the  vast  riches  I  had  brought  and  gained 
with  so  much  fatigue. 

Thus  Sindbad  ended  the  relation  of  the  second 
voyage,  gave  Hindbad  another  hundred  sequins, 
and  invited  him  to  come  the  next  day  to  hear  the 
account  of  the  third. 

THE   FIFTH   VOYAGE   OP   SINDBAD  THE   SAILOE. 

All  the  troubles  and  calamities  I  had  undergone 
could  not  cure  me  of  my  inclination  to  make  new 
voyages.  I  therefore  bought  goods,  departed  with 
them  for  the  best  seaport,  and  there,  that  I  might 
not  be  obliged  to  depend  upon  a  captain,  but  have 
a  ship  at  my  own  command,  I  remained  till  one 
was  built  on  purpose,  at  my  own  charge.  When 
the  ship  was  ready  I  went  on  board  with  my 
goods  ;  but  not  having  enough  to  load  her,  I 
agreed  to  take  with  me  several  merchants  of  dif- 
ferent nations,  with  their  merchandise. 

We  sailed  with  the  first  fair  wind,  and  after  a 
long  navigation,  the  first  place  we  touched  at  was 
a  desert  island,  where  we  found  an  egg  of  a  roc, 
equal  in  size  to  that  I  formerly  mentioned.    There 


was  a  young  roc  in  it,  just  ready  to  be  hatched, 
and  its  beak  had  begun  to  break  the  egg. 

The  merchants  who  landed  with  me  broke  the 
egg  with  hatchets,  and  made  a  hole  in  it,  pulled 
out  the  young  roc  piecemeal,  and  roasted  it.  I 
had  in  vain  entreated  them  not  to  meddle  with 
the  egg. 

Scarcely  had  they  finished  their  repast,  when 
there  appeared  in  the  air,  at  a  considerable  dis- 
tance, two  great  clouds.  The  captain  of  my  ship, 
knowing  by  experience  what  they  meant,  said 
they  were  the  male  and  female  parents  of  the  roc, 
and  pressed  us  to  reembark  with  all  speed,  to  pre- 
vent the  misfortune  which  he  saw  would  other- 
wise befall  us. 

The  two  rocs  approached  with  a  frightful  noise, 
which  they  redoubled  when  they  saw  the  egg 
broken  and  their  young  one  gone.  They  flew 
back  in  the  direction  they  had  come,  and  disap- 
peared for  some  time,  while  we  made  all  the  sail 
we  could  to  endeavor  to  prevent  that  which  un- 
happily befell  us. 

They  soon  returned,  and  we  observed  that  each 
of  them  carried  between  its  talons  an  enormous 
rock.  When  they  came  directly  over  my  ship, 
they  hovered,  and  one  of  them  let  go  his  rock ; 
but  by  the  dexterity  of  the  steersman  it  missed 
us,  and  fell  into  the  sea.  The  other  so  exactly  hit 
the  middle  of  the  ship  as  to  split  it  into  pieces. 
The  mariners  and  passengers  were  all  crushed  to 
death,  or  fell  into  the  sea.  I  myself  was  of  the 
number  of  the  latter  ;  but,  as  I  came  up  again,  I 
fortunately  caught  hold  of  a  piece  of  the  wreck, 
and  swimming,  sometimes  with  one  hand  and 
sometimes  with  the  other,  but  always  holding  fast 
the  plank,  the  wind  and  the  tide  favoring  me,  I 
came  to  an  island,  and  got  safely  ashore. 

I  sat  down  upon  the  grass,  to  recover  my-self 
from  my  fatigue,  after  which  I  went  into  the 
island  to  explore  it.  It  seemed  to  be  a  delicious 
garden.  I  found  trees  everywhere,  some  of  them 
bearing  green  and  others  ripe  fruits,  and  streams 
of  fresh  pure  water.  I  ate  of  the  fruits,  which  I 
found  excellent ;  and  drank  of  the  water,  which 
was  very  light  and  good. 


THE  STORY  OF  SIN  DEAD    THE  SAILOR. 


303 


When  I  was  a  little  advanced  into  the  island  I 
saw  an  old  man,  who  appeared  very  weak  and  in- 
firm. He  was  sit- 
ting on  the  bank  of 
a  stream,  and  at 
first  I  took  him  to 
be  one  who  had 
been  shipwrecked 
like  myself.  I  went 
towards  him  and 
saluted  him,  but  he 


Notwithstanding  my  fainting,  the  ill-natured  old 
fellow  still  kept  his  seat  upon  my  neck.  When  I 
had  recovered  my  breath,  he  thrust  one  of  his  feet 
against  my  side,  and  struck  me  so  rudely  with  the 
other,  that  he  forced  me  to  rise  up  against  my 
will.  Having  arisen,  he  made  me  carry  him  under 
the  trees,  and  forced  me  now  and  then  to  stop,  that 
he  might  gather  and  eat  fruit.  He  never  left  his 
seat  all  day  ;  and  when  I  lay  down  to  rest  at  night, 
he  laid  himself  down  with  me,  holding  still  fast 
about  my  neck.  Every  morning  he  pinched  me 
to    make   me   awake,    and  after- 


wards obliged  me  to  get  up   and 


spur 


red   me  with  his 


only  slightly  bowed 
his  head.  I  asked 
lim  why  he  sat  so 
still ;  but  instead  of 
answering  me,  he 
made  a  sign  for  me 
to  take  him  upon 
my  back,  and  carry 
him  over  the 
brook. 

believed  him  really 
to  stand  in  need  of  my 
assistance,  took  him 
upon  my  back,  and  hav- 
ing carried  him  over,  bade  him 
get  down,  and  for  that  end 
stooped,  that  he  might  get  off 
with  essse  ;  but  instead  of  doing  so  (which  I  laugh 
at  every  time  I  think  of  it),  the  old  man,  who  to 
me  appeared  quite  decrepit,  threw  his  legs  nimbly 
about  my  neck.  He  sat  astride  upon  my  shoul- 
ders, and  held  my  throat  so  tight  that  I  thought 
he  would  have  strangled  me,  and  I  fainted  away. 


walK,   : 
feet. 

One  day  I  found  several  dry 
calabashes  that  had  fallen  from  a 
tree.  I  took  a  large  one,  and  after 
cleaning  it,  pressed  into  it  some 
juice  of  grapes,  which  abounded 
in  the  island ;  having  filled  the 
calabash,  I  put  it  by  in  a  conven- 
ient place,  and  going  thither  again  some  days 
after,  I  tasted  it,  and  found  the  wine  so  good,  that 
it  gave  me  new  vigor,  and  so  exhilarated  my  spir- 
its, that  I  began  to  sing  and  dance  as  I  carried  my 
burden. 

The  old  man,  perceiving  the  effect  which  this 
had  upon  me,  and  that  I  carried  him  with  more 
ease  than  before,  made  me  a  sign  to  give  him  some 
of  it.  I  handed  him  the  calabash,  and  the  liquor 
pleasing  his  palate,  he  drank  it  off.  There  being 
a  considerable  quantity  of  it,  he  soon  began  to  sing, 
and  to  move  about  from  side  to  side  in  his  seat 
upon  my  shoulders,  and  by  degrees  to  loosen  his 
legs  from  about  me.  Finding  that  he  did  not  press 
me  as  before,  I  threw  him  upon  the  ground,  where 
he  lay  without  motion  ;  I  then  took  up  a  great 
stone  and  slew  him. 

I  was  extremely  glad  to  be  thus  freed  forever 
from  this  troublesome  fellow.  I  now  walked  to- 
wards the  beach,  where  I  met  the  crew  of  a  ship 
that  had  cast  anchor,  to  take  in  water ;  they  were 
surprised  to  see  me,  but  more  so  at  hearing  the 
particulars  of  my  adventures.     "  You  fell,"   said 


304 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


they,  "  into  the  hands  of  the  Old  Man  of  the  Sea, 
and  are  the  first  who  ever  escaped  strangling  by 
his  malicious  embraces.  He  never  quitted  those 
he  had  once  made  himself  master  of,  till  he  had 
destroyed  them,  and  he  has  made  this  island  noto- 
rious by  the  number  of  men  he  has  slain."  They 
carried  me  with  them  to  the  captain,  who  received 
me  with  great  kindness.  He  put  out  again  to  sea, 
and  after  some  days'  sail  we  arrived  at  the  harbor  of 
a  great  city,  the  houses  of  which  overhung  the  sea. 

One  of  the  merchants  who  had  taken  me  into 
his  friendship  invited  me  to  go  along  with  him. 
He  gave  me  a  large  sack,  and  having  recom- 
mended me  to  some  people  of  the  town,  who  used 
to  gather  cocoa-nuts,  desired  them  to  take  me  with 
them.  "Go,"  said  he,  "follow  them,  and  act  as 
you  see  them  do;  but  do  not  separate  from  them, 
otherwise  you  may  endanger  your  life."  Having 
thus  spoken,  he  gave  me  provisions  for  the  jour- 
ney, and  I  went  with  them. 

We  came  to  a  thick  forest  of  cocoa-trees,  very 
loft}r,  with  trunks  so  smooth  that  it  was  not  possi- 
ble to  climb  to  the  branches  that  bore  the  fruit. 
When  we  entered  the  forest  we  saw  a  great  num- 
ber of  apes  of  several  sizes,  who  fled  as  soon  as 
they  perceived  us,  and  climbed  to  the  tops  of  the 
trees  with  amazing  swiftness. 


The  merchants  with  whom  I  was  gathered 
stones,  and  threw  them  at  the  apes  on  the  trees. 
I  did  the  same  :  and  the  apes,  out  of  revenge, 
threw  cocoa-nuts  at  us  so  fast,  and  with  such  gest- 
ures, as  sufficiently  testified  their  anger  and  re- 
sentment. We  gathered  up  the  cocoa-nuts,  and 
from  time  to  time  threw  stones  to  provoke  the 
apes ;  so  that  by  this  stratagem  we  filled  our  bags 
with  cocoa-nuts.  I  thus  gradually  collected  as 
many  cocoa-nuts  as  produced  me  a  considerable 
sum. 

Having  laden  our  vessel  with  cocoa-nuts,  we  set 
sail,  and  passed  by  the  islands  where  pepper  grows 
in  great  plenty.  From  thence  we  went  to  the  isle 
of  Comari,  where  the  best  species  of  wood  of  aloes 
grows.  I  exchanged  my  cocoa  in  those  two  isl- 
ands for  pepper  and  wood  of  aloes,  and  went  with 
other  merchants  a-pearl-fishing.  I  hired  divers, 
who  brought  me  up  some  that  were  verjr  large  and 
pure. 

I  embarked  in  a  vessel  that  happily  arrived  at 
Bussorah ;  and  from  thence  I  returned  to  Bag- 
dad, where  I  realized  vast  sums  from  my  pepper, 
wood  of  aloes,  and  pearls.  I  gave  the  tenth  of 
my  gains  in  alms,  as  I  had  done  upon  my  return 
from  my  other  voyages,  and  rested  from  my  fa- 
tigues. 


VIII.     THE   STORY   OF  THE   LITTLE   HUNCHBACK. 


There  was  in' former  times  at  Casgar,  on  the 
extreme  boundaries  of  Tartary,  a  tailor,  who  was 
married  to  a  wife  to  whom  he  was  tenderly  at- 
tached. One  day  while  he  was  at  work,  a  little 
hunchback  seated  himself  at  the  shop  door,  and 
began  to  sing  and  play  upon  a  tabor.  The  tailor 
was  pleased  with  his  performance,  and  resolved  to 
take  him  to  his  house  to  entertain  his  wife.  Imme- 
diately after  their  arrival,  the  tailor's  wife  placed 
before  them  a  dish  of  fish  ;  but  as  the  little  man 
was  eating,  he  unluckily  swallowed  a  bone,  which, 
notwithstanding  all  that  the  tailor  and  his  wife 
could  do,  choked  him.  This  accident  greatly 
alarmed  them  both,  lest  they  should  be  punished 


as  murderers.  Now,  it  so  happened  that  a  doctor, 
a  Jew,  lived  close  by,  and  the  tailor  and  his  wife 
devised  a  scheme  for  placing  the  body  of  the  dwarf 
in  his  house.  On  their  knocking  at  the  door,  the 
servant-maid  came  down  without  any  light,  and 
asked  what  they  wanted.  "  Go  and  tell  your  mas- 
ter," said  the  tailor,  putting  a  piece  of  money  in 
her  hand,  "  we  have  brought  him  a  man  who  is  ill, 
and  want  his  advice."  While  the  servant  was 
gone  up  to  inform  her  master,  the  tailor  and  his 
wife  hastily  conveyed  the  body  of  the  hunchback, 
supposed  to  be  dead,  to  the  head  of  the  stairs,  and 
leaving  it  there,  hurried  away. 

In  the  mean  time  the  doctor,  transported  with 


THE  STORY  OF   THE  LITTLE  HUNCHBACK. 


305 


joy  at  being  paid  beforehand,  hastily  ran  towards 
the  head  of  the  stairs  without  waiting  for  a  light, 
and  came  against  the  body  of  the  hunchback  with 
so  much  violence,  that  he  precipitated  it  to  the 
bottom.  "Bring  me  a  light!"  cried  he  to  the 
maid  ;  "  quick,  quick  !  "  At  last  she  brought  a 
light,  and  he  went 
down-stairs  with  her; 
but  when  he  saw  what 
he  had  done,  "  Unhap- 
py man  that  I  am  !  " 
said  he,  "  why  did  I 
attempt  to  come  with- 
out a  light  ?  I  have 
killed  the  poor  fellow 
who  was  brought  to 
me  to  be  cured ;  and 
unless  Esdra's  ass 
come  to  assist  me,  the 
authorities  will  be 
here,  and  drag  me  out 
of  my  house  for  a 
murderer." 

The  doctor  then 
called  his  wife,  and 
consulted  with  her 
how  to  dispose  of  the 
dead  body  during  the 
night.  The  doctor 
racked  his  brain  in 
vain  ;  he  could  not 
think  of  any  strata- 
gem to  relieve  his  em- 
barrassment ;  but  his 
wife,  who  was  more 
fertile  in  invention, 
said :  "  A  thought  has 
just  come  into  my 
head  ;  carry  the  dead  body  to  the  terrace  of  our 
house,  and  let  it  down  the  chimney  of  our  Mus- 
sulman neighbor." 

This  Mussulman  was  one  of  the  sultan's  pur- 
veyors for  furnishing  oil,  butter,  and  articles  of  a 
similar  nature,  and  had  a  magazine  in  his  house, 
where  the  rats  and  mice  made  prodigious  havoc. 

39 


The  Jewish  doctor  approving  the  proposed  ex- 
pedient, his  wife  and  he  took  the  little  dwarf  up  to 
the  roof  of  the  house,  and  placing  ropes  under  his 
armpits,  let  him  down  the  chimney  into  the  pur- 
veyor's chamber  so  dexterously  that  he  stood  up- 
right   against  the  wall,  as  if  he  had  been  alive. 

They  were  scarcely 
got  back  into  their 
own  chamber,  when 
the  purveyor,  who 
had  returned  late 
from  a  wedding-feast, 
went  into  his  room, 
with  a  lantern  in  his 
hand.  He  was  not  a 
little  surprised  to  dis- 
cover a  human  figure 
standing  in  his  chim- 
ney; but  being  a 
stout  fellow,  and  ap- 
prehending him  to  be 
a  thief,  he  took  up  a 
stick,  and,  "  Ah," 
said  he,  "  I  thought 
the  rats  and  mice  ate 
my  butter  and  tallow; 
but  it  is  y  o  u  who 
come  down  the  chim- 
ney to  rob  me  ?  How- 
ever, I  think  you  will 
have  no  wish  to  come 
here  again."  Upon 
this  he  attacked  the 
hunchback,  and 
struck  him  several 
times  with  his  stick. 
The  body  fell  down 
flat  on  the  ground, 
and  the  purveyor  redoubled  his  blows.  But  observ- 
ing that  the  body  did  not  move,  he  stood  a  little 
time  to  regard  it;  and  then,  fear  succeeding  his  an- 
ger, "  Wretched  man  that  I  am  !  "  said  he  ;  "  what 
have  I  done  !  I  have  killed  a  man  !  alas,  I  have 
carried  my  revenge  too  far."  He  stood  pale  and 
thunderstruck,  and  couid  not  tell  what  resolution 


306 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


to  take,  when  on  a  sudden  he  took  up  the  body 
supposed  to  be  dead,  and  carried  it  to  the  end  of 
the  street,  where  he  placed  it  in  an  upright  pos- 
ture against  a  shop ;  he  then  returned  without 
once  looking  behind  him. 

A  few  minutes  before  daybreak,  a  wealthy 
Christian  merchant,  coming  home  from  a  night's 
festivity,  passed  by  the  spot  where  the  sultan's 
purveyor  had  put  the  dead  body,  which  being 
jostled  by  him,  tumbled  upon  the  merchant's  back. 
The  merchant,  thinking  he  was  attacked  by  a  rob- 
ber, knocked  it  down,  and  after  redoubling  his 
blows,  cried  out  "  Thieves  !  "  The  outcry  alarmed 
the  watch,  who  came  up  immediately,  and  finding 
a  Christian  beating  a  Mussulman,  "  What  reason 
have  you,"  said  he,  "  to  abuse  a  Mussulman  in 
this  manner?"  "He  would  have  robbed  me," 
replied  the  merchant,  "and  jumped  upon  my  back 
in  order  to  take  me  by  the  throat."  "If  he  did," 
said  the  watch,  "  you  have  revenged  yourself  suf- 
ficiently ;  come,  get  off  him."  At  the  same  time 
perceiving  the  little  man  to  be  dead,  he  said,  "  Is 
it  thus  that  a  Christian  dares  to  assassinate  a  Mus- 
sulman ?  "  So  saying,  he  laid  hold  of  the  Chris- 
tian, and  carried  him  to  the  house  of  the  cadi. 
In  the  mean  time  the  Christian  merchant,  reflect- 
ing upon  his  adventure,  could  not  conceive  how 
such  slight  blows  of  his  fist  could  have  killed  the 
man. 

The  judge  having  heard  the  report  of  the  watch, 
and  viewed  the  body,  which  they  had  brought  to 
his  house,  interrogated  the  Christian  merchant, 
who  could  not  deny  the  death,  though  he  had  not 
caused  it.  But  the  judge  considering  that  the  lit- 
tle dwarf  belonged  to  the  sultan,  for  he  was  one 
of  his  buffoons,  would  not  put  the  Christian  to 
death  till  he  knew  the  sultan's  pleasure.  For  this 
end  he  went  to  the  palace,  and  acquainted  the 
sultan  with  what  had  happened ;  and  received  this 
answer,  "  I  have  no  mercy  to  show  to  a  Chris- 
tian who  kills  a  Mussulman."  Upon  this  the 
cadi  ordered  a  stake  to  be  prepared,  and  sent 
criers  all  over  the  city  to  proclaim  that  they  were 
about  to  impale  a  Christian  for  killing  a  Mussul- 
man. 


At  length  the  merchant  was  brought  to  the 
place  of  execution  ;  and  the  executioner  was  about 
to  fasten  him  to  the  stake,  when  the  sultan's  pur- 
veyor  pushed  through  the  crowd,  calling  to  him  to 
stop,  for  that  the  Christian  had  not  committed  the 
murder,  but  he  himself  had  done  it,  and  related 
how  he  had  attacked  him,  under  the  impression 
that  he  was  a  thief.  "  Let  the  Christian  go,"  said 
the  cadi  to  the  executioner,  "  and  impale  this  man 
in  his  stead,  since  it  appears  by  his  own  confession 
that  he  is  guilty."  Thereupon  the  executioner 
released  the  merchant,  and  seized  the  purveyor; 
but  just  as  he  was  going  to  impale  him,  he  heard 
the  voice  of  the  Jewish  doctor,  earnestly  entreat- 
ing him  to  suspend  the  execution,  and  make  room 
for  him  to  approach,  as  he  was  the  real  criminal, 
and  stating  how  he  had  by  his  hasty  imprudence 
caused  his  death.  The  chief  justice  being  now 
persuaded  that  the  Jewish  doctor  was  the  mur- 
derer, gave  orders  to  the  executioner  to  seize  him 
and  release  the  purveyor.  Accordingly  the  doc- 
tor was  just  going  to  be  impaled,  when  the  tailor 
appeared,  crying,  in  his  turn,  to  the  executioner 
to  hold  his  hand,  and  make  room  for  him,  that  he 
might  come  and  make  his  confession  to  the  cadi, 
as,  after  all,  he  was  the  person  really  answerable 
for  the  death  of  the  hunchback,  and  he  could  not 
bear  that  an  innocent  man  should  suffer  for  his 
crime.  The  cadi  being  now  fairly  perplexed  to 
decide  who  was  the  real  culprit  amongst  so  many 
self-accusing  criminals,  determined  to  refer  the 
matter  to  the  sultan  himself,  and  proceeded  to  the 
palace,  accompanied  hy  the  tailor,  the  Jewish  doc- 
tor, and  the  Christian  merchant,  while  four  of  his 
men  carried  on  a  bier  the  body  of  the  dwarf,  sup- 
posed to  be  dead. 

When  they  appeared  in  the  sultan's  presence, 
the  cadi  prostrated  himself  at  his  feet ;  and  on  ris- 
ing, gave  him  a  faithful  relation  of  all  he  knew 
of  the  story  of  the  dwarf,  and  of  the  three  men 
who,  one  after  the  other,  accused  themselves  of  his 
involuntary  murder.  The  story  appeared  so  ex- 
traordinary to  the  sultan,  that  he  ordered  his 
own  historian  to  write  it  down  with  all  its  circum- 
stances. 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  BARMECIDE  FEAST. 


307 


IX.     THE   STORY   OF   THE   BARMECIDE   FEAST. 


One  day  as  Schacabac  passed  by  a  magnificent 
house,  whose  high  gate  showed  a  very  spacious 
court,  where  there  was  a  multitude  of  servants,  he 
went  to  one  of  them,  and  asked  him  to  whom  that 
house  belonged.  "  Good  man,"  replied  the  serv- 
ant, "  whence  do  you  come  that  you  ask  me  such 
a  question  ?  Does  not  all  that  you  behold  point 
out  to  you  that  it  is  the  palace  of  a  Barmecide '?  " 
Schacabac,  who  very  well  knew  the  liberality  and 
generosity  of  the  Barmecides,  addressed  himself 
to  one  of  the  gate-keepers  (for  he  had  more  than 
one),  and  prayed  him  to  give  him  an  alms.  "  Go 
in,"  said  he,  "  nobody  hinders  you,  and  address 
yourself  to  the  master  of  the  house  ;  he  will  send 
you  back  satisfied." 

Schacabac,  who  expected  no  such  civility, 
thanked  the  porter,  and  entered  the  palace.  He 
went  on  till  he  came  into  a  hall  richly  furnished 
and  adorned  with  painting  of  gold  and  azure  foli- 
age, where  he  saw  a  venerable  man,  with  a  long 
white  beard,  sitting  at  the  upper  end  on  a  sofa, 
whence  he  concluded  him  to  be  the  master  of  the 
house  ;  and,  in  fact,  it  was  the  Barmecide  himself, 
who  said  to  him,  in  a  very  civil  manner,  that  he 
was  welcome,  and  asked  him  what  he  wanted. 
"  My  lord,"  answered  Schacabac,  "  I  am  a  poor 
man  who  stands  in  need  of  help.  I  swear  to  you 
I  have  not  eaten  one  bit  to-daj'."  "  Is  it  true," 
demanded  the  Barmecide,  "  that  you  are  fasting 
till  now  ?  Alas  !  poor  man,  he  is  ready  to  die  for 
hunger !  Ho,  boy  !  "  cried  he,  with  a  loud  voice  ; 
"  bring  a  basin  and  water  presently,  that  we  may 
wash  our  hands."  Though  no  boy  appeared,  and 
Schacabac  saw  neither  water  nor  basin,  the  Bar- 
mecide fell  to  rubbing  his  hands  as  if  one  had 
poured  water  upon  them,  and  bade  him  come  and 
wash  with  him.  Schacabac  judged  by  this  that 
the  Barmecide  lord  loved  to  be  merry  ;  and  he 
himself  understanding  raillery,  and  knowing  that 
the  poor  must  be  complaisant  to  the  rich,  if  they 
would  have  anything  from  them,  came  forward 
and  did  as  he  was  required. 


"  Come  on,"  said  the  Barmecide  ;  "  bring  us 
something  to  eat,  and  do  not  let  us  wait."  When 
he  had  spoken,  though  nothing  appeared,  he  be- 
gan to  cut,  as  if  something  had  been  brought  him 
upon  a  plate,  and  putting  his  hand  to  his  mouth, 
began  to  eat ;  and  said  to  Schacabac :  "  Come, 
friend,  eat  as  freely  as  if  you  were  at  home ;  you 
said  you  were  like  to  die  of  hunger,  but  you  eat  as 
if  you  had  no  appetite  !  "  "  Pardon  me,  my  lord," 
said  Schacabac,  who  perfectly  imitated  what  he 
did  ;  "  you  see  I  lose  no  time,  and  that  I  play  my 
part  well  enough."  "  How  like  you  this  bread  ?" 
said  the  Barmecide ;  "  do  not  you  find  it  very 
good?  "  "  Oh,  my  lord,"  replied  Schacabac,  who 
saw  neither  bread  nor  meat,  "  I  have  never  eaten 
anything  so  white  and  so  fine."  "  Eat  your  fill," 
said  the  Barmecide.  "  I  assure  you  the  woman 
who  bakes  me  this  good  bread  cost  me  five  hundred 
pieces  of  gold  to  purchase  her." 

The  Barmecide,  after  having  boasted  so  much 
of  his  bread,  which  Schacabac  ate  only  in  idea, 
cried,  "  Boy,  bring  us  another  dish  ;  "  and  though 
no  boy  appeared,  "  Come,  my  good  friend,"  con- 
tinued he,  "taste  this  new  dish,  and  tell  me  if 
ever  you  ate  better  mutton  and  barley  broth  than 
this."  "It  is  admirably  good,"  replied  Schacabac, 
"  and  therefore  you  see  I  eat  heartily."  "  You 
oblige  me  highly,"  resumed  the  Barmecide.  "  I 
conjure  you,  then,  by  the  satisfaction  I  have  to  see 
you  eat  so  heartily,  that  you  eat  all  up,  since  you 
like  it  so  well."  A  little  while  after  he  called  for 
a  goose  and  sweet  sauce.  He  then  called  for  sev- 
eral others,  of  which  Schacabac,  who  was  ready 
to  die  of  hunger,  pretended  to  eat;  but  what  he 
boasted  of  more  than  all  the  rest  was  a  lamb,  fed 
with  pistachio  nuts,  which  he  ordered  to  be 
brought  up  in  the  same  manner.  "  I  knew  you 
would  like  it,"  said  the  Barmecide.  "  There  is 
nothing  in  the  world  finer,"  replied  .Schacabac  ; 
"  your  table  is  most  delicious."  "  Come,  bring 
the  ragout.  I  fancy  you  will  like  that  as  well  as 
you  did  the  lamb.     Well,  how  do  you  relish  it?  " 


308 


TALES  FROM  THE  ARABIAN  NIGHTS'  ENTERTAINMENTS. 


"  Oh,  it  is  wonderful,"  replied  Schacabac ;  "  for 
here  we  taste  all  at  once  amber,  cloves,  nutmeg, 
ginger,  pepper,  and  the  most  odoriferous  herbs, 
and  all  these  delicacies  are  so  well  mixed  that  one 
does  not  prevent  our  tasting  the  other."  "  How 
pleasant  !  Honor  this  ragout,"  said  the  Barme- 
cide, "  by  eating  heartily  of  it.  Ho,  boy,  bring  us 
another  ragout."  "  No,  my  lord,  if  it  please  you," 
replied  Schacabac,  "  for  indeed  I  can  eat  no 
more." 

"  Come,  take  it  away,  then,"  said  the  Barme- 
cide, "  and  bring  the  fruit."  He  stayed  a  moment, 
as  it  were  to  give  time  for  his  servants  to  carry  it 
away  ;  after  which  he  addressed  Schacabac, 
"  Taste  these  almonds,  they  are  good  and  fresh 
gathered."  Both  of  them  made  as  if  they  had 
peeled  the  almonds  and  eaten  them  ;  after  this 
the  Barmecide  invited  him  to  eat  something  else. 
"  Look,"  said  he,  "  there  are  all  sorts  of  fruits, 
cakes,  dry  sweetmeats,  and  conserves.  Take  what 
you  like."  Then  stretching  out  his  hand,  as  if  he 
had  reached  Schacabac  something,  he  still  bade 
him  eat,  and  said  to  him  :  "  Methinks  you  do  not 
eat  as  if  you  had  been  so  hungry  as  you  com- 
plained you  were  when  you  came  in."  "  My  lord," 
replied  Schacabac,  whose  jaws  ached  with  moving 
and  having  nothing  to  eat,  "  I  assure  you  I  am  so 
full  that  I  cannot  eat  one  bit  more." 

"  Well,  then,  friend,"  resumed  the  Barmecide, 
"  we  must  drink  some  wine  now,  after  we  have 
eaten  so  well."  "  I  will  drink,  then,  out  of  com- 
plaisance," said  Schacabac,  "  for  I  see  you  will 
have  nothing  wanting  to  make  your  treat  com- 
plete ;  but  since  I  am  not  accustomed  to  drink 
wine,  I  am  afraid  I  shall  act  contrary  to  the  re- 
sjject  that  is  due  to  you ;  therefore  I  pray  you  to 
excuse  me  from  drinking  any  wine.  I  will  be 
content  with  water."  "  No,  no,"  said  the  Barme- 
cide, "  you  shall  drink  wine ;  "  and  at  the  same 
time  he  commanded  some  to  be  brought,  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  meat  and  fruit  had  been 
served  before.  He  made  as  if  he  poured  out  wine, 
and  drank  first  himself,  and  then  pouring  out  for 
Schacabac,  presented  him  the  glass,  saying,  "  Drink 
my  health,  and  let  us  know  if  you  think  this  wine 


good."  He  made  as  if  he  took  the  glass,  and 
looked  to  see  if  the  color  was  good,  and  put  it  to 
his  nose,  to  try  the  flavor.  He  then  made  a  low 
salute  to  the  Barmecide,  to  signify  that  he  took 
the  liberty  to  drink  his  health ;  and,  lastly,  he  ap- 
peared to  drink  with  all  the  signs  of  a  man  that 
drinks  with  pleasure.  "  My  lord,"  said  he,  "  this 
is  very  excellent  wine,  but  I  think  it  is  not  strong 
enough."  "  If  you  would  have  stronger,"  an- 
swered the  Barmecide,  "you  need  only  speak,  for 
I  have  several  sorts  in  my  cellar.  Try  how  you 
like  this."  Upon  which  he  made  as  if  he  poured 
out  another  glass  for  himself  and  one  for  Schaca- 
bac, and  did  this  so  often  that  Schacabac,  feign- 
ing to  be  intoxicated  with  the  wine,  and  acting  the 
part  of  a  drunken  man,  lifted  up  his  hand,  and 
gave  the  Barmecide  such  a  box  on  the  ear  as 
made  him  fall  down.  He  was  going  to  give  him 
another  blow  ;  but  the  Barmecide,  holding  up  his 
hand  to  ward  it  off,  cried,  "  Are  you  mad  ?  " 
Then  Schacabac,  making  as  if  he  had  come  to 
himself  again,  said  :  "  My  lord,  you  have  been  so 
good  as  to  admit  your  slave  into  your  house,  and 
give  him  a  treat.  You  should  have  been  satisfied 
with  making  me  eat,  and  not  have  obliged  me  to 
drink  wine  ;  for  I  told  you  beforehand  that  it 
might  occasion  me  to  fail  in  my  respect  for  you. 
I  am  very  sorry  for  it,  and  beg  you  a  thousand 
pardons." 

Scarcely  had  he  finished  these  words,  when  the 
Barmecide,  instead  of  being  angry,  began  to  laugh 
with  all  his  might.  "  I  have  been  long,"  said  he, 
"  seeking  a  man  of  your  character.  I  not  only 
forgive  the  blow  you  have  given  me,  but  I  desire 
henceforward  we  should  be  friends,  and  that  you 
take  my  house  for  your  home  ;  you  have  had  the 
complaisance  to  accommodate  yourself  to  my 
humor,  and  the  patience  to  keep  the  jest  up  to 
the  last ;  we  will  now  eat  in  good  earnest."  When 
he  had  finished  these  words,  he  clapped  his  hands, 
and  commanded  his  servants,  who  then  ap- 
peared, to  cover  the  table,  which  was  speedily 
done,  and  Schacabac  was  treated  with  all  tho^e 
dishes  in  reality  which  he  ate  of  before  in  fancy. 
As  last  they  cleared  the  table  and  brought  in  the 


CONOL  USION. 


309 


wine  ;  and  at  the  same  time  a  number  of  hand- 
some slaves,  richly  appareled,  came  and  sung 
some  agreeable  airs  to  their  musical  instruments. 
In  a  word,  Schacabac  had  all  the  reason  in  the 
world  to  be  satisfied  with  the  Barmecide's  bounty  ; 
for  he  treated  him  as  his  friend,  and  ordered  him 
a  robe  of  honor  from  his  wardrobe. 

The  Sultan  of  the  Indies  could  not  but  admire 
the  prodigious  and  inexhaustible  memory  of  the 
sultaness,  his  wife,  who  had  entertained  him  for  a 
thousand  and  one  nights  with  such  a  variety  of 
interesting  stories. 

His  temper  was  softened  and  his  prejudices  re- 
moved. He  was  not  only  convinced  of  the  merit 
and  great  wisdom  of  the  Sultaness  Scheherazade, 
but  he  remembered  with  what  courage  she  had 
offered  to  be  his  wife,  without  fearing  the  death 
to  which  she  knew  she  exposed  herself,  and  which 


so  many  sultanesses  had  suffered  within  her  knowl- 
edge. These  considerations,  and  the  many  other 
good  qualities  he  knew  her  to  possess,  induced  him 
at  last  to  forgive  her.  "I  confess  lovely  Schehera- 
zade," said  he,  "  that  you  have  appeased  my  anger. 
I  freely  renounce  the  law  I  had  imposed  on  my- 
self, and  I  will  have  you  to  be  regarded  as  the 
deliverer  of  the  many  damsels  I  had  resolved  to 
sacrifice  to  my  unjust  resentment." 

The  sultaness  cast  herself  at  his  feet,  and  em- 
braced them  tenderly,  with  all  the  marks  of  the 
most  lively  and  perfect  gratitude. 

The  grand  vizier  was  the  first  who  learned 
this  agreeable  intelligence  from  the  sultan's  own 
mouth.  It  was  instantly  carried  to  the  city,  towns, 
and  provinces ;  and  gained  the  sultan,  and  the 
lovely  Scheherazade  his  consort,  universal  ap- 
plause, and  the  blessings  of  all  the  people  of  the 
extensive  empire  of  the  Indies. 


THE   BOOK   OF  BALLADS. 


JOHN   BARLEYCORN. 

There  was  three  kings  into  the  East, 
Three  kings  both  great  and  high, 

And  they  hae  sworn  a  solemn  oath 
John  Barleycorn  should  die. 

They  took  a  plow  and  plowed  him  down, 

Put  clods  upon  his  head, 
And  they  hae  sworn  a  solemn  oath, 

John  Barleycorn  was  dead. 

But  the  cheerful  spring  came  kindly  on, 

And  showers  began  to  fall ; 
John  Barleycorn  got  up  again, 

And  sore  surprised  them  all. 

The  sultry  suns  of  summer  came, 
And  he  grew  thick  and  strong, 

His  head  well  armed  wi'  pointed  spears, 
That  no  one  should  him  wrong. 

The  sober  autumn  entered  mild, 
When  he  grew  wan  and  pale  ; 

His  bending  joints  and  drooping  head 
Showed  he  began  to  fail. 

His  color  sickened  more  and  more, 

He  faded  into  age ; 
And  then  his  enemies  began 

To  show  their  deadly  rage. 

They  've  ta'en  a  weapon  long  and  sharp, 

And  cut  him  by  the  knee  ; 
And  tied  him  fast  upon  the  cart, 

Like  a  rogue  for  forgerie. 

They  laid  him  down  upon  his  back, 
And  cudgeled  him  full  sore  ; 


They  hung  him  up  before  the  storm, 
And  turned  him  o'er  and  o'er. 

They  filled  up  a  darksome  pit 

With  water  to  the  brim, 
They  heaved  in  John  Barleycorn, 

There  let  him  sink  or  swim. 

They  laid  him  out  upon  the  floor, 

To  work  him  further  woe, 
And  still,  as  signs  of  life  appeared, 

They  tossed  him  to  and  fro. 

They  wasted,  o'er  a  scorching  flame, 

The  marrow  of  his  bones  ; 
But  a  miller  used  him  worst  of  all, 

For  he  crushed  him  between  two  stones. 

And  they  hae  ta'en  his  very  heart's  blood, 
And  drank  it  round  and  round ; 
And  still  the  more  and  more  they  drank, 
Their  joy  did  more  abound. 

John  Barleycorn  was  a  hero  bold, 

Of  noble  enterprise  ; 
For  if  you  do  but  taste  his  blood, 

'T  will  make  your  courage  rise. 

Then  let  us  toast  John  Barleycorn, 

Each  man  a  glass  in  hand  ; 
And  may  his  great  posterity 

Ne'er  fail  in  old  Scotland  ! 

ROBLN  HOOD  AND  ALLIN  A  DALE. 

Come  listen  to  me,  you  gallants  so  free, 
All  you  that  love  mirth  for  to  hear, 

And  I  will  tell  you  of  a  bold  outlaw 
That  lived  in  Nottinghamshire. 


ROBIN  HOOD  AND  ALLIN  A   DALE. 


311 


As  Robin  Hood  in  the  forest  stood, 
All  under  the  greenwood  tree, 

There  he  was  aware  of  a  brave  young  man 
As  fine  as  fine  might  be. 


"  What  wilt  thou  give  me  ?  "  said  Robin  Hood, 
"  In  ready  gold  or  fee, 
To  help  thee  to  thy  true  love  again, 
And  deliver  her  unto  thee  ?  " 


The  youngster  was  clothed  in  scarlet  red, 

In  scarlet  fine  and  gay  ; 
And  he  did  frisk  it  over  the  plain, 

And  chanted  a  roundelay. 

As  Robin  Hood  next  morning  stood 

Amongst  the  leaves  so  gay  ; 
There  did  he  espy  the  same  young  man, 

Come  drooping  along  the  way. 

The  scarlet  he  wore  the  day  before 

It  was  clean  cast  away  ; 
And  at  every  step  he  fetched  a  sigh, 

"  Alack  and  a  well-a-day !  " 

Then  stepped  forth  brave  Little  John, 

And  Midge,  the  miller's  son, 
Which  made  the  young  man  bend  his  bow, 

When  as  he  saw  them  come. 

"  Stand  off,  stand  off !  "  the  young  man  said, 
"  What  is  your  will  with  me  ?  " 

"  You  must  come  before  our  master  straight, 
Under  yon  greenwood  tree." 


"  I  have  no  money,"  then  quoth  the  young  man, 
"  No  ready  gold  nor  fee, 
But  I  will  swear  upon  a  book 
Thy  true  servant  for  to  be." 

"  How  many  miles  is  it  to  thy  true  love  ? 

Come  tell  me  without  guile  :  " 
"  By  the  faith  of  my  body,"  then  said  the  young  man, 

"  It  is  but  five  little  mile." 

Then  Robin  he  hasted  over  the  plain, 

He  did  neither  stint  nor  lin, 
Until  he  came  unto  the  church, 

Where  Alliu  should  keep  his  wedding. 

"  What  hast  thou  here  ?  "  the  bishop  then  said, 

"  I  prithee  now  tell  unto  me  :  " 
"  I  am  a  bold  harper,"  quoth  Robin  Hood, 

"  And  the  best  in  the  north  country." 

"  Oh  welcome,  Oh  welcome,"  the  bishop  he  said, 

"  That  music  best  pleaseth  me  ;  " 
"  You  shall  have  no  music,"  quoth  Robin  Hood, 

"  Till  the  bride  and  the  bridegroom  I  see." 


And  when  he  came  bold  Robin  before, 
Robin  asked  him  courteously, 
"  Oh,  hast  thou  any  money  to  spare 
For  my  merry  men  and  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  money,"  the  young  man  said, 
"  But  five  shillings  and  a  ring; 
And  that  I  have  kept  this  seven  long  years, 
To  have  it  at  my  wedding. 

"  Yesterday  I  should  have  married  a  maid, 
But  she  soon  from  me  was  tane, 
And  chosen  to  be  an  old  knight's  delight, 
AVhereby  my  poor  heart  is  slain." 

"  What  is  thy  name  ?  "  then  said  Robin  Hood, 

"  Come  tell  me  without  any  fail :  " 
"  By  the  faith  of  my  body,"  then  said  the  young  man, 

"  My  name  it  is  Allin  a  Dale." 


With  that  came  in  a  wealthy  knight, 

Which  was  both  grave  and  old, 
And  after  him  a  finikin  lass, 

Did  shine  like  the  glistering  gold. 

"  This  is  not  a  fit  match,"  quoth  bold  Robin  Hood, 
"  That  you  do  seem  to  make  here, 
For  since  we  are  come  into  the  church, 
The  bride  shall  choose  her  own  dear." 

Then  Robin  Hood  put  his  horn  to  his  mouth, 

And  blew  blasts  two  or  three  ; 
When  four-and-twenty  bowmen  bold 

Came  leaping  over  the  lea. 

And  when  they  came  into  the  churchyard, 

Marching  all  on  a  row, 
The  very  first  man  was  Allin  a  Dale, 

To  give  bold  Robin  his  bow. 


312 


THE  BOOK   OF  BALLADS. 


"  This  is  thy  true  love,"  Robin  he  said, 
"  Young  Allin  as  I  hear  say  ; 
And  you  shall  be  married  at  this  same  time, 
Before  we  depart  away." 

"  That  shall  not  be,"  the  bishop  he  said, 
"  For  thy  word  shall  not  stand ; 
They  shall  be  three  times  asked  in  the  church, 
*  As  the  law  is  of  our  land." 

Robin  Hood  pulled  off  the  bishop's  coat, 
And  put  it  upon  Little  John  ; 
"  By  the  faith  of  my  body,"  then  Robin  said, 
"  This  cloth  doth  make  thee  a  man." 

When  Little  John  went  into  the  quire  ; 

The  people  began  to  laugh  ; 
He  asked  them  seven  times  in  the  church, 

Lest  three  times  should  not  be  enough. 

"  Who  gives  me  this  maid  ?  "  said  Little  John  ; 
Quoth  Robin  Hood,  "  That  do  I, 
And  he  that  takes  her  from  Allin  a  Dale, 
Full  dearly  he  shall  her  buy." 

And  thus  having  end  of  this  merry  wedding, 

The  bride  looked  like  a  queen  ; 
And  so  they  returned  to  the  merry  greenwood, 

Amongst  the  leaves  so  green. 


ROBIN  HOOD  AND  THE  BISHOP  OF  HERE- 
FORD. 

Some  will  talk  of  bold  Rohin  Hood, 

And  some  of  barons  bold  ; 
But  I  '11  tell  you  how  he  served  the  Bishop  of  Here- 
ford, 

When  he  robbed  him  of  his  gold. 

As  it  befell  in  merry  Barnsdale, 

All  under  the  greenwood  tree, 
The  Bishop  of  Hereford  was  to  come  by, 

With  all  his  company. 

"  Come  kill  me  a  ven'son,"  said  bold  Robin  Hcod, 
"  Come  kill  me  a  good  fat  deer  ; 
The  Bishop  of  Hereford  is  to  dine  with  me  to-day, 
And  he  shall  pay  well  for  his  cheer. 


"  We  '11  kill  a  fat  ven'son,"  said  bold  Robin  Hood, 
"  And  dress  it  by  the  highway  side ; 
And  we  will  watch  the  bishop  narrowly, 
Lest  some  other  way  he  should  ride." 

Robin  Hood  dressed  himself  in  shepherd's  attire, 

With  six  of  his  men  also  ; 
And,  when  the  Bishop  of  Hereford  came  by, 

They  about  the  fire  did  go. 

"  Oh,  what  is  the  matter  ?  "  then  said  the  bishop, 
"  Or  for  whom  do  you  make  this  ado  ? 
Or  why  do  you  kill  the  king's  ven'son, 
When  your  company  is  so  few  ?  " 

"  We  are  shepherds,"  said  bold  Robin  Hood, 
"  And  we  keep  sheep  all  the  year, 

And  we  are  disposed  to  be  merry  this  day, 
And  to  kill  of  the  king's  fat  deer." 

"  Tou  are  brave  fellows,"  said  the  bishop, 
"  And  the  king  your  doings  shall  know  : 
Therefore  make  haste  and  come  along  with  me, 
For  before  the  king  you  shall  go." 

"  Oh  pardon,  oh  pardon,"  said  bold  Robin  Hood, 
"  Oh  pardon,  I  thee  pray  ! 
For  it  becomes  not  your  lordship's  coat 
To  take  so  many  lives  away. 

"  No  pardon,  no  pardon,"  said  the  bishop, 
"  No  pardon  I  thee  owe  ; 
Therefore  make  haste  and  come  along  with  me, 
For  before  the  king  you  shall  go." 

Then  Robin  set  his  back  against  a  tree, 

And  his  foot  against  a  thorn, 
And  from  underneath  his  shepherd's  coat 

He  pulled  out  a  bugle  horn. 

He  put  the  little  end  to  his  mouth, 

And  a  loud  blast  did  he  blow, 
Till  threescore  and  ten  of  bold  Robin's  men 

Came  running  all  on  a  row. 

All  making  obeisance  to  bold  Robin  Hood, 
'T  was  a  comely  sight  for  to  see. 
"  What  is  the  matter,  master  ?  "  said  Little  John, 
"  That  ye  blow  so  hastily  ?" 


THE  HUNTING    OF   THE    CHEVIOT. 


313 


"  Oh,  here  is  the  Bishop  of  Hereford, 

And  no  pardon  we  shall  have." 
"  Cut  off  his  head,  master,"  said  Little  John, 

"  And  throw  him  into  his  grave." 

"  Oh  pardon,  oh  pardon,"  said  the  bishop, 
"  Oh  pardon,  I  thee  pray  ! 
For  if  I  had  known  it  had  been  you, 
"  I  'd  have  gone  some  other  way." 

"  No  pardon,  no  pardon,"  said  bold  Robin  Hood, 
"  No  pardon  I  thee  owe  ; 
Therefore  make  haste  and  come  along  with  me, 
For  to  merry  Barnsdale  you  shall  go." 

Then  Robin  he  took  the  bishop  by  the  hand, 

And  led  him  to  merry  Barnsdale ; 
He  made  him  to  stay  and  sup  with  him  that  night, 

And  to  drink  wine,  beer,  and  ale. 


"  Call  in  a  reckoning,"  said  the  bishop, 

"  For  methinks  it  grows  wondrous  high." 

"  Lend  me  your  purse,  master,"  said  Little  John, 
"  And  I  '11  tell  you  by  and  by." 

Then  Little  John  took  the  bishop's  cloak, 

And  spread  it  upon  the  ground, 
And  out  of  the  bishop's  portmantua 

He  told  three  hundred  pound. 

"  Here  's  money  enough,  master,"  said  Little  John, 
"  And  a  comely  sight  't  is  to  see ; 
It  makes  me  in  charity  with  the  bishop, 
Though  he  heartily  loveth  not  me." 

Robin  Hood  took  the  bishop  by  the  hand, 

And  he  caused  the  music  to  play  ; 
And  he  made  the  bishop  to  dance  in  his  boots, 

And  glad  he  could  so  get  away. 


THE  HUNTING  OF  THE  CHEVIOT, 
i. 

The  Percy  out  of  Northumberland 
And  a  vow  to  God  made  he, 
40 


That  he  would  hunt  in  the  mountains 
Of  Cheviot  within  days  three, 

In  the  maugre  of  doughty  Douglas 
And  all  that  ever  with  him  be. 


314 


THE  BOOK   OF  BALLADS. 


The  fattest  harts  in  all  Cheviot 

He  said  he  would  kill  and  carry  them  away ; 
"  By  my  faith,"  said  the  doughty  Douglas  again, 
"  I  will  let  that  hunting  if  I  may." 

Then  the  Percy  out  of  Bamborough  came 

With  him  a  mighty  meany 
With  fifteen  hundred  archers  bold  of  blood  and  bone, 

They  were  chosen  out  of  shires  three. 

This  began  on  a  Monday  at  morn 
In  Cheviot  the  hills  so  high  ; 


The  child  may  rue  that  is  unborn, 
It  was  the  more  pity. 

The  drivers  thorough  the  woodes  went, 

For  to  raise  the  deer  ; 
Bowmen  bickered  upon  the  bent 

With  their  broad  arrows  clear. 

Then  the  wild  thorough  the  woodes  went 

On  every  side  sheer, 
Greyhounds  thorough  the  greves  glent 

For  to  kill  their  deer. 


Tkey  began  in  Cheviot  the  hills  above, 

Early  on  Monanday ; 
By  that  it  drew  to  the  hour  of  noon, 

A  hundred  fat  harts  dead  there  lay. 

They  blew  a  mort  upon  the  bent, 
They  'sembled  on  sides  sheer ; 

To  the  quarry  then  the  Percy  went 
To  the  brittling  of  the  deer. 

He  said  :  "  It  was  the  Douglas's  promise 
This  day  to  meet  me  here. 


But  I  wist  he  would  fail,  verament,"  — 
A  great  oath  the  Percy  sware. 

At  the  last  a  squire  of  Northumberland 

Looked  at  his  hand  full  nigh  ; 
He  was  ware  of  the  doughty  Douglas  coming, 

With  him  a  mighty  meany. 

Both  with  spear,  bill,and  brand: 

It  was  a  mighty  sight  to  see  ; 
Hardier  men,  both  of  heart  nor  hand, 

Were  not  in  Christianiiy. 


THE  HUNTING    OF   THE   CHEVIOT. 


315 


They  were  twenty  hundred  spearmen  good, 

Withouten  any  fail ; 
They  were  born  along  by  the  water  of  Tweed, 

I'  the  bounds  of  Tivydale. 

"  Leave  off  the  brittling  the  deer,"  he  said, 
"  To  your  bows  look  ye  take  good  heed  ; 
For  never  since  ye  were  on  your  mothers  born 
Had  ye  never  so  miekle  need." 

The  doughty  Douglas  on  a  steed 

He  rode  at  his  men  beforne  ; 
His  armor  glittered  as  a  glede  ; 

A  bolder  bairn  was  never  born. 


But,  an  fortune  be  my  chance, 

I  dare  meet  him,  one  man  for  one." 

Then  bespake  a  squire  of  Northumberland, 
Richard  Witherington  was  his  name ; 
"  It  shall  never  be  told  in  South  England,"  he 
"  To  King  Henry  the  Fourth  for  shame. 

"I  wot  ye  bin  great  lordes  two 

I  am  a  poor  squire  of  land  ; 
I  will  never  see  my  captain  fight  on  a  field, 

And  stand  myself  and  look  on, 
But  while  I  may  my  weapon  wield 

I  will  not  fail  both  heart  and  hand." 


"  Tell  me  who  ye  are,"  he  says, 
"  Or  whose  men  that  ye  be. 
Who  gave  you  leave  to  hunt  in  this  Cheviot  Chase, 
In  the  spite  of  me  ?" 

The  first  man  that  ever  him  an  answer  made, 

It  was  the  good  Lord  Percy  ; 
"  We  will  not  tell  thee  whose  men  we  are,"  he  says, 

"  Nor  whose  men  that  we  be ; 
But  we  will  hunt  here  in  this  chase 

In  the  spite  of  thine  and  of  thee. 

"  The  fattest  harts  in  all  Cheviot 

AVe  have  killed  and  cast  to  carry  them  away  :  " 
"  By  my  troth,"  said  the  doughty  Douglas  again, 

"  Therefore  the  one  of  us  shall  die  this  day." 

Then  said  the  doughty  Douglas 
Unto  the  Lord  Percy  : 
"  To  kill  all  these  guiltless  men, 
Alas,  it  were  great  pity. 

"  But  Percy,  thou  art  a  lord  of  land, 

I  am  an  earl  called  within  my  country, 
Let  all  our  men  upon  a  party  stand 
And  do  the  battle  of  thee  and  of  me." 


That  day,  that  day,  that  dreadful  day ! 

The  first  fytte  here  I  find, 
And  you  will  hear  any  more  o'  the  Hunting  o'  the 
Cheviot, 

Yet  is  there  more  behind. 

ii. 

The  Englishmen  had  their  bows  ybent 

Their  hearts  were  good  enow; 
The  first  of  arrows  that  they  shot  off, 

Seven  score  spearmen  they  slew. 

Yet  bides  the  Earl  Douglas  upon  the  bent. 

A  captain  good  enow, 
And  that  was  seen,  verament 

For  he  wrought  them  both  woo  and  woe. 

The  Douglas  parted  his  host  in  three, 

Like  a  chief  chieftain  of  pride, 
With  sure  spears  of  mighty  tree, 

They  came  in  on  every  side ; 

Through  our  English  archery 

Gave  many  a  wound  full  wide ; 
Many  a  doughty  they  gar'd  to  die 

Which  gained  them  no  pride. 


"  Now  a  curse  on  his  crown,"  said  the  Lord  Percy, 
"  Whoever  thereto  says  nay  ; 
By  my  troth,  doughty  Douglas,"  he  says, 
"  Thou  shalt  never  see  that  day. 

"  Neither  in  England,  Scotland  nor  France 
Nor  for  no  man  of  a  woman  born, 


The  Englishmen  let  their  bows  be 

And  pulled  out  brands  that  were  bright; 

It  was  a  heavy  sight  to  see 

Bright  swords  on  basnets  light. 

Thorough  rich  mail  and  maniple 

Many  stern  they  stroke  down  straight ; 


316 


THE  BOOK  OF  BALLADS. 


Many  a  freke  that  was  full  free 
There  under  foot  did  light. 

At  last  the  Douglas  and  the  Percy  met, 
Like  to  captains  of  might  and  of  main ; 

They  swapt  together  till  they  both  sweat, 
"With  swords  that  were  of  fine  Milan. 


Till  the  blood  out  of  their  basnets  sprent, 
As  ever  did  hail  or  rain. 

"  Hold  thee,  Percy,"  said  the  Douglas, 
"  And  i'  faith  I  shall  thee  bring, 
Where  thou  shalt  have  an  earl's  wages 
Of  Jamie  our  Scottish  king. 


These  worthy  frekes  for  to  fight, 
Thereto  they  were  full  fain, 


"  Thou  shalt  have  thy  ransom  free, 
I  his;ht  thee  here  this  tiling. 


£-33  ensetf 


For  the  manfullest  man  yet  art  thou 

That  ever  I  conquered  in  field-fighting." 

"  Nay,"  said  the  Lord  Percy, 
"  I  told  it  thee  beforne 
That  I  would  never  yielded  be 
To  no  man  of  a  woman  born." 

With  that  there  came  an  arrow  hastily 

Forth  of  a  mighty  wane  ; 
It  hath  stricken  the  Earl  Douglas 

In  at  the  breast  bane. 


-V  "  £.p[j&y-coxSt  - 


Thorough  liver  and  lungs  baith 

The  sharp  arrow  is  gone 
That  never  after  in  all  his  live  days 

He  spake  no  words  but  one : 
That   was,    "  Fight   ye,   my    merry   men,   while   ye 
may, 

For  my  life  days  be  gone." 

The  Percy  leaned  on  his  brand 

And  saw  the  Douglas  die. 
He  took  the  dead  man  by  the  hand 

And  said,  "  Woe  is  me  for  thee  ! 


THE  HUNTING    OF  THE    CHEVIOT. 


317 


"  To  have  saved  thy  life,  I  would  have  parted  with 
My  lands  for  years  three, 
For  a  better  man  of  heart  nor  of  hand 
Was  not  in  all  the  north  country." 

Of  all  that  saw  a  Scottish  knight 
Was  called  Sir  Hugh  Montgomery  ; 

He  saw  the  Douglas  to  the  death  was  dight, 
He  spended  a  spear,  a  trusty  tree: 

He  rode  upon  a  courser 

Thorough  a  hundred  archery  ; 
He  never  stinted,  nor  never  blane, 

Till  he  came  to  the  good  Lord  Percy. 

He  set  upon  the  Lord  Percy 

A  dint  that  was  full  sore  ; 
With  a  sure  spear  of  a  mighty  tree 

Clean  through  the  body  he  the  Percy  bore, 

At  t'  other  side  that  a  man  might  see 

A  large  cloth-yard  and  mair  ; 
Two  better  captains  were  not  in  Christianity, 

Than  that  day  slain  were  there. 

An  archer  of  Northumberland 

Saw  slain  was  the  Lord  Percy; 
He  bare  a  bend-bow  in  his  hand 

Was  made  of  trusty  tree. 

An  arrow  that  a  cloth-yard  was  long 

To  the  hard  steel  haled  he ; 
A  dint  that  was  both  sad  and  sore 

He  set  on  Sir  Hugh  Montgomery. 

The  dint  it  was  both  sad  and  sore 

That  he  on  Montgomery  set ; 
The  swan  feathers  that  his  arrow  bore 

With  his  heart  blood  they  were  wet. 

There  was  never  a  freke  one  foot  would  flee 

But  still  in  stour  did  stand, 
Hewing  on  each  other,  while  they  might  dree 

With  many  a  baleful  brand. 

This  battle  began  in  Cheviot 

An  hour  before  the  noon, 
And  when  even-song  bell  was  rung 

The  battle  was  not  half  done. 


They  took  on  either  hand 

By  the  light  of  the  moon  ; 
Many  had  no  strength  for  to  stand 

In  Cheviot  the  hills  aboon. 

Of  fifteen  hundred  archers  of  England 
Went  away  but  fifty  and  three  ; 

Of  twenty  hundred  spearmen  of  Scotland 
But  even  five  and  fiftie. 

But  all  were  slain  Cheviot  within  ; 

They  had  no  strength  to  stand  on  high  ; 
The  child  may  rue  that  is  unborn 

It  was  the  more  pitie. 

There  was  slain  with  the  Lord  Percy, 

Sir  John  of  Agerstone, 
Sir  Roger,  the  hynd  Hartley, 

Sir  William,  the  bold  Heron. 

Sir  George,  the  worthy  Lovel, 

A  knight  of  great  renown, 
Sir  Ralph,  the  rich  Rugby, 

With  dints  were  beaten  down. 

For  Witherington  my  heart  was  woe 

That  ever  he  slain  should  be  ; 
For  when  both  his  legs  were  hewn  in  two, 

Yet  he  kneeled  and  fought  on  his  knee. 

There  was  slain  with  the  doughty  Douglas, 

Sir  Hugh  Montgomery  ; 
Sir  Davy  Liddall,  that  worthy  was, 

His  sister's  son  was  he. 

Sir  Charles  o'  Murray  in  that  place 

That  never  a  foot  would  flee  ; 
Sir  Hugh  Maxwell,  a  lord  he  was, 

With  the  Douglas  did  he  dee. 

So  on  the  morrow  they  made  them  biers 

Of  birch  and  hazel  so  gray  ; 
Many  widows  with  weeping  tears 

Came  to  fetch  their  mates  away. 

Tivydale  may  carp  of  care 

Northumberland  may  make  great  moan, 
For  two  such  captains  as  slain  were  there, 

On  the  March-party  shall  never  be  none. 


318 


THE  BOOK   OF  BALLADS. 


Word  has  come  to  Edinborough 

To  Jamie  the  Scottish  king, 
That  doughty  Douglas,  lieutenant  of  the  Marches 

He  lay  slain  Cheviot  within. 

His  handes  did  he  weal  and  wring, 

He  said,  "  Alas  !  and  wo  is  me  ! 
Such  an  other  captain  Scotland  within," 

He  said,  "  i'  faith  should  never  be." 

Word  is  come  to  lovely  London 

To  the  fourth  Harry  our  king, 
That  Lord  Percy,  lieutenant  of  the  Marches, 

He  lay  slain,  Cheviot  within. 

"  God  have  mercy  on  his  soul,"  said  King  Harry, 

"  Good  Lord  if  thy  will  it  be  ! 
I  have  a  hundred  captains  in  England,"  he  said, 

"  As  good  as  ever  was  he. 
But  Percy,  as  I  brook  my  life, 

Thy  death  well  quit  shall  be." 

As  our  noble  king  made  his  avow, 

Like  a  noble  prince  of  renown, 
For  the  death  of  the  Lord  Percy 

He  did  the  battle  of  Homildown  ; 

Where  sis  and  thirty  Scottish  knights 

On  a  day  were  beaten  down  ; 
Glendale  glittered  on  their  armor  bright, 
Over  castle,  tower  and  town. 

This  was  the  Hunting  of  the  Cheviot 

That  tear  began  this  spurn: 
Old  men  that  know  the  ground  weel  enow 

Call  it  the  battle  of  Otterbourn. 

At  Otterbourn  began  this  spurn 

Upon  a  Monanday  ; 
There  was  the  doughty  Douglas  slain, 

The  Percy  never  went  away. 

There  was  never  a  time  on  the  March  parties 

Since  the  Douglas  and  Percy  met, 
But  it  was  marvel,  and  the  red  blood  ran  not 

As  the  rain  does  in  the  street. 

And  now  may  Heaven  amend  us  all 
And  to  the  bliss  us  bring. 


Thus  was  the  Hunting  of  the  Cheyiot. 
God  send  us  all  good  ending. 


KING  JOHN  AND  THE  ABBOT  OF  CAN- 
TERBURY. 

• 
An  ancient  story  I  '11  tell  you  anon 
Of  a  notable  prince,  that  was  called  King  John  ; 
And  he  ruled  England  with  main  and  with  might, 
For  he  did  great  wrong  and  maintained  little  right. 

And  I  '11  tell  you  a  story,  a  story  so  merry, 
Concerning  the  Abbot  of  Canterbury  ; 
How  for  his  housekeeping  and  high  renown, 
They  rode  post  for  him  to  fair  London  town. 

An  hundred  men,  the  king  did  hear  say, 
The  abbot  kept  in  his  house  every  day ; 
And  fifty  gold  chains,  without  any  doubt, 
In  velvet  coats  waited  the  abbot  about. 

"  How  now,  father  abbot,  I  hear  it  of  thee, 
Thou  keepest  a  far  better  house  than  me  ; 
And  for  thy  housekeeping  and  high  renown, 
I  fear  thou  work'st  treason  against  my  crown." 

"  My   liege,"   quoth   the   abbot,    "  I   would    it   were 
known 
I  never  spend  nothing  but  what  is  my  own  ; 
And  I  trust  your  grace  will  do  me  no  deere 
For  spending  of  my  own  true  gotten  geere." 

Yes,  yes,  father  abbot,  thy  fault  it  is  high, 
And  now  for  the  same  thou  needest  must  die  •, 
For  except  thou  canst  answer  me  questions  three, 
Thy  head  shall  be  smitten  from  thy  bodie. 

"  And    first,"   quoth    the   king,   "  when   I  'm  in    this 
stead. 
With  my  crown  of  gold  so  fair  on  my  head, 
Among  all  my  liege-men  so  noble  of  birth, 
Thou  must  tell  me  to  one  penny  what  I  am  worth. 

"  Secondly  tell  me,  without  any  doubt, 
How  soon  I  may  ride  the  whole  world  about ; 
And  at  the  third  question  thou  must  not  shrink, 
But  tell  me  here  truly  what  I  do  think." 


KING  JOHN  AND    THE  ABBOT  OF   CANTERBURY. 


319 


"  Oh  these  are  hard  questions  for  ray  shallow  wit, 
Nor  I  cannot  answer  your  Grace  as  yet ; 
But  if  you  will  give  me  but  three  weeks  space, 
I  '11  do  my  endeavor  to  answer  your  Grace." 

"  Now  three  weeks  space  to  thee  will  I  give, 
And  that  is  the  longest  time  thou  hast  to  live  ; 
For  if  thou  dost  not  answer  my  questions  three, 
Thy  lands  and  thy  livings  are  forfeit  to  me." 

Away  rode  the  abbot  all  sad  at  that  word, 
And  he  rode  to  Cambridge  and  Oxenford ; 
But  never  a  doctor  there  was  so  wise, 
That  could  with  his  learning  an  answer  devise. 

Then  home  rode  the  abbot  of  comfort  so  cold, 
And  he  met  his  shepherd  a-going  to  fold : 
"  How  now,  my  lord  abbot,  you  are  welcome  home; 
What    news    do    you    bring   us    from    good    King 
John  ?  " 

"  Sad  news,  sad  news,  shepherd,  I  must  give, 
That  I  have  but  tbree  days  more  to  live ; 
For  if  I  do  not  answer  him  questions  three, 
My  head  will  be  smitten  from  my  bodie. 

"  The  first  is  to  tell  liim  there  in  that  stead, 
With  his  crown  of  gold  so  fair  on  his  head, 
Among  ali  his  liege-men  so  noble  of  birth, 
To  within  one  penny  of  what  he  is  worth. 

"The  second,  to  tell  him  without  any  doubt, 
How  soon  he  may  ride  this  whole  world  about  ; 
And  at  the  third  question  I  must  not  shrink, 
But  tell  him  there  truly  what  he  does  think." 

"  Now  cheer  up,  sir  abbot,  did  you  never  hear  yet 
That  a  fool  he  may  learn  a  wise  man  wit? 
Lend  me  horse,  and  serving  men,  and  your  apparel, 
And  I'll  ride  to  London  to  answer  your  quarrel. 

"  Nay,  frown  not,  if  it  hath  been  told  unto  me, 
I  am  like  your  lordship  as  ever  may  be ; 
And  if  you  will  but  lend  me  your  gown 
There  is  none  shall  know  us  in  fair  London  town." 

"  Now  horses  and  serving  men  thou  shalt  have, 
With  sumptuous  array  most  gallant  and  brave, 


With  crozier,  and  mitre,  and  rochet,  and  cope, 
Fit  to  appear  'fore  our  father  the  pope." 

"  Now  welcome,  sir  abbot,"  the  king  he  did  say, 
"  'T  is  well  thou  'rt  come  back  to  keep  thy  day  : 
For  and  if  thou  canst  answer  my  questions  three, 
Thy  life  and  thy  living  both  saved  shall  be. 

"  And  first,  when  thou  seest  me  here  in  this  stead, 
With  my  crown  of  gold  so  fair  on  my  head, 
Among  all  my  liege-men  so  noble  of  birth, 
Tell  me  to  one  penny  what  I  am  worth." 

"  For  thirty  pence  our  Saviour  was  sold 
Among  the  false  Jews,  as  I  have  been  told  : 
And  twenty-nine  is  the  worth  of  thee, 
For  I  think  thou  art  one  penny  worser  than  he." 

The  king  he  laughed,  and  swore  by  St.  Bittel, 
"  I  did  not  think  I  had  been  worth  so  little  ! 
Now  secondly  tell  me,  without  any  doubt, 
How  soon  I  may  ride  this  whole  world  about." 

"  You  must  rise  with  the  sun,  and  ride  with  the  same, 
Until  the  next  morning  he  riseth  again  ; 
And  then  your  Grace  need  not  make  any  doubt 
But  in  twenty-four  hours  you  '11  ride  it  about." 

The  king  he  laughed,  and  swore  by  St.  Jone, 
"  I  did  not  think  it  could  be  gone  so  soon. 
Now  from  the  third  question  thou  must  not  shrink, 
But  tell  me  here  truly  what  I  do  think." 

"  Yea,  that  I  shall  do  and  make  your  Grace  merry  ; 
You  think  I  'm  the  Abbot  of  Canterbury  ; 
But  I  'm  his  poor  shepherd,  as  plain  you  may  see, 
That  am  come  to  beg  pardon  for  him  and  for  me." 

The  king  he  laughed,  and  swore  by  the  mass, 
"  I  '11  make  thee  lord  abbot  this  day  in  his  place  !  " 
"  Nay,  nay,  my  liege,  be  not  in  such  speed, 

For  alack,  I  can  neither  write  nor  read." 

"  Four  nobles  a  week,  then,  I  will  give  thee, 
For  this  merry  jest  thou  hast  shown  unto  me  ; 
And  tell  the  old  abbot,  when  thou  com'st  home, 
Thou   hast  brought    him   a   pardon   from  good   King 
John." 


320 


THE  BOOK   OF  BALLADS. 


SWEET  WILLIAM'S    GHOST. 

There  came  a  ghost  to  Margaret's  door, 
With  many  a  grievous  groan, 

And  aye  he  tirled  at  the  pin, 
But  answer  made  she  none. 

"  Is  that  my  father  Philip, 
Or  is  't  my  brother  John  ? 
Or  is  't  my  true  love  Willy, 

From  Scotland  new  come  home  ?  " 

"  'T  is  not  thy  father  Philip, 
Nor  yet  thy  brother  John ; 
But  'tis  thy  true  love  Willy, 
From  Scotland  new  come  home. 

"  O  sweet  Margaret,  O  dear  Margaret, 
I  pray  thee  speak  to  me  : 
Give  me  my  faith  and  troth,  Margaret, 
As  I  gave  it  to  thee." 

"  Thy  faith  and  troth  thou  'It  never  get, 
Nor  yet  wilt  thou  me  win, 
Till  that  thou  come  within  my  bower 
And  kiss  my  cheek  and  chin." 


She  stretched  out  her  lily-white  hand) 
And  for  to  do  her  best : 
"  Have  there  your  faith  and  troth,  Willy, 
God  send  your  soul  good  rest." 

Now  she  has  kilted  her  robes  of  green 

A  piece  below  her  knee  ; 
And  all  the  live-long  winter  right 

The  dead  corpse  followed  she. 

"  Is  there  any  room  at  your  head,  Willy, 
Or  any  room  at  your  feet ; 
Or  any  room  at  your  side,  Willy, 
Wherein  that  I  may  creep  ?  " 

"  There 's  no  room  at  my  head,  Margaret, 
There  's  no  room  at  my  feet ; 
There  's  no  room  at  my  side,  Margaret, 
My  coffin  's  made  so  meet ; 

Then  up  and  crew  the  red  red  cock, 
And  up  then  crew  the  gray ; 
"  'T  is  time,  't  is  time,  my  dear  Margaret, 
That  you  were  going  away." 


SIR  PATRICK  SPENS. 


"  If  I  should  come  within  thy  bower, 
I  am  no  earthly  man  : 
And  should  I  kiss  thy  rosy  lips 
Thy  days  would  not  be  lang. 


The  king  sits  in  Dunfermline  town, 
Drinking  the  blude-red  wine  : 
"  Oh  where  will  I  get  a  skeely  skipper 
To  sail  this  new  ship  of  mine  ?  " 


"  O  sweet  Margaret,  0  dear  Margaret, 
I  pray  thee  speak  to  me  : 
Give  me  my  faith  and  troth,  Margaret, 
As  I  gave  it  to  thee." 

"  Thy  faith  and  troth  thou  'It  never  get, 
Nor  yet  wilt  thou  me  win, 
Till  you  take  me  to  yon  kirk-yard, 
And  wed  me  with  a  ring." 


Oh  up  and  spake  an  eldern  knight, 
Sat  at  the  king's  right  knee  : 
"  Sir  Patrick  Spens  is  the  best  sailor 
That  ever  sailed  the  sea." 

Our  king  has  written  a  braid  letter, 
And  sealed  it  with  his  hand, 

And  sent  it  to  Sir  Patrick  Spens, 
Was  walking  on  the  strand. 


"  My  bones  are  buried  in  yon  kirk-yard 
Afar  beyond  the  sea, 
And  it  is  but  my  spirit,  Margaret, 
That 's  now  speaking  to  thee." 


;  To  Noroway,  to  Noroway, 

To  Noroway  o'er  the  faem  ; 
The  king's  daughter  of  Noroway, 

" '  Tis  thou  maun  bring  her  hame  !  " 


SIR  PATRICK  SPEWS. 


321 


The  first  word  that  Sir  Patrick  read, 

Sae  loud,  loud  laughed  he, 
The  neist  word  that  Sir  Patrick  read, 

The  tear  blindit  his  e'e. 

"  Oh  wha  is  this  has  done  this  deed, 
And  tauld  the  king  o'  me, 
To  send  us  out  at  this  time  of  the  year, 
To  sail  upon  the  sea  ? 

*  Be  it  wind,  be  it  weet,  be  it  hail,  be  it  sleet, 
Our  ship  must  sail  the  faem  ; 
The  king's  daughter  of  Noroway, 
'T  is  we  must  fetch  her  hame." 

They  hoysed  their  sails  on  Monenday  morn 

Wi'  a'  the  speed  they  may  ; 
They  hae  landed  in  Noroway 

Upon  a  Wodeusday. 

They  hadna  been  a  week,  a  week 

In  Noroway,  but  twae, 
When  that  the  lords  o'  Noroway 

Began  aloud  to  say  : 

■"  Ye  Suottishmen  spend  a'  our  king's  gowd 

And  a'  our  queene's  fee." 
"  Ye  lie,  ye  lie,  ye  liars  loud  ! 

Fu'  loud  I  hear  ye  lie  ! 

"  For  I  hae  brought  as  much  white  monie 
As  gane  my  men  and  me, 
And  I  brought  a  half-fou  o'  gude  red  gowd 
Out  oure  the  sea  wi'  me. 

"  Make  ready,  make  ready,  my  merry  men  a' ! 

Our  gude  ship  sails  the  morn." 
"  Now,  ever  alake  !    my  master  dear, 

1  fear  a  deadly  storm  ! 

■"  1  saw  the  new  moon,  late  yestreen, 
Wi'  the  auld  moon  in  her  arm ; 
And  if  we  gang  to  sea,  master, 
I  fear  we  '11  come  to  harm." 

They  hadna  sailed  a  league,  a  league, 
A  league,  but  barely  three, 
41 


When  the  lift  grew  dark,  and  the  wind  blew  loud, 
And  gurly  grew  the  sea. 

The  ankers  brak,  and  the  topmasts  2ap, 

It  was  sic  a  deadly  storm  ; 
And  the  waves  came  o'er  the  broken  ship 
Till  a'  her  sides  were  torn. 

"  Oh  where  will  I  get  a  gude  sailor 

To  take  my  helm  in  hand, 

Till  I  get  up  to  the  tall  topmast, 

To  see  if  I  can  spy  land  ?  " 

"  Oh  here  am  I,  a  sailor  gude, 
To  take  the  helm  in  hand, 
Till  you  go  up  to  the  tall  topmast, — 
But  I  fear  you  '11  ne'er  spy  land." 

He  hadna  gane  a  step,  a  step, 

A  step,  but  barely  ane, 
When  a  boult  flew  out  of  our  goodly  ship, 

And  the  salt  sea  it  came  in. 

"  Gae  fetch  a  web  o'  the  silken  claith, 
Another  o'  the  twine, 
And  wap  them  into  our  ship's  side 
And  let  na  the  sea  come  in." 

They  fetched  a  web  o'  the  silken  claith, 

Another  o'  the  twine, 
And  they  wapped  them  roun'  that  gude  ship's  side. 

But  still  the  sea  came  in. 

Oh  laith,  laith  were  our  gude  Scots  lords 

To  weet  their  cork-heeled  shoon  ! 
But  lang  or  a'  the  play  was  played, 

They  wat  their  hats  aboon. 

And  mony  was  the  feather-bed 

That  floated  on  the  faem, 
And  mony  was  the  gude  lord's  son 

That  never  mair  cam  hame. 

The  ladyes  wrange  their  fingers  white, 

The  maidens  tore  their  hair  ; 
A'  for  the  sake  of  their  true  loves, 

For  them  they  '11  see  na  mair. 


322 


THE  BOOK  OF  BALLADS. 


Oh  lang,  lang  may  the  ladyes  sit, 
Wi'  their  fans  into  their  hand, 

Before  they  see  .Sir  Patrick  Spens 
Come  sailing  to  the  strand  ! 

And  lang,  lang  may  the  maidens  sit, 
Wi'  their  gowd  kaims  in  their  hair, 

A'  waiting  for  their  aii)  dear  loves, 
For  them  they  '11  see  na  mair. 

Oh  forty  miles  off  Aberdeen 

'T  is  fifty  fathoms  deep, 
And  there  lies  gude  Sir  Patrick  Spens 

Wi'  the  Scots  lords  at  his  feet. 


THE   HEIR  OF   LINNE. 


Lithe  and  listen,  gentlemen, 

To  sing  a  song  I  will  began ; 
It  is  of  a  lord  of  fair  Scotland, 

Which  was  the  unthrifty  heir  of  Linne. 

His  father  was  a  right  good  lord, 
His  mother  a  lady  of  high  degree; 

But  they,  alas  !  were  dead  him  frae, 
And  he  loved  keeping  companie. 

To  spend  the  clay  with  merry  cheer, 

To  drink  and  revel  every  night, 
To  card  and  dice  from  eve  to  morn, 

It  was,  I  ween,  his  heart's  delight. 

To  ride,  to  run,  to  rant,  to  roar, 
To  always  spend  and  never  spare ; 

I  wot,  an'  it  were  the  king  himself 
Of  gold  and  fee  he  mote  be  bare. 

So  fares  the  unthrifty  Lord  of  Linne 
Till  all  his  gold  is  gone  and  spent ; 

And  he  maun  sell  his  lands  so  broad, 
His  house,  and  lands,  and  all  his  rent. 

His  father  had  a  keen  steward, 

And  John  o'  the  Scales  was  called  he  ; 

3   Gods-pennie,  earnest  money,  i.  e.  part  of  the  price  paid  in  ad- 
vance to  bind  the  contract. 


But  John  is  become  a  gentel-man, 
And  John  has  got  both  gold  and  fee. 

Says,  "  Welcome,  welcome,  Lord  of  Linne, 
Let  nought  disturb  thy  merry  cheer; 

If  thou  wilt  sell  thy  lands  so  broad, 
Good  store  of  gold  I  '11  give  thee  here." 

"  My  gold  is  gone,  my  money  is  spent ; 
My  land  now  take  it  unto  thee : 
Give  me  thy  gold,  good  John  o'  the  Scales, 
And  thine  for  aye  my  land  shall  be." 

Then  John  he  did  him  to  record  draw, 
And  John  he  cast  him  a  gods-pennie  ; 1 

But  for  every  pound  that  John  agreed, 
The  land,  I  wis,  was  well  worth  three. 

He  told  him  the  gold  upon  the  board, 
He  was  right  glad  his  land  to  win  ; 
"  The  gold  is  thine,  the  land  is  mine, 
And  now  I  '11  be  the  Lord  of  Linne." 

Thus  he  hath  sold  his  land  so  broad, 

Both  hill  and  holt,  and  moor  and  fen, 
All  but  a  poor  and  lonesome  lodge, 
That  stood  far  off  in  a  lonely  glen. 

For  so  he  to  his  father  bight ; 2 

"  My  son,  when  I  am  gone,"  said  he, 

"  Then  thou  wilt  spend  thy  land  so  broad, 

And  thou  wilt  spend  thy  gold  so  free. 

"  But  swear  me  now  upon  the  rood,8 

That  lonesome  lodge  thou  'It  never  spend  ; 
For  when  all  the  world  doth  frown  on  thee, 
Thou  there  shalt  find  a  faithful  friend." 

The  heir  of  Linne  is  full  of  gold  : 

"  And  come  with  me,  my  friends,"  eaid  he, 
"  Let 's  drink,  and  rant,  and  merry  make, 
And  he  that  spares,  ne'er  mote  he  thee."4 

They  ranted,  drank,  and  merry  made, 

Till  all  his  gold  it  waxed  thin  ; 
And  then  his  friends  they  slunk  away; 

They  left  the  unthrifty  heir  of  Linne. 

2  Hir/ht,  promised. 

8  Rood,  cross.  4  Thee,  thrive. 


THE  HEIR    OF  LINNE. 


323 


He  had  never  a  penny  left  in  his  .purse, 
Never  a  penny  left  but  three, 

And  one  was  brass,  another  was  lead, 
And  another  it  was  white  money. 

"  Now  well-a-day,"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 
"  Now  well-a-day,  and  woe  is  me, 
For  when  I  was  the  Lord  of  Linne. 
I  never  wanted  gold  nor  fee. 

"  But  many  a  trusty  friend  have  I, 

And  why  should  I  feel  dole  or  care  ? 


I  '11  borrow  of  them  all  by  turns, 
So  need  I  not  be  never  bare." 

But  one,  I  wis,  was  not  at  home  ; 

Another  had  paid  his  gold  away  ; 
Another  called  him  thriftless  loon, 

And  bade  him  sharply  wend  his  way. 

"  Now  well-a-day,  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 
"  Now  well-a-day  aud  woe  is  me  ; 
For  when  I  had  my  lands  so  broad, 
On  me  they  lived  right  merrilee. 


"  To  beg  my  bread  from  door  to  door, 
I  wis,  it  were  a  brenniug  1  shame  ; 
To  rob  and  steal  it  were  a  sin  ; 

To  work,  my  limbs  I  cannot  frame. 

"  Now  I  '11  away  to  the  lonesome  lodge, 
For  there  my  father  bade  me  wend  : 
When  all  the  world  should  frown  on  me, 
I  there  should  find  a  trusty  friend.'' 


Away  then  hied  the  heir  of  Linne, 
O'er  hill  and  holt,  and  moor  and  fen, 


Until  he  came  to  the  lonesome  lodge 
That  stood  so  low  in  a  lonely  glen. 

He  looked  up,  he  looked  down. 

In  hope  some  comfort  for  to  win  ; 
But  bare  and  lothly  were  the  walls : 

"  Here 's  sorry  cheer,'"  quo'  the  heir  of  Linne. 

The  little  window,  dim  and  dark, 
Was  hung  with  ivy,  brere,  and  yew  ; 

No  shimmering  sun  here  ever  shone, 
No  halesome  breeze  here  ever  blew. 


1  Brenning,  burniug. 


324 


THE  BOOK  OF  BALLADS. 


No  chair,  ne  table,  he  mote  spy, 

No  cheerful  hearth,  ne  welcome  bed  ; 

Nought  save  a  rope  with  renning  noose, 
That  daugling  hung  up  o'er  his  head. 

And  over  it  in  broad  letters, 

These  words  were  written  so  plain  to  see : 
"  Ah !  graceless  wretch,  hast  spent  thine  all. 
And  brought  thyself  to  penurie  ? 

"  All  this  my  boding  mind  misgave, 
I  therefore  left  this  trusty  friend  ; 


Let  it  now  shield  thy  foul  disgrace, 
And  all  thy  shame  and  sorrows  end." 

Sorely  shent ■  wi'  this  rebuke, 

Sorely  shent  was  the  heir  of  Linne ; 

His  heart,  I  wis,  was  near  to-brast 

With  guilt  and  sorrow,  shame  and  sin. 

Never  a  word  spake  the  heir  of  Linne, 
Never  a  word  spake  he  but  three ; 
"  This  is  a  trusty  friend  indeed, 

And  is  right  welcome  unto  me." 


Then  round  his  neck  the  cord  he  drew, 
And  sprang  aloft  with  his  bodie, 

When  lo  !  the  ceiling  burst  in  twain, 
And  to  the  ground  came  tumbling  he. 

Astonyed  lay  the  heir  of  Linne, 
Ne  knew  if  he  were  live  or  dead; 

At  length  he  looked,  and  saw  a  bill, 
And  in  it  a  key  of  gold  so  red. 

He  took  the  bill,  and  lookt  it  on, 
Strait  good  comfort  found  he  there : 

1  Shent,  shamed. 


It  told  him  of  a  hole  in  the  wall, 

In  which  there  stood  three  chests  in-fere.2 

Two  were  full  of  the  beaten  gold, 
The  third  was  full  of  white  money ; 

And  over  them  in  broad  letters 

These  words  were  written  so  plain  to  see: 

"  Once  more,  my  son,  I  set  thee  clear  ; 
Amend  thy  life  and  follies  past  ; 
For  but  thou  amend  thee  of  thy  life, 
That  rope  must  be  thy  end  at  last." 

2  In-fere,  together. 


THE  HEIR    OF  LINNE. 


325 


"  And  let  it  be,"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 
"  And  let  it  be,  but  if  I  amend  : 
For  here  I  will  make  mine  avow, 

This  reade  '  shall  guide  me  to  the  end." 

Away  then  went  with  a  merry  cheer, 
Away  then  went  the  heir  of  Linne; 

I  wis,  he  neither  ceased  ne  blanne,2 

Till  John  o'  the  Scales'  house  he  did  win. 

And  when  he  came  to  John  o'  the  Scales, 
Up  at  the  speer  then  looked  he ; 


There  sat  three  lords  upon  a  row, 
Were  drinking  of  the  wine  so  free. 

And  John  himself  sat  at  the  board-head, 
Because  now  Lord  of  Linne  was  he; 
"  I  pray  thee,''  he  said,  "  good  John  o'  the  Scales, 
One  forty  pence  for  to  lend  me." 

"  Away,  away,  thou  thriftless  loon  ; 
Away,  away,  this  may  not  be  ; 
For  a  curse  on  my  head,"  he  said, 
"  If  ever  I  trust  thee  one  pennie." 


Then  bespake  the  heir  of  Linne, 

To  John  o'  the  Scales'  wife  then  spake  he  : 
'•  Madame,  some  alms  on  me  bestow, 
I  pray  for  sweet  Saint  Charitie." 

"  Away,  away,  thou  thriftless  loon  ; 

I  swear  thou  gettest  no  alms  of  me  ; 
For  if  we  should  hang  any  losel  here, 
The  first  we  would  begin  with  thee." 

Then  bespake  a  good  fellow, 

Which  sat  at  John  o'  the  Scales  his  board 

1  Reade,  advice. 


Said,  "  Turn  again,  thou  heir  of  Linne  ; 
Some  time  thou  wast  a  well  good  lord. 

"  Some  time  a  good  fellow  thou  hast  been, 
And  sparedst  not  thy  gold  and  fee ; 
Therefore  I  '11  lend  thee  forty  pence, 
And  other  forty  if  need  be. 

"  And  ever  I  pray  thee,  John  o'  the  Scales, 
To  let  him  sit  in  thy  companie  ; 
For  well  I  wot  thou  hadst  his  land, 
And  a  good  bargain  it  was  to  thee." 

2  Blanne,  stopped. 


326 


THE  BOOK   OF  BALLADS. 


Up  then  spake  him  John  o'  the  Scales, 
All  wood  '  he  answered  him  again  : 
u  Now  a  curse  on  my  head,"  he  said, 
"  But  I  did  lose  by  that  bargain. 

"  And  here  I  proffer  thee,  heir  of  Linne, 
Before  these  lords  so  fair  and  free, 
Thou  shalt  have  it  back  again  better  cheap 
By    a    hundred    marks    than    I    had    it    of 
thee. 

"  I  draw  you  to  record,  lords,"  he  said  ; 

With  that  he  cast  him  a  gods-pennie : 
"  Now  by  my  fay,"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 

"  And  here,  good  John,  is  thy  money." 

And  he  pulled  forth  three  bags  of  gold, 
And  laid  them  down  upon  the  board ; 

All  woe  begone  was  John  o'  the  Scales, 
So  shent  he  could  say  never  a  word. 

He  told  him  forth  the  good  red  gold, 
He  told  it  forth  with  mickle  din  ; 
"  The  gold  is  thine,  the  land  is  mine, 

And  now  I  'm  again  the  Lord  of  Linne." 

Says,  "  Have  thou  here,  thou  good  fellow, 
Forty  pence  thou  didst  lend  me : 

Now  I  am  again  the  Lord  of  Linne, 
And  forty  pounds  I  will  give  thee. 

"  I  '11  make  thee  keeper  of  my  forest, 
Both  of  the  wild  deer  and  the  tame  ; 
For  but  I  reward  thy  bounteous  heart, 
I  wis,  good  fellow,  I  were  to  blame." 

"Now  well-a-day  !  "  saith  Joan  o'  the  Scales ; 
"  Now  well-a-day,  and  woe  is  my  life  ! 
Yesterday  I  was  Lady  of  Linne, 

Now  I  'm  but  John  o'  the  Scales  his  wife." 


"  Now  fare  thee  well,"  said  the  heir  of  Linne, 
"  Farewell  now,  John  o'  the    Scales,"    said 
he: 

"  A  curse  light  on  me,  if  ever  again 
I  bring  my  lands  in  jeopardy." 

1  Wood,  frantic- 


THE    DRAGON   OF    WANTLEY. 

Old  stories  tell  how  Hercules 

A  dragon  slew  at  Lerna, 
With  seven  heads  and  fourteen  eyes, 

To  see  and  well  discern-a: 
But  he  had  a  club,  this  dragon  to  drub, 

Or  he  ne'er  had  done  it,  I  warrant  ye : 
But  More  of  More-hall,  with  nothing  at  alL 

He  slew  the  dragon  of  Wantley. 

This  dragon  had  two  furious  wings, 

Each  one  upon  each  shoulder ; 
With  a  sting  in  his  tail  as  long  as  a  flail, 

Which  made  him  bolder  and  bolder. 
He  had  long  claws,  and  in  his  jaws 

Four  and  forty  teeth  of  iron  ; 
With  a  hide  as  tough  as  any  buff, 

Which  did  him  round  environ. 

Have  you  not  heard  how  the  Trojan  horse- 
Held  seventy  men  in  his  belly  ?  ' 

This  dragon  was  not  quite  so  big, 
But  very  near,  I  '11  tell  ye  ; 

Devoured  he  poor  children  three, 
That  could  not  with  him  grapple  ; 

And  at  one  sup  he  ate  them  up, 
As  one  would  eat  an  apple. 

All  sorts  of  cattle  this  dragon  would  eat, 

Some  say  he  ate  up  trees, 
And  that  the  forests  sure  he  would 

Devour  up  by  degrees  : 
For  houses  and  churches  were  to  him  geese  and  turkeys; 

He  ate  all  and  left  noue  behind, 
But  some  stones,  dear  Jack,  that  he  could  not  crack, 

Which  on  the  hills  you  will  find. 

Hard  by  a  furious  knight  there  dwelt; 

Men,  women,  girls,  and  boys, 
Sighing  and  sobbing,  came  to  his  lodging, 

And  made  a  hideous  noise. 
Oh  save  us  all,  More  of  More-hall, 

Thou  peerless  knight  of  these  woods  ; 
Do  but  slay  this  dragon,  who  won't  leave  us  a  rag  on, 

We  '11  give  thee  all  our  goods. 


THE  DRAGON    OF    WANTLEY. 


327 


This  being  done,  he  did  engage 

To  hew  the  dragon  down  ; 
But  first  he  went  new  armor  to 

Bespeak  at  Sheffield  town  ; 
With  spikes  all  about,  not  within  but  without, 

Of  steel  so  sharp  and  strong, 
Both  behind  and  before,  arms,  legs,  and  all  o'er, 

Some  five  or  six  inches  long. 


It  is  not  strength  that  always  wins, 

For  wit  doth  strength  excel ; 
Which  made  our  cunning  champion 

Creep  down  into  a  well, 
Where  he  did  think  this  dragon  would  drink, 

And  so  he  did  in  truth  ; 
And  as  he  stooped  low,  he  rose  up  and  cried,  boh ! 

And  kicked  him  in  the  mouth. 


Had  you  but  seen  him  in  this  dress, 

How  fierce  he  looked,  and  how  big, 
You  would  have  thought  him  for  to  be 

Some  Egyptian  porcupig  : 
He  frighted  all,  cats,  dogs,  and  all, 

Each  cow,  each  horse,  and  each  hog  : 
For  fear  they  did  flee,  for  they  took  him  to  be 

Some  strange,  outlandish  hedge-hog. 


Oh,  quoth  the  dragon  with  a  deep  sigh, 

And  turned  six  times  together, 
Sobbing  and  tearing,  cursing  and  swearing 

Out  of  his  throat  of  leather  : 
More  of  More-hall,  0  thou  rascal, 

Would  I  had  seen  thee  never  ; 
With  the  thing  at  thy  foot  thou  hast  pricked  my  throat, 

And  I  'm  quite  undone  forever. 


To  see  this  fight  all  people  then 

Got  up  on  trees  and  houses, 
On  churches  some,  and  chimneys  too  ; 

But  these  put  on  their  trousers, 
Not  to  spoil  their  hose.     As  soon  as  he  rose, 

To  make  him  strong  and  mighty, 
He  drank,  by  the  tale,  six  pots  of  ale 

And  a  quart  of  aqua-vitas. 


Murder,  murder,  the  dragon  cried, 

Alack,  alack,  for  grief  ; 
Had  you  but  missed  that  place,  you  could 

Have  done  me  no  mischief. 
Then  his  head  he  shaked,  trembled  and  quaked, 

And  down  he  laid  and  cried  ; 
First  on  one  knee,  then  on  back  tumbled  he ; 

So  groaned,  and  kicked,  and  died. 


THE   BOOK   OF   FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


THE   RENOWNED    HISTORY   OF   LITTLE    GOODY   TWO-SHOES. 


ASCRIBED    TO   OLIVER   GOLDSMITH. 


INTRODUCTION. 

All  the  woi-ld  must  allow  that  Two-Shoes  was 
not  her  real  name.  No ;  her  father's  name  was 
Mean  well ;  and  he  was  for  many  years  a  consid- 
erable farmer  in  the  parish  where  Margery  was 
born ;  but  by  the  misfortunes  which  he  met  with 
in  business,  and  the  wicked  persecutions  of  Sir 
Timothy  Gripe,  and  an  overgrown  farmer  called 
Graspall,  he  was  effectually  ruined. 

The  case  was  thus.  The  parish  of  Mouldwell, 
where  they  lived,  had  for  many  ages  been  let  by 
the  Lord  of  the  Manor  in  twelve  different  farms, 
in  which  the  tenants  lived  comfortably,  brought 
up  large  families,  and  carefully  supported  the  poor 
people  who  labored  for  them,  until  the  estate  by 
marriage  and  by  death  came  into  the  hands  of  Sir 
Timothy. 

This  gentleman,  who  loved  himself  better  than 
all  his  neighbors,  thought  it  was  less  trouble  to 
write  one  receipt  for  his  rent  than  twelve,  and  Far- 
mer Graspall  offering  to  take  all  the  farms  as  the 
leases  expired,  Sir  Timothy  agreed  with  him,  and 
in  process  of  time  he  was  possessed  of  every  farm 
but  that  occupied  by  Little  Margery's  father, 
which  he  also  wanted ;  for  as  Mr.  Meanwell  was 
a  charitable  good  man,  he  stood  up  for  the  poor  at 
the  parish  meetings,  and  was  unwilling  to  have 
them  oppressed  by  Sir  Timothy  and  this  ava- 
ricious farmer.  —  Judge,  O  kind,  humane,  and 
courteous    reader,    what  a  terrible  situation    the 


poor  must  be  in,  when  this  covetous  man  was  per- 
petual overseer,  and  everything  for  their  mainte- 
nance was  drawn  from  his  hard  heart  and  cruel 
hand.  But  he  was  not  only  perpetual  overseer, 
but  perpetual  church-warden ;  and  judge,  O  ye 
Christians,  what  state  the  church  must  be  in, 
when  supported  by  a  man  without  religion  or  vir- 
tue. He  was  also  perpetual  surveyor  of  the  high- 
ways, and  what  sort  of  roads  he  kept  up  for  the 
convenience  of  travelers,  those  best  knew  who 
have  had  the  misfortune  to  pass  through  that  par- 
ish. —  Complaints  indeed  were  made,  but  to  what 
purpose  are  complaints,  when  brought  against  a 
man  who  can  hunt,  drink,  and  smoke  without  the 
Lord  of  the  Manor,  who  is  also  the  Justice  of 
Peace' 

The  opposition  which  Little  Margery's  father 
made  to  this  man's  tyranny  gave  offense  to  Sii 
Timothy,  who  endeavored  to  force  him  out  of  his 
farm  ;  and,  to  oblige  him  to  throw  up  the  lease, 
ordered  both  a  brick  kiln  and  a  dog  kennel  to  be 
erected  in  the  farmer's  orchard.  This  was  con- 
trary to  law,  and  a  suit  was  commenced,  in  which 
Margery's  father  got  the  better.  The  same  of- 
fense was  again  committed  three  different  times, 
and  as  many  actions  brought,  in  all  of  which  the 
farmer  had  a  verdict,  and  costs  paid  him;  but 
notwithstanding  these  advantages,  the  law  was  so 
expensive,  that  he  was  ruined  in  the  contest,  and 
obliged  to   give   up  all    he  had   to  his  creditors : 


THE  RENOWNED  HISTORY  OF  LITTLE    GOODY  TWO-SHOES. 


329 


which  effectually  answered  the  purpose  of  Sir 
Timothy,  who  erected  those  nuisances  in  the  far- 
mer's orchard  with  that  intention.  Ah,  my  dear 
reader,  we  brag  of  liberty,  and  boast  of  our  laws  ; 
but  the  blessings  of  the  one,  and  the  protection  of 
the  other,  seldom  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  poor  ;  and 
especially  when  a  rich  man  is  their  adversary. 
How,  in  the  name  of  goodness,  can  a  poor  wretch 
obtain  redress,  when  thirty  pounds  are  insufficient 
to  try  his  cause?  Where  i?  he  to  find  money  to 
fee  counsel,  or  how  can  he  plead  his  cause  himself 
(even  if  he  was  permitted)  when  our  laws  are  so 
obscure  and  so  multiplied,  that  an  abridgment  of 
them  cannot  be  contained  in  fifty  volumes  folio  ? 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Mean  well  had  called  together 
his  creditors,  Sir  Timothy  seized  for  a  year's  rent, 
and  turned  the  farmer,  his  wife,  Little  Margery, 
and  her  brother  out  of  doors,  without  any  of  the 
necessaries  of  life  to  support  them. 

This  elated  the  heart  of  Mr.  Graspall,  this 
crowned  his  hopes,  and  filled  the  measure  of  his 
iniquity  ;  for,  besides  gratifying  his  revenge,  this 
man's  overthrow  gave  him  the  sole  dominion  over 
the  poor,  whom  he  depressed  and  abused  in  a  man- 
ner too  horrible  to  mention. 

Marger}''s  father  flew  into  another  parish  for 
succor,  and  all  those  who  were  able  to  move  left 
their  dwellings  and  sought  employment  elsewhere, 
as  they  found  it  would  be  impossible  to  live  un- 
der the  tyranny  of  two  such  people.  The  very 
old,  the  very  lame,  and  the  blind,  were  obliged  to 
stay  behind,  and  whether  they  were  starved,  or 
what  became  of  them,  history  does  not  say  ,  but 
the  character  of  the  great  Sir  Timothy,  and  ava- 
ricious tenant,  were  so  infamous,  that  nobody 
would  work  for  them  by  the  day,  and  servants 
were  afraid  to  engage  themselves  by  the  year,  lest 
any  unforeseen  accident  should  leave  them  parish- 
ioners in  a  place  where  they  knew  they  must  per- 
ish miserably  ;  so  that  great  part  of  the  land  lay 
unfilled  for  some  years  ;  which  was  deemed  a  just 
reward  for  such  diabolical  proceedings. 

But  what,  says  the  reader,  can  occasion  all  this  ? 
do  you  intend  this  for  children  ?  Permit  me  to 
inform  you,   that  this  is  not  the  book,  sir,  men- 

42 


tioned  in  the  title,  but  an  introduction  to  that 
book ;  and  it  is  intended,  sir,  not  for  that  sort  of 
children,  but  for  children  of  sis  feet  high,  of 
which,  as  my  friend  has  justly  observed,  there  are 
many  millions  in  the  kingdom  ;  and  these  reflec- 
tions, sir,  have  been  rendered  necessary  by  the  un- 
accountable and  diabolical  scheme  which  many 
gentlemen  now  give  into,  of  laying  a  number  of 
farms  into  one,  and  very  often  a  whole  parish  into 
one  farm  :  which  in  the  end  must  reduce  the  com- 
mon people  to  a  stage  of  vassalage,  worse  than 
that  under  the  barons  of  old,  or  of  the  clans  in 
Scotland,  and  will  in  time  depopulate  the  king- 
dom ?  but  as  you  are  tired  of  the  subject  I  shall 
take  myself  away,  and  you  may  visit  Little  Mar' 

gery- 

CHAPTER  I. 

HOW   AND    ABOUT    LITTLE    MARGERY    AND  HER    BROTHER. 

Care  and  discontent  shortened  the  days  of  Lit- 
tle Margery's  father.  He  was  forced  from  his 
family,  and  seized  with  a  violent  fever  in  a  place 
where  Dr.  James's  powder  was  not  to  be  had,  and 
where  he  died  miserably.  Margery's  poor  mother 
survived  the  loss  of  her  husband  but  a  few  daysT 
and  died  of  a  broken  heart,  leaving  Margery  and 
her  little  brother  to  the  wide  world ;  but,  poor 
woman,  it  would  have  melted  your  heart  to  have 
seen  how  frequently  she  heaved  her  head,  while 
she  lay  speechless,  to  survey  with  languishing 
looks  her  little  orphans,  as  much  as  to  say,  "  Do 
Tommy,  do  Margery,  come  with  me."  They 
cried,  poor  things,  and  she  sighed  away  her  soul ; 
and  I  hope  is  happy. 

It  would  both  have  excited  your  pity,  and  have 
done  your  heart  good,  to  have  seen  how  these  two 
little  ones  were  so  fond  of  each  other,  and  how 
hand  in  hand  they  trotted  about. 

They  were  both  very  ragged,  and  Tommy  had 
no  shoes,  and  Margery  had  but  one.  They  had 
nothing,  poor  things,  to  support  them  (not  being 
in  their  own  parish)  but  what  they  picked  from 
the  hedges,  or  got  from  the  poor  people,  and  they 
lay  every  night  in  a  barn.  Their  relations  took 
no    notice    of    them  ;    no,    they   were    rich,    and 


330 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


ashamed  to  own  such  a  poor  little  ragged  girl  as 
Margery,  and  such  a  dirty  little  curly  pated  boy 
as  Tommy.  Our  relations  and  friends  seldom 
take  notice  of  us  when  we  are  poor ;  but  as  we 
grow  rich  they  grow  fond.  And  this  will  always 
be  the  case,  while  people  love  money  better  than 
they  do  God  Almighty.  But  such  wicked  folks 
who  love  nothing  but  money  and  are  proud  and 
despise  the  poor,  never  come  to  any  good  in  the 
end,  as  we  shall  see  by  and  by. 

CHAPTER  II. 

HOW  AND    ABOCT    MR.    SMITH. 

Mr.  Smith  was  a  very  worthy  clergyman,  who 
lived  in  the  parish  where  Little  Margery  and 
Tommy  were  born  ;  and  having  a  relation  come 
to  see  him,  who  was  a  charitable  good  man,  he 
sent  for  these  children  to  him.  The  gentleman 
ordered  Little  Margery  a  new  pair  of  shoes,  gave 
Mr.  Smith  some  money  to  buy  her  clothes  :  and 
said  he  would  take  Tommy  and  make  him  a  little 
sailor. 

After  some  days  the  gentleman  intended  to  go 
to  London,  and  take  little  Tommy  with  him,  of 
whom  you  will  know  more  by  and  by,  for  we  shall 
at  a  proper  time  present  you  with  his  history,  his 
travels,  and  adventures. 

The  parting  between  these  little  children  was 
very  affecting.  Tommy  cried,  and  they  kissed  each 
other  an  hundred  times :  at  last  Tommy  thus 
wiped  off  her  tears  with  the  end  of  his  jacket,  and 
bid  her  cry  no  more,  for  that  he  would  come  to 
her  again  when  he  returned  from  sea. 

CHAPTER  in. 

HOW    LITTLE    MARGERY  OBTAINED    THE  NAME    OF    GOODY 
TWO-SHOES,  AND  WHAT  HAPPENED  IN  THE  PARISH. 

As  soon  as  Little  Margery  got  up  in  the  morn- 
ing, which  was  very  early,  she  ran  all  round  the 
village,  crying  for  her  brother  ;  and  after  some 
time  returned  greatly  distressed. 

However,  at  this  instant,  the  shoemaker  very 
opportunely  came  in  with  the  new  shoes,  for 
which  she  had  been  measured  by  the  gentleman's 
order. 


Nothing  could  have  supported  Little  Margery 
under  the  affliction  she  was  in  for  the  loss  of  her 
brother,  but  the  pleasure  she  took  in  her  Two- 
shoes.  She  ran  out  to  Mrs.  Smith  as  soon  as  they 
were  put  on,  and  stroking  down  her  ragged  apron 
thus  cried  out,  "  Two-Shoes,  Ma'am,  see  Two- 
Shoes."  And  so  she  behaved  to  all  the  people 
she  met,  and  by  that  means  obtained  the  name  of 
Goody  Two-Shoes. 

Little  Margery  was  very  happy  in  being  with 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith,  who  were  very  charitable 
and  good  to  her,  and  had  agreed  to  bring  her  up 
with  their  family ;  but  as  soon  as  that  tyrant  of 
the  parish,  that  Graspall,  heard  of  her  being  there, 
he  applied  first  to  Mr.  Smith,  and  threatened  to 
reduce  his  tithes  if  he  kept  her ;  and  after  that  he 
spoke  to  Sir  Timothy,  who  sent  Mr.  Smith  a  per- 
emptory message  by  his  servant,  that  he  should 
send  back  Meanwell's  girl  to  be  kept  by  her  rela- 
tions, and  not  harbor  her  in  the  parish.  This  so 
distressed  Mr.  Smith,  that  he  shed  tears,  and  cried, 
"  Lord  have  mercy  on  the  poor  !  " 

The  prayers  of  the  righteous  fly  upwards,  and 
reach  unto  the  throne  of  heaven,  as  will  be  seen 
by  the  sequel. 

Mrs.  Smith  was  also  greatly  concerned  at  being 
thus  obliged  to  discard  poor  Little  Margery.  She 
kissed  her,  and  cried,  as  did  also  Mr.  Smith,  but 
they  were  obliged  to  send  her  away,  for  the  peo- 
ple who  had  ruined  her  father  could  at  any  time 
have  ruined  them. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

HOW  LITTLE    MARGERY    LEARNED    TO    READ,   AND  BY  DE- 
GREES    TAUGHT     OTHERS. 

Little  Margery  saw  how  good  and  how  wise 
Mr.  Smith  was,  and  concluded  that  this  was  ow- 
ing to  his  great  learning,  therefore  she  wanted  of 
all  things  to  learn  to  read.  For  this  purpose  she 
used  to  meet  the  little  boys  as  they  came  from 
school,  borrow  their  books,  and  sit  down  and  read 
till  they  returned.  By  this  means  she  got  more 
learning  than  any  of  her  playmates,  and  laid  the 
following  scheme  for  instructing  those  who  were 
more  ignorant  than  herself.     She  found  that  only 


THE  RENOWNED  HISTORY  OF  LITTLE   GOODY  TWO-SHOES. 


331 


the  following  letters  were  required  to  sjDell  all  the 
words  ;  but  as  some  of  these  letters  are  large,  and 
some  small,  she  with  her  knife  cut  out  of  several 
pieces  of  wood  ten  sets  of  each  of  these :  — 

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz. 

And  having  got  an  old  spelling  book,  she  made 
her  companions  set  up  all  the  words  they  wanted 
to  spell,  and  after  that  she  taught  them  to  com- 
pose sentences.  "  You  know  what  a  sentence  is, 
my  dear  ;  '  I  will  be  good,'  is  a  sentence  ;  and  is 
made  up,  as  you  see,  of  several  words." 

I  once  went  her  rounds  with  her,  and  was 
highly  diverted,  as  you  may  see,  if  you  please  to 
look  into  the  next  chapter. 

CHAPTER  V. 

HOW    LITTLE    TWO-SHOES     BECAME    A    TROTTING    TUTOR- 
ESS,   AND    HOW    SHE    TAUGHT    HER    YOUNG    PUPILS. 

It  was  about  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  when 
we  set  out  on  this  important  business,  and  the 
first  house  we  came  to  was  Farmer  Wilson's. 
Here  Margery  stopped,  and  ran  up  to  the  door, 
tap,  tap,  tap.  "  Who  's  there  ?  "  "  Only  Little 
Goody  Two-Shoes,"  answered  Margerj',  "  come  to 
teach  Billy."  "Oh!  Little  Goody,"  says  Mrs. 
Wilson,  with  pleasure  in  her  face,  "  I  am  glad  to 
see  you.  Billy  wants  you  sadly,  for  he  has  learned 
his  lesson."  Then  out  came  the  little  boy.  "  How 
do,  Doody  Two-Shoes,"  says  he,  not  able  to  speak 
plain.  Yet  this  little  boy  had  learned  all  his  let- 
ters ;  for  she  threw  down  this  alphabet  mixed  to- 
gether thus :  — 

bdfhkmoqsuwyxfacegilnprtvzj, 

and  he  picked  them  up,  called  them  by  their  right 
names,  and  put  them  all  in  order  thus  :  — 

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz. 

The  next  place  we  came  to  was  Farmer  Simp- 
son's. 

"  Bow,  wow,  wow,"  says  the  dog  at  the  door. 
"  Sirrah,"  says  his  mistress,  "  what  do  you  bark  at 
Little  Two-Shoes ;  come  in  Madge ;  here,  Sally 
wants  you  sadly,  she  has  learned  all  her  lesson." 


"Yes,  that's  what  I  have,"  replied  the  little  one, 
in  the  country  manner :  and  immediately  taking 
the  letters  she  set  up  these  syllables  :  — 


ba  be  bi  bo  bu, 
da  de  di  do  du, 


ca  ce  ci  co  cu, 

fa  fe  fi  fo  fu, 


and  gave  them  their  exact  sounds  as  she  composed 
them. 

After  this,  Little  Two-Shoes  taught  her  to  spell 
words  of  one  syllable,  and  she  soon  set  up  pear, 
plumb,  top,  ball,  pin,  puss,  dog,  hog,  fawn,  buck, 
doe,  lamb,  sheep,  ram,  cow,  bull,  cock,  hen,  and 
many  more. 

The  next  place  we  came  to  was  Gaffer  Cook's 
cottage.  Here  a  number  of  poor  children  were 
met  to  learn,  who  all  came  round  Little  Margery 
at  once,  and  having  pulled  out  her  letters,  asked 
the  little  boy  next  her,  what  he  had  for  dinner? 
Who  answered,  "  Bread  "  (the  poor  children  in 
many  places  live  very  hard).  "  Well  then,"  says 
she,  "set  up  the  first  letter."  He  put  up  the  B, 
to  which  the  next  added  r,  and  the  next  e,  the 
next  a,  the  next  d,  and  it  stood  thus,  Bread. 

And  what  had  you,  Polly  Comb,  for  your  din- 
ner? "  Apple  Pie,"  answered  the  little  girl :  upon 
which  the  next  in  turn  set  up  a  great  A,  the  two 
next  a  p  each,  and  so  on,  till  the  two  words  Ap- 
ple and  Pie  were  united  and  stood  thus,  Apple 
Pie. 

The  next  had  potatoes,  the  next  beef  and  tur- 
nips, which  were  spelled,  with  many  others,  till 
the  game  of  spelling  was  finished.  She  then  set 
them  another  task,  and  we  proceeded. 

The  next  place  we  came  to  was  Farmer  Thom- 
son's, where  there  was  a  great  many  little  ones 
waiting  for  her. 

"  So,  Little  Mrs.  Goody  Two-Shoes,"  says  one 
of  them,  "  where  have  you  been  so  long  ?  "  "I 
have  been  teaching,"  says  she,  "  longer  than  I  in- 
tended, and  am,  I  am  afraid,  come  too  soon  for  you 
now."  "No,  but  indeed  you  are  not,"  replied  the 
other  :  "  for  I  have  got  my  lesson,  and  so  has  Sally 
Dawson,  and  so  has  Harry  Wilson,  and  so  have  we 
all ;  "  and  they  capered  about  as  if  they  were  over- 
joyed to  see  her.     "  Why  then,"  says  she,  "  you 


332 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


are  all  very  good,  and  God  Almighty  will  love 
you  ;  so  let  us  begin  our  lessons."  They  all  hud- 
dled round  her,  and  though  at  the  other  place  they 
were  employed  about  words  and  syllables,  here 
we  had  people  of  much  greater  understanding  who 
dealt  only  in  sentences. 

The  letters  being  brought  upon  the  table,  one 
of  the  little  ones  set  up  the  following  sentence. 

"  The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  me,  and  grant  that 
I  may  be  always  good,  and  say  my  prayers,  and 
love  the  Lord  my  God  with  all  my  heart,  with  all 
my  soul,  and  with  all  my  strength  ;  and  honor  the 
king  and  all  good  men  in  authority  under  him." 

Then  the  next  took  the  letters,  and  composed 
this  sentence. 

"  Lord  have  mercy  upon  me,  and  grant  that  I 
may  love  my  neighbor  as  myself,  and  do  unto  all 
men  as  I  would  have  them  do  unto  me,  and  tell  no 
lies !  but  be  honest  and  just  in  all  my  dealings." 

Lesson  for  the  Conduct  of  Life. 

He  that  would  thrive, 
Must  rise  by  five. 

He  that  hath  thriven, 
May  lay  till  seven. 

Truth  may  be  blamed 
But  can't  be  shamed. 

Tell  me  with  whom  you  go, 
And  I  '11  tell  what  you  do. 

A  friend  in  your  need, 
Is  a  friend  indeed. 

They  never  can  be  wise, 
Who  good  counsel  despise. 

As  we  were  returning  home,  we  saw  a  gentle- 
man, who  was  very  ill,  sitting  under  a  shady  tree 
at  the  corner  of  the  rookery.  Though  ill,  he  be- 
gan to  joke  with  Little  Margery,  and  said,  laugh- 
ing, "  So,  Goody  Two-Shoes,  they  tell  me  you  are 
a  cunning  little  baggage ;  pray  can  you  tell  me 
what  I  shall  do  to  get  well  ?  "  "  Yes,  sir,"  says 
she,  "  go  to  bed  when  your  rooks  do,  and  get  up 
with  them  in  the  morning ;  earn,  as  they  do,  every 
day  what  you  eat,  and  eat  and  drink  no  more  than 
you  earn:    and   you'll   get    health    and    keep  it. 


What  should  induce  the  rooks  to  frequent  gentle- 
men's houses,  only  but  to  tell  them  how  to  lead  a 
prudent  life?  they  never  build  under  cottages  or 
farm-houses,  because  •  they  see  that  these  people 
know  how  to  live  without  their  admonition. 

Thus  wealth  and  wit  you  may  improve, 
Taught  by  tenants  of  the  grove." 

The  gentleman,  laughing,  gave  Margery  his- 
pence,  and  told  her  she  was  a  sensible  hussy. 

CHAPTER   VI. 

HOW    THE    WHOLE    PARISH    WAS    FRIGHTENED. 

Who  does  not  know  Lady  Ducklington,  or  who 
does  not  know  that  she  was  buried  at  this  parish 
church  ?  Well,  I  never  saw  a  grander  funeral  in 
all  my  life :  but  the  money  they  squandered  awa)', 
would  have  been  better  laid  out  in  little  books  for 
children,  or  in  meat,  drink,  and  clothes  for  the 
poor. 

All  the  country  round  came  to  see  the  burv- 
ing,  and  it  was  late  before  the  corpse  was  interred. 
After  which,  in  the  night,  or  rather  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  bells  were  heard  to 
jingle  in  the  steeple,  which  frightened  the  people 
prodigiously,  who  all  thought  it  was  Lady  Duck- 
lington's  ghost  dancing  among  the  bell  ropes.  The 
people  flocked  to  Will  Dobbins,  the  clerk,  and 
wanted  him  to  go  to  see  what  it  was  ;  but  William 
said  he  was  sure  it  was  a  ghost,  and  that  he  would 
not  offer  to  open  the  door.  At  length  Mr.  Long, 
the  rector,  hearing  such  an  uproar  in  the  village, 
went  to  the  clerk,  to  know  why  he  did  not  go  into 
the  church,  and  see  who  was  there.  "  I  go,  sir?" 
says  William,  "  why  the  ghost  would  frighten  me 
out  of  my  wits."  Mrs.  Dobbins  too  cried,  and 
laying  hold  of  her  husband,  said,  he  should  not  be 
eat  up  by  the  ghost.  "  A  ghost,  you  blockhead," 
says  Mr.  Long  in  a  pet,  "  did  either  of  you  ever 
see  a  ghost  in  a  church,  or  know  anybody  that 
did?"  "Yes,"  says  the  clerk,  "my  father  did 
once  in  the  shape  of  a  windmill,  and  it  walked  all, 
around  the  church  in  a  trice,  with  jack  boots  on, 
and  had  a  gun  by  its  side,  instead  of  a  sword." 
"A  fine  picture  of  a  ghost,  truly,"  says  Mr.  Long; 


THE  RENOWNED  HISTORY  OF  LITTLE   GOODT  TWO-SHOES. 


333 


"give  me  the  key  of  the  church,  you  monkey ;  for 
I  tell  you  there  is  no  such  thing  now,  whatever 
may  have  been  formerly."  Then  taking  the  key, 
he  went  to  the  church,  all  the  people  following 
him.  As  soon  as  he  had  opened  the  door,  what 
sort  of  a  ghost  do  you  think  appeared  ?  Why, 
Little  Two-Shoes,  who  being  weary  had  fallen 
asleep  in  one  of  the  pews  during  the  funeral  serv- 
ice, and  was  shut  in  all  night.  She  immediately 
asked  Mr.  Long's  pardon  for  the  trouble  she  had 
given  him,  told  him  she  had  been  locked  into  the 
church,  and  said  she  should  not  have  rung  the 
bells,  but  that  she  was  very  cold,  and  hearing 
Farmer  Boult's  man  go  whistling  by  with  his 
horses,  she  was  in  hopes  he  would  have  gone  to 
the  clerk  for  the  key  to  let  her  out. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

CONTAINING   AN   ACCOUNT   OF    ALL    THE    SPIRITS    OR 
THINGS    SHE    SAW    IN    THE    CHURCH. 

The  people  were  ashamed  to  ask  Little  Madge 
any  questions  before  Mr.  Long,  but  as  soon  as  he 
was  gone,  they  all  got  round  her  to  satisfy  their 
curiosity,  and  desired  she  would  give  them  a  par- 
ticular account  of  all  that  she  had  heard  or  seen. 

Her  Tale. 

"I  went  to  the  church,  said  she,  as  most  of  you 
did  last  night,  to  see  the  burying,  and,  being  very 
wear}',  I  sat  me  down  in  Mr.  Johns's  pew,  and 
fell  fast  asleep.  At  eleven  of  the  clock  I  awoke  ; 
which  I  believe  was  in  some  measure  occasioned 
by  the  clock's  striking,  for  I  heard  it.  I  started 
up,  and  could  not  at  first  tell  where  I  was ;  but 
after  some  time  I  recollected  the  funeral,  and  soon 
found  that  I  was  shut  in  the  church.  It  was  dis- 
mal dark,  and  I  could  see  nothing  ;  but  while  I 
was  standing  in  the  pew,  something  jumped  up 
upon  me  behind,  and  laid,  as  I  thought,  its  hands 
over  my  shoulders.  I  own  I  was  a  little  afraid  at 
first;  however,  I  considered  that  I  .had  always 
been  constant  at  prayers,  and  at  church,  and  that 
I  had  done  nobody  any  harm,  but  had  endeavored 
to  do  what  good  I  could  ;  and  then  thought  I, 
what  have  I  to  fear?     Yet  I  kneeied  down  to  say 


my  prayers.  As  soon  as  1  was  on  my  knees,  some- 
thing very  cold,  as  cold  as  marble,  aye,  as  cold  as 
ice,  touched  my  neck,  which  made  me  start ;  how- 
ever, I  continued  my  prayers,  and  having  begged 
protection  from  Almighty  God,  I  found  my  spirits 
come,  and  I  was  sensible  I  had  nothing  to  fear ; 
for  God  Almighty  protects  not  only  all  those  that 
are  good,  but  also  all  those  who  endeavor  to  be 
good,  —  nothing  can  withstand  the  power,  and  ex- 
ceed the  goodness  of  God  Almighty.  Armed  with 
the  confidence  of  his  protection,  I  walked  down 
the  church  aisle,  when  I  heard  something  pit,  pat, 
pit,  pat,  pit,  pat,  come  after  me,  and  something 
touched  my  hand,  which  seemed  as  cold  as  a  mar- 
ble monument.  I  could  not  think  what  this  was, 
yet  I  knew  that  it  could  not  hurt  me,  and  there- 
fore I  made  myself  easy ;  but  being  very  cold,  and 
the  church  being  paved  with  stones,  which  were 
very  damp,  I  felt  my  way,  as  well  as  I  could,  to 
the  pulpit ;  in  doing  which  something  rushed  by 
me  and  almost  threw  me  down.  However,  I  was 
not  frightened,  for  I  knew  that  God  Almighty 
would  suffer  nothing  to  hurt  me. 

"  At  last  I  found  out  the  pulpit,  and  having 
shut  the  door,  I  laid  me  down  on  the  mat  and 
cushion  to  sleep ;  when  something  thrust  and 
pulled  the  door,  as  I  thought,  for  admittance, 
which  prevented  my  going  to  sleep.  At  last  it 
cries,  "  Bow,  wow,  wow  ;  "  and  I  concluded  iz 
must  be  Mr.  Saunderson's  dog,  which  had  fol- 
lowed me  from  their  house  to  church  ;  so  I  opened 
the  door,  and  called  Snip,  Snip,  and  the  dog 
jumped  upon  me  immediately.  After  this,  Snip 
and  I  lay  down  together,  and  had  a  comfortable 
nap  ;  for  when  I  awoke  again  it  was  almost  light. 
I  then  walked  up  and  down  all  the  aisles  of  the 
church  to  keep  myself  warm  ;  and  though  I  went 
into  the.  vaults,  and  trod  on  Lady  Ducklington's 
coffin,  I  saw  nothing,  and  I  believe  it  was  owing 
to  the  reason  Mr.  Long  has  given  you,  namely, 
that  there  is  no  such  thing  to  be  seen.  As  to  my 
part,  I  would  as  soon  lie  all  night  in  a  church  as 
in  any  other  place  ;  and  I  am  sure  that  any  little 
boy  or  girl,  who  is  good  and  loves  God  Almighty, 
and  keeps  his  commandments,  may  as  safely  lie  in 


334 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


the  church,  or  the  churchyard,  as  anywhere  else, 
if  they  take  care  not  to  get  cold,  for  I  am  sure 
there  are  no  things  either  to  hurt  or  to  frighten 
them ;  though  any  one  possessed  of  fear  might 
have  taken  Neighbor  Saunderson's  dog  with  his 
cold  nose  for  a  ghost ;  and  if  they  had  not  been 
undeceived,  as  I  was,  would  never  have  thought 
otherwise."  All  the  company  acknowledged  the 
justness  of  the  observation,  and  thanked  Little 
Two-Shoes  for  her  advice. 

Reflection. 

After  this,  my  dear  children,  I  hope  you  will 
not  believe  any  foolish  stories  that  ignorant,  weak, 
or  designing  people  may  tell  you  about  ghost», 
for  the  tales  of  ghosts,  witches,  and  fairies  are  the 
frolics  of  a  distempered  brain.  No  wise  man  ever 
saw  either  of  them.  Little  Margery  was  not 
afraid  ;  no,  she  had  good  sense,  and  a  good  con- 
science, which  is  a  cure  for  all  these  imaginary 
evils. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

OF  SOMETHING  WHICH  HAPPENED  TO  LITTLE  MARGERY 
TWO-SHOES  IN  A  BARN,  MORE  DREADFUL  THAN  THE 
GHOST  IN  THE  CHURCH  ;  AND  HOW  SHE  RETURNED 
GOOD     FOR     EVIL     TO     HER    ENEMY    SIR    TIMOTHY. 

Some  days  after  this,  a  more  dreadful  accident 
befell  Little  Madge.  She  happened  to  be  coming 
late  from  teaching,  when  it  rained,  thundered,  and 
lightened,  and  therefore  she  took  shelter  in  a 
farmer's  barn  at  a  distance  from  the  village.  Soon 
after,  the  tempest  drove  in  four  thieves,  who  not 
seeing  such  a  little  creep-mouse  girl  as  Two-Shoes, 
lay  down  on  the  hay  next  to  her,  and  began  to 
talk  over  their  exploits,  and  to  settle  plans  for 
future  robberies.  Little  Margery,  on  hearing 
them,  covered  herself  with  straw.  To  be  sure  she 
was  frightened,  but  her  good  sense  taught  her 
that  the  only  security  she  had  was  in  keeping  her- 
self concealed  ;  therefore  she  lay  very  still,  and 
breathed  very  softly.  About  four  o'clock  these 
wicked  people  came  to  a  resolution  to  break  both 
Sir  William  Dove's  house  and  Sir  Timothy  Gripe's, 
and  by  force  of  arms  to  carry  off  all  their  money, 
plate,  and  jewels ;  but  as  it  was  thought  then  too 


late,  they  all  agreed  to  defer  it  till  the  next  night. 
After  laying  this  scheme,  they  all  set  out  upon 
their  pranks,  which  greatly  rejoiced  Margery,  as 
it  would  any  other  little  girl  in  her  situation. 
Early  in  the  morning  she  went  to  Sir  William, 
and  told  him  the  whole  of  their  conversation. 
Upon  which  he  asked  her  name,  then  gave  her 
something,  and  bid  her  call  at  his  house  the  day 
following.  She  also  went  to  Sir  Timothy,  not- 
withstanding he  had  used  her  so  ill,  for  she  knew 
it  was  her  duty  to  do  good  for  evil.  As  soon  as 
he  was  informed  who  she  was,  he  took  no  notice 
of  her ;  upon  which  she  desired  to  speak  to  Lady 
Gripe,  and  having  informed  her  ladyship  of  the 
affair,  she  went  away.  This  lady  had  more  sense 
than  her  husband,  which  indeed  is  not  a  singu- 
lar case  ;  for  instead  of  despising  Little  Margery 
and  her  information,  she  privately  set  people  to 
guard  the  house.  The  robbers  divided  themselves, 
and  went  about  the  time  mentioned  to  both  houses, 
and  were  surprised  by  the  guards  and  taken. 
Upon  examining  these  wretches  (one  of  which 
turned  evidence),  both  Sir  William  and  Sir  Tim- 
othy found  that  they  owed  their  lives  to  the  dis- 
covery made  by  Little  Margery  ;  and  the  first 
took  great  notice  of  her,  and  would  no  longer  let 
her  lie  in  a  barn  ;  but  Sir  Timothy  only  said, 
that  he  was  ashamed  to  owe  his  life  to  the  daugh- 
ter of  one  who  was  his  enemy  ;  so  true  it  is,  "  That 
a  proud  man  seldom  forgives  those  he  has  in- 
jured." 

CHAPTER   IX. 

HOW    LITTLE    MARGERY    WAS     MADE     PRINCIPAL    OF    A 
COUNTRY    COLLEGE. 

Mrs.  Williams,  who  kept  a  college  for  in- 
structing little  gentlemen  and  ladies  in  the  science 
of  A,  B,  C,  was  at  this  time  very  old  and  infirm 
and  wanted  to  decline  this  important  trust.  This 
being  told  to  Sir  Wiliam  Dove,  who  lived  in  the 
parish,  he  sent  for  Mrs.  Williams,  and  desired 
she  would  examine  Little  Two-Shoes,  and  see 
whether  she  was  qualified  for  the  office.  This  was 
done,  and  Mrs.  Williams  made  the  following  re- 
port   in   her   favor,  namely,  that  Little  Margery 


THE  RENOWNED  HISTORY  OF  MRS.   MARGERY  TWO-SHOES. 


335 


was  the  best  scholar,  and  had  the  best  head  and 
the  best  heart  of  any  one  she  had  examined.  All 
the  country  had  a  great  opinion  of  Mrs.  Williams, 
and  this  character  gave  them  also  a  great  opinion 
of  Mrs.  Margery,  for  so  we  must  now  call  her. 

This  Mrs.  Margery  thought  the  happiest  period 
of  her  life ;  but  more  happiness  was  in  store  for 


her.  God  Almighty  heaps  up  blessings  for  all 
those  who  love  Him,  and  though  for  a  time  He 
may  suffer  them  to  be  poor,  and  distressed,  and 
hide  his  good  purposes  from  human  sight,  yet  in 
the  end  they  are  generally  crowned  with  happi- 
ness here,  and  no  one  can  doubt  their  being  so 
hereafter. 


THE   RENOWNED   HISTORY   OF   MRS.   MARGERY   TWO-SHOES. 


PART   II. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  work  the  young  student 
has  read,  and  I  hope  with  pleasure  and  improve- 
ment, the  historj'  of  this  Lady,  while  she  was 
known  and  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Little 
Two-Shoes  ;  we  are  now  come  to  a  period  of  her 
life  when  that  name  was  discarded,  and  a  more 
eminent  one  bestowed  upon  her,  I  mean  that  of 
Mks. Margery  Two-Shoes:  for  as  she  was  now 
president  of  the  A,  B,  C  college,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  exalt  her  in  title  as  in  place. 

No  sooner  was  she  settled  in  this  office,  but  she 
laid  every  possible  scheme  to  promote  the  welfare 
and  happiness  of  all  her  neighbors,  and  especially 
of  her  little  ones,  in  whom  she  took  great  delight ; 
and  all  those  whose  parents  could  not  afford  to 
pay  for  their  education,  she  taught  for  nothing 
but  the  pleasure  she  had  in  their  company  ;  for 
you  are  to  observe  that  they  were  very  good,  or 
were  soon  made  so  by  her  good  management. 

CHAPTER  I. 

OF    IIKR    SCHOOL,  HER    USHERS,  OR    ASSISTANTS,  AND  HER 
MANNER   OF    TEACHING. 

We  have  already  informed  the  reader,  that  the 
school  where  she  taught  was  that  which  was  before 
kept  by  Mrs.  Williams.  The  room  was  very  large 
and  spacious,  and  as  she  knew  that  nature  in- 
tended children  should  be  always  in  action,  she 
placed  her  different  letters,  or  alphabets,  all  round 
the  school,  so  that  every  one  was  obliged  to  get 
up  and  fetch  a  letter,  or  to  spell  a  word  when  it 
came  to  their  turn  ;  which  not  only  kept  them  in 


health,  but  fixed  the  letters  and  points  firmly  in 
their  minds. 

CHAPTER  II. 

A    SCENE    OF    DISTRESS    IN    A    SCHOOL. 

It  happened  one  day,  when  Mrs.  Two-Shoes 
was  diverting  the  children  after  dinner,  as  she 
usually  did,  with  some  innocent  games,  or  enter- 
taining and  instructive  stories,  that  a  man  arrived 
with  the  melancholy  news  of  Sally  Jones's  father 
being  thrown  from  his  horse,  and  thought  past  all 
recovery ;  nay,  the  messenger  said,  that  he  was 
seemingly  dying  when  he  came  away.  Poor  Sally 
was  gi'eatly  distressed,  as  indeed  were  all  in  the 
school,  for  she  dearly  loved  her  father  and  Mrs. 
Two-Shoes,  and  all  her  children  dearly  loved  her. 

At  this  instant  something  was  heard  to  flap  at 
the  window,  at  which  the  children  were  surprised  ; 
but  Mrs.  Margery  knowing  what  it  was,  opened 
the  casement,  and  drew  in  a  pigeon  with  a  letter. 

As  soon  as  he  was  placed  upon  the  table,  he 
walked  up  to  little  Sally,  and  dropping  the  letter, 
cried  "  Co,  co,  coo  ;  "  as  much  as  to  say,  "  There, 
read  it." 

"  My  dear  Sally,  —  God  Almighty  has  been  very 
merciful  and  restored  your  papa  to  us  again,  who 
is  now  so  well  as  to  be  able  to  sit  up.  I  hear  you 
are  a  good  girl,  my  dear,  and  I  hope  you  will 
never  forget  to  praise  the  Lord  for  that  his  great 
goodness  and  mercyr  to  us.  What  a  sad  thing  it 
would  have  been  it  your  father  had  died,  and  left 
both  you  and  me,  and  little  Tommy  in  distress, 
and  without  a  friend.  Your  father  sends  his 
blessing  with  mine.     Be  good,  my  dear  child,  and 


336 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


God  Almighty  will  also  bless  you,  whose  blessing 
is  above  all  things. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  Sally, 

"Your  affectionate  mother, 

"Maetha  Jones." 

CHAPTER  III. 

OF    THE    AMAZING    SAGACITY  AND    INSTINCT    OF    A    LITTLE 
DOG. 

Soon  after  this,  a  very  dreadful  accident  hap- 
pened in  the  school.  It  was  on  a  Thursday  morn- 
ing, I  very  well  remember,  when  the  children  hav- 
ing learned  their  lessons  soon,  she  had  given  them 
leave  to  play,  and  they  were  all  running  about 
the  school,  and  diverting  themselves  with  the 
birds  and  the  lamb  ;  at  this  time  the  dog,  all  of 
a  sudden,  laid  hold  of  his  mistress's  apron,  and 
endeavored  to  pull  her  out  of  the  school.  She  was 
at  first  surprised  ;  however,  she  followed  him,  to 
see  what  he  intended.  No  sooner  had  he  led  her 
back  into  the  garden,  but  he  ran  back,  and  pulled 
out  one  of  the  children  in  the  same  manner  ;  upon 
which  she  ordered  them  all  to  leave  the  school  im- 
mediately, and  they  had  not  been  out  five  minutes 
before  the  top  of  the  house  fell  in.  What  a  mi- 
raculous deliverance  was  here  !  How  gracious ! 
How  good  was  God  Almighty  to  save  all  these 
children  from  destruction,  and  to  make  use  of  such 
an  instrument  as  a  little  sagacious  animal  to  ac- 
complish his  divine  will !  I  should  have  observed 
that,  as  soon  as  they  were  all  in  the  garden,  the 
dog  came  leaping  round  them  to  express  his  joy, 
and  when  the  house  was  fallen,  laid  himself  down 
quietly  by  his  mistress. 

Some  of  the  neighbors  who  saw  the  school  fall, 
and  who  were  in  great  pain  for  Margery  and  her 
little  ones,  soon  spread  the  news  through  the  vil- 
lage, and  all  the  parents,  terrified  for  their  chil- 
dren, came  crowding  in  abundance :  they  had, 
however,  the  satisfaction  to  find  them  all  safe,  and 
upon  their  knees  with  their  mistress,  giving  God 
thanks  for  their  happy  deliverance. 

You  are  not  to  wonder,  my  dear  reader,  that 
this  little  dog  should  have  more  sense  than  you, 
or  your  father,  or  your  grandfather. 


Though  God  Almighty  has  made  man  the  lord 
of  the  creation,  and  endowed  him  with  reason, 
yet  in  many  respects,  He  has  been  altogether  as 
bountiful  to  other  creatures  of  his  forming. 
Some  of  the  senses  of  other  animals  are  more  acute 
than  ours,  as  we  find  by  daily  experience. 

The  downfall  of  the  school  was  a  great  misfort- 
une to  Mrs.  Margery  ;  for  she  not  only  lost  all 
her  books,  but  was  destitute  of  a  place  to  teach 
in  ;  but  Sir  William  Dove,  being  informed  of  this, 
ordered  it  to  be  built  at  his  own  expense,  and  till 
that  could  be  done,  Farmer  Grove  was  so  kind  as 
to  let  her  have  his  large  hall  to  teach  in. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

WHAT    HAPPENED    AT     FARMER     GROVE'S     AND    HOW    SHE 
GRATIFIED    HIM  FOR    THE  USE  OF    HIS    ROOM. 

While  at  Mr.  Grove's,  which  was  in  the  heart 
of  the  village,  she  not  only  taught  the  children  in 
the  daytime,  but  the  farmer's  servants  and  all  the 
neighbors  to  read  and  write  in  the  evening  ;  and 
it  was  a  constant  practice,  before  they  went  away, 
to  make  them  all  go  to  prayers  and  sing  psalms. 
By  this  means  the  people  grew  extremely  regular, 
his  servants  were  always  at  home  instead  of  being 
at  the  alehouse,  and  he  had  more  work  done  than 
ever.  This  gave  not  only  Mr.  Grove,  but  all  the 
neighbors,  a  high  opinion  of  her  good  sense  and 
prudent  behavior ;  and  she  was  so  much  esteemed, 
that  the  most  of  the  differences  in  the  parish  were 
left  to  her  decision  ;  and  if  a  man  and  wife  quar- 
reled (which  sometimes  happened  in  that  part  of 
the  kingdom),  both  parties  certainly  came  to  her 
for  advice.  Everybody  knows  that  Martha  Wil- 
son was  a  passionate,  scolding  jade,  and  that  John 
her  husband  was  a  surly,  ill-tempered  fellow. 
These  were  one  day  brought  by  the  neighbors  for 
Margery  to  talk  to  them,  when  they  talked  be- 
fore her,  and  were  going  to  blows ;  but  she,  step- 
ping between  them,  thus  addressed  the  husband : 
"  John,"  says  she,  "  you  are  a  man,  and  ought  to 
have  more  sense  than  to  fly  in  a  passion  at  every 
word  that  is  said  amiss  by  your  wife  :  and  Mar- 
tha," says  she,  "  you  ought  to  know  your  duty 
better    than  to  say  anything  to    aggravate    your 


THE  RENOWNED    HISTORY  OF  3IRS.   MARGERY  TWO-SHOES. 


337 


husband's  resentment.  These  frequent  quarrels 
■arise  from  the  indulgence  of  your  violent  passions  ; 
for  I  know  you  both  love  each  other,  notwith- 
standing what  has  passed  between  you.  Now, 
pray  tell  me,  John,  and  tell  me,  Martha,  when  you 
have  had  a  quarrel  over  night,  are  you  not  both 
^orry  for  it  the  next  day  ?  "  They  both  declared 
that  they  were.  "  Why,  then,"  says  she,  "  I  '11  tell 
you  how  to  prevent  this  for  the  future,  if  you 
promise  to  take  my  advice."  They  both  promised 
her.  "  You  know,"  says  she,  "  that  a  small  spark 
will  set  fire  to  tinder,  and  that  tinder  properly 
placed  will  set  fire  to  a  house  :  an  angry  word  is 
with  you  as  that  spark,  for  you  are  both  as  touchy 
as  tinder,  and  very  often  make  your  own  house 
too  hot  to  hold  you.  To  prevent  this,  therefore, 
and  to  live  happily  for  the  future,  you  must  sol- 
emnly agree,  that  if  one  speaks  an  angry  word, 
the  other  will  not  answer,  till  he  or  she  has  dis- 
tinctly called  over  the  alphabet,  and  the  other  not 
reply  till  he  has  told  twenty  ;  by  this  means  your 
passions  will  be  stifled,  and  reason  will  have  time 
to  take  the  rule." 

This  is  the  best  recipe  that  was  ever  given  for 
a  married  couple  to  live  in  peace.  Though  John 
and  his  wife  frequently  attempted  to  quarrel  aft- 
erwards, they  never  could  get  their  passions  to  a 
considerable  height,  for  there  was  something  so 
droll  in  thus  carrying  on  the  dispute,  that,  before 
they  got  to  the  end  of  the  argument,  they  saw  the 
absurdity  of  it,  laughed,  kissed,  and  were  friends. 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE    CASE    OF     MRS.   MARGERY. 

Mrs.  Margery  was  always  doing  good,  and 
thought  she  could  never  sufficiently  gratify  those 
who  had  done  anything  to  serve  her.  These  gen- 
erous sentiments  naturally  led  her  to  consult  the 
interest  of  Mr.  Grove,  and  the  rest  of  her  neigh- 
bors ;  and  as  most  of  their  lands  were  meadow, 
and  they  depended  much  on  their  hay,  which  had 
been  for  many  years  greatly  damaged  by  the  wet 
weather, she  contrived  an  instrument  to  direct  them 
when  to  mow  their  grass  with  safety,  and  prevent 
their  hay  being  spoiled.    They  all  came  to  her  for 


advice,  and  by  that  means  got  in  their  hay  without 
damage,  whilst  most  of  that  in  the  neighboring  vil- 
lage was  spoiled. 

This  occasioned  a  very  great  noise  in  the  coun- 
try, and  so  greatly  provoked  were  the  people  who 
resided  in  the  other  parishes,  that  they  absolutely 
sent  old  Gaffer  Goosecap  (a  busy  fellow  in  other 
people's  concerns)  to  find  out  evidence  agninst 
her.  The  wiseacre  happened  to  come  to  her  to 
school,  when  she  was  walking  about  with  a  raven 
on  one  shoulder,  a  pigeon  on  the  other,  a  lark  on 
her  hand,  and  a  lamb  and  a  dog  by  her  side ; 
which  indeed  made  a  droll  figure,  and  so  surprised 
the  man  that  he  cried  out,  "  A  witch  !  a  witch  !  a 
witch  !  " 

Upon  this  she,  laughing,  answered,  "  A  con- 
jurer !  a  conjurer!  a  conjurer!"  and  so  they 
parted  ;  but  it  did  not  end  thus,  for  a  warrant  was 
issued  out  against  Mrs.  Margery,  and  she  was  car- 
ried to  a  meeting  of  the  justices. 

At  the  meeting,  one  of  the  justices  who  knew 
little  of  life,  and  less  of  the  law,  behaved  very 
idly  ;  and,  though  nobody  was  able  to  prove  any- 
thing against  her,  asked  who  she  could  bring  to 
her  character.  "  Who  can  you  bring  against  my 
character,  sir  ? "  says  she.  "  There  are  people 
enough  who  would  appear  in  my  defense,  were  it 
necessary  :  but  I  never  supposed  that  any  one  here 
could  be  so  weak  as  to  believe  there  was  any  such 
thing  as  a  witch.  If  I  am  a  witch,  this  is  my 
charm,  and  "  (laying  a  barometer  or  weather  glass 
on  the  table)  "  it  is  with  this,"  says  she,  "  that  I 
have  taught  my  neighbors  to  know  the  state  of  the 
weather."  All  the  company  laughed ;  and  Sir 
William  Dove,  who  was  on  the  bench,  asked  her 
accusers  how  they  could  be  such  fools  as  to  think 
there  was  any  such  thing  as  a  witch  ? 

After  this,  Sir  William  inveighed  against  the 
absurd  and  foolish  notions  which  the  country  peo- 
ple had  imbibed  concerning  witches  and  witch- 
craft, and  having  proved  that  there  was  no  such 
thing,  but  that  all  were  the  effects  of  folly  and  ig- 
norance, he  gave  the  court  such  an  account  of 
Mrs.  Margery,  and  her  virtue,  good  sense,  and 
prudent  behavior,  that  the  gentlemen  present  were 


338 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


enamored  with  her,  and  returned  her  public  thanks 
for  the  great  service  she  had  done  the  country. 
One  gentleman  in  particular,  I  mean  Sir  Charles 
Jones,  had  conceived  such  a  high  opinion  of  her 
that  he  offered  her  a  considerable  sum  to  take  care 
of  his  family,  and  the  education  of  his  daughter, 
which,  however,  she  refused  ;  but  this  gentleman 
sending  for  her  afterwards,  when  he  had  a  danger- 
ous fit  of  illness,  she  went*  and  behaved  so  pru- 
dently in  the  family,  and  so  tenderly  to  him  and 
his  daughter,  that  he  would  not  permit  her  to 
leave  his  house,  but  soon  after  made  her  proposals 
of  marriage.  She  was  truly  sensible  of  the  honor 
he  intended  her,  but,  though  poor,  she  would  not 
consent  to  be  made  a  lady  till  he  had  effectually 
provided  for  his  daughter ;  for  she  told  him,  that 
power  was  a  dangerous  thing  to  be  trusted  with, 
and  that  a  good  man  or  woman  would  never  throw 
themselves  into  the  road  of  temptation. 

All  things  being  settled,  and  the  day  fixed,  the 
neighbors  came  in  crowds  to  see  the  wedding  ;  for 
the)7  were  all  glad  that  one  who  had  been  such  a 
good  little  girl,  and  was  become  such  a  virtuous 
and  good  woman,  was  going  to  be  made  a  lady; 
but  just  as  the  clergyman  had  opened  his  book,  a 
gentleman  richly  dressed  ran  into  the  church  and 
cried,  "  Stop  !  stop  !  "  This  greatly  alarmed  the 
congregation,  particularly  the  intended  bride  and 
bridegroom,  whom  he  first  accosted  and  desired  to 
speak  with  them  apart.  After  they  had  been 
talking  some  little  time,  the  people  were  greatly 
surprised  to  see  Sir  Charles  stand  motionless,  and 
his  bride  cry  and  faint  away  in  the  stranger's 
arms.  This  seeming  grief,  however,  was  only  a 
prelude  to  a  flood  of  joy  which  immediately  suc- 
ceeded ;  for  you  must  know,  gentle  reader,  that 
this  gentleman,  so  richly  dressed,  was  that  identi- 
cal little  boy,  whom  you  before  saw  in  the  sailor's 
habit;  in  short,  it    was  Mrs.    Margery's  brother, 


who  was  just  come  from  sea,  where  he  had,  aftei 
a  desperate  engagement,  taken  a  rich  prize,  and 
hearing,  as  soon  as  he  landed,  of  his  sister's  in- 
tended wedding,  had  rode  post  to  see  that  a  proper 
settlement  was  made  on  her,  which  she  was  now 
entitled  to,  as  he  himself  was  both  able  and  will- 
ing to  give  her  an  ample  fortune.  They  soon  re- 
turned to  the  communion  table,  and  were  married 
in  tears,  but  they  were  tears  of  joy. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    TRUE     USE     OF    RICHES. 

About  this  time  she  heard  that  Mr.  Smith  was 
oppressed  by  Sir  Timothy  Gripe  and  his  friend 
Graspall ;  upon  which  she,  in  conjunction  with 
her  brother,  defended  him  in  Westminster  Hall, 
where  Mr.  Smith  gained  a  verdict.  As  a  justice 
of  the  peace  he  was  struck  off  the  list,  and  no 
longer  permitted  to  act  in  that  capacity.  A  rela- 
tion of  his  who  had  a  right  to  the  Mould  well  es- 
tate, finding  that  it  was  possible  to  get  the  better 
at  law  of  a  rich  man,  laid  claim  to  it,  brought  his 
action,  and  recovered  the  whole  manor  of  Mould- 
well  ;  and  being  afterwards  inclined  to  sell  it,  he 
in  consideration  of  the  aid  Lady  Margery  had  lent 
him  during  his  distress,  made  her  the  first  offer, 
and  she  purchased  the  whole.  This  mortified  Sir 
Timothy  and  his  friend  Graspall,  who  experienced 
nothing  but  misfortunes,  and  was  in  a  few  years 
so  dispossessed  of  his  ill-gotten  wealth,  that  his 
family  were  reduced  to  seek  subsistence  from  the 
parish,  at  which  those  who  had  felt  the  weight 
of  his  iron-hand  rejoiced ;  but  Lady  Margery  de- 
sired that  his  children  might  be  treated  with  care 
and  tenderness ;  "  for  they"  (says  she)  "  are  no 
ways  accountable  for  the  actions  of  their  father." 

At  her  first  coming  into  power,  she  took  care  to 
gratify  her  old  friends,  especially  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Smith,  whose  family  she  made  happy. 


EYES,  AND  NO  EYES;    OR,    THE  ART   OF  SEEING. 


339 


EYES,   AND   NO   EYES;    OR,   THE   ART   OF   SEEING. 


BY   JOHN   AIKIN. 


Well,  Robert,  where  have  you  been  walking 
this  afternoon  ?  (said  Mr.  Andrews  to  one  of  his 
pupils  at  the  close  of  a  holiday.) 

R.  I  have  been,  sir,  to  Broom-heath,  and  so 
round  by  the  windmill  upon  Campmount,  and 
home  through  the  meadows  by  the  river  side. 

Mr.  A.  Well,  that 's  a  pleasant  round. 

R.  I  thought  it  very  dull,  sir  ;  I  scarcely  met 
with  a  single  person.  I  had  rather  by  half  have 
gone  along  the  turnpike  road. 

Mr.  A.  Why,  if  seeing  men  and  horses  is  your 
object,  you  would,  indeed,  be  better  entertained 
on  the  high-road.     But  did  you  see  William  ? 

R.  We  set  out  together,  but  he  lagged  behind 
in  the  lane  ;  so  I  walked  on  and  left  him. 

Mr.  A.  That  was  a  pity.  He  would  have  been 
company  for  you. 

R.  Oh,  he  is  so  tedious,  always  stopping  to  look 
at  this  thing  and  that !  I  had  rather  walk  alone. 
I  dare  say  he  is  not  got  home  yet. 

Mr.  A.  Here  he  comes.  Well,  William,  where 
have  you  been  ? 

W.  01),  sir,  the  pleasantest  walk  !  I  went  all 
over  Broom-heath,  and  so  up  to  the  mill  at  the 
top  of  the  hill,  and  then  down  among  the  green 
meadows  by  the  side  of  the  river. 

Mr.  A.  Why,  that  is  just  the  round  Robert  has 
been  taking,  and  he  complains  of  its  dullness,  and 
prefers  the  high-road. 

W.  I  wonder  at  that.  I  am  sure  I  hardly  took  a 
step  that  did  not  delight  me  ;  and  I  have  brought 
my  handkerchief  full  of  curiosities  home. 

Mr.  A.  Suppose,  then,  you  give  us  some  ac- 
count of  what  amused  you  so  much.  I  fancy  it 
will  be  as  new  to  Robert  as  to  me. 

W.  I  will,  sir.  The  lane  leading  to  the  heath, 
you  know,  is  close  and  sandy,  so  I  did  not  mind 
it  much,  but  made  the  best  of  my  way.  However, 
I  spied  a  curious  thing  enough  in  the  hedge.  It 
was  an  old  crab-tree,  out  of  which  grew  a  great 


bunch    of   something   green,  quite  different  from 
the  tree  itself.     Here  is  a  branch  of  it. 

Mr.  A.  Ah  !  this  is  mistletoe,  a  plant  of  great 
fame  for  the  use  made  of  it  by  the  Druids  of  old 
in  their  religious  rites  and  incantations.  It  bears 
a  very  slimy  white  berry,  of  which  bird-lime  may 
be  made,  whence  its  Latin  name  of  Viscus.  It  is 
one  of  those  plants  which  do  not  grow  in  the 
ground  by  a  root  of  their  own,  but  fix  themselves 
upon  other  plants  ;  whence  they  have  been  hu- 
morously styled  parasitical,  as  being  hangers-on 
or  dependents.  It  was  the  mistletoe  of  the  oak 
that  the  Druids  particularly  honored. 

W.  A  little  farther  on  I  saw  a  green  wood- 
pecker fly  to  a  tree,  and  run  up  the  trunk  like  a 
cat. 

Mr.  A.  That  was  to  seek  for  insects  in  the 
bark,  on  which  they  live.  They  bore  holes  with 
their  strong  bills  for  that  purpose,  and  do  much 
damage  to  the  trees  by  it. 

W.  What  beautiful  birds  they  are! 

Mr.  A.  Yes  ;  they  have  been  called,  from  their 
color  and  size,  the  English  parrot. 

W.  When  I  got  upon  the  open  heath,  how 
charming  it  was  !  The  air  seemed  so  fresh,  and 
the  prospect  on  every  side  so  free  and  unbounded  ! 
Then  it  was  all  covered  with  gay  flowers,  many 
of  which  I  had  never  observed  before.  There 
were  at  least  three  kinds  of  heath  (I  have  got 
them  in  my  handkerchief  here),  and  gorse,  and 
broom,  and  bell-flower,  and  many  others  of  all 
colors,  that  I  will  beg  you  presently  to  tell  me 
the  names  of. 

Mr.  A.  That  I  will,  readily. 

W.  I  saw,  too,  several  birds  that  were  new  to 
me.  There  was  a  pretty  grayish  one,  of  the  size 
of  a  lark,  that  was  hopping  about  some  great 
stones  ;  and  when  he  flew,  he  showed  a  great  deal 
of  white  above  his  tail. 

Mr.  A.  That  was  a  wheatear.     They  are  reck- 


340 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


oned  very  delicious  birds  to  eat,  and  frequent  the 
open  downs  in  Sussex,  and  some  other  counties, 
in  great  numbers. 

W.  There  was  a  flock  of  lapwings  upon  a 
marshy  part  of  the  heath,  that  amused  me  much. 
As  I  came  near  them,  some  of  them  kept  flying 
round  and  round  just  over  my  head,  and  crying 
pewit  so  distinctly,  one  might  almost  fancy  they 
spoke.  I  thought  I  should  have  caught  one  of 
them,  for  he  flew  as  if  one  of  his  wings  was  broken, 
and  often  tumbled  close  to  the  ground  ;  but  as  I 
came  near,  he  always  made  a  shift  to  get  away. 

Mr.  A.  Ha,  ha !  you  were  finely  taken  in  then  ! 
This  was  all  an  artifice  of  the  bird  to  entice  you 
away  from  its  nest :  for  they  build  upon  the  bare 
ground,  and  their  nests  would  easily  be  observed, 
did  they  not  draw  off  the  attention  of  intruders 
by  their  loud  cries  and  counterfeit  lameness. 

W.  I  wish  I  had  known  that,  for  he  led  me  a 
long  chase,  often  over  shoes  in  water.  However, 
it  was  the  cause  of  my  falling  in  with  an  old  man 
and  a  boy  who  were  cutting  and  piling  up  turf  for 
fuel,  and  I  had  a  good  deal  of  talk  with  them 
about  the  manner  of  preparing  the  turf,  and  the 
price  it  sells  at.  They  gave  me,  too,  a  creature  I 
never  saw  before  —  a  young  viper,  which  they  had 
just  killed,  together  with  its  dam.  I  have  seen 
several  common  snakes,  but  this  is  thicker  in  pro- 
portion, and  of  a  darker  color  than  they  are. 

Mr.  A.  True.  Vipers  frequent  those  turfy, 
boggy  grounds  pretty  much,  and  I  have  known 
several  turf-cutters  bitten  by  them. 

W.  They  are  very  venomous,  are  they  not  ? 

Mr.  A.  Enough  so  to  make  their  wounds  pain- 
ful and  dangerous,  though  they  seldom  prove 
fatal. 

W.  Well  —  I  then  took  my  course  up  to  the 
windmill  on  the  mount.  I  climbed  up  the  steps 
of  the  mill  in  order  to  get  a  better  view  of  the 
country  round.  What  an  extensive  prospect !  I 
counted  fifteen  church  steeples;  and  I  saw  several 
gentlemen's  houses  peeping  out  from  the  midst  of 
green  woods  and  plantations ;  and  I  could  trace 
the  windings  of  the  river  all  along  the  low  grounds, 
till  it  was  lost  behind  a  ridge  of  hills.     But  I  '11 


tell  you  what  I  mean  to  do,  sir,  if  you  will  give 
me  leave. 

Mr.  A.  What  is  that  ? 

W.  I  will  go  again,  and  take  with  me  Carey's 
county  map,  by  which  I  shall  probably  be  able  to 
make  out  most  of  the  places. 

Mr.  A.  You  shall  have  it,  and  I  will  go  with 
you,  and  take  my  pocket  spying-glass. 

W.  I  shall  be  very  glad  of  that.  Well  —  a 
thought  struck  me  that  as  the  hill  is  called  Camp- 
mount,  there  might  probably  be  some  remains  of 
ditches  and  mounds  with  which  I  have  read  that 
camps  were  surrounded.  And  I  really  believe  I 
discovered  something  of  that  sort  running  round 
one  side  of  the  mount. 

Mr.  A.  Very  likely  you  might.  I  know  anti- 
quaries have  described  such  remains  as  existing 
there,  which  some  suppose  to  be  Roman,  others 
Danish.     We  will  examine  them  further  when  we 

g°- 

W.  From  the  hill  I  went  straight  down  to  the 

meadows  below,  and  walked  on  the  side  of  a  brook 
that  runs  into  the  river.  It  was  all  bordered  with 
reeds  and  flags,  and  tall  flowering  plants,  quite 
different  from  those  I  had  seen  on  the  heath.  As 
I  was  getting  down  the  bank  to  reach  one  of  them, 
I  heard  something  plunge  into  the  water  near  me. 
It  was  a  large  water  rat,  and  I  saw  it  swim  over  to. 
the  other  side,  and  go  into  its  hole.  There  were 
a  great  many  large  dragon  flies  all  about  the 
stream.  I  caught  one  of  the  finest,  and  have  got 
him  here  in  a  leaf.  But  how  I  longed  to  catch  a 
bird  that  I  saw  hovering  over  the  water,  and  every 
now  and  then  darting  down  into  it !  It  was  all 
over  a  mixture  of  the  most  beautiful  green  and 
blue,  with  some  orange  color.  It  was  somewhat 
less  than  a  thrush,  and  had  a  large  head  and  bill, 
and  a  short  tail. 

Mr.  A.  I  can  tell  you  what  that  bird  was,  —  a 
kingfisher,  the  celebrated  halcyon  of  the  ancients, 
about  which  so  many  tales  are  told.  It  lives  on 
fish,  which  it  catches  in  the  manner  you  saw.  It 
builds  in  holes  in  the  banks,  is  a  shy,  retiring  bird, 
never  to  be  seen  far  from  the  stream  where  it  in- 
habits. 


EYES,   AND   NO  EYES;    OR,    THE  ART  OF  SEEING. 


341 


W.  I  must  try  to  get  another  sight  of  him,  for  I 
never  saw  a  bird  that  pleased  me  so  much.  Well 
—  I  followed  this  little  brook  till  it  entered  the 
river,  and  then  took  the  path  that  runs  along  the 
bank.  On  the  opposite  side  I  observed  several 
little  birds  running  along  the  shore,  and  making  a 
piping  noise.  They  were  brown  and  white,  and 
about  as  big  as  a  snipe. 

Mr.  A.  I  suppose  they  were  sandpipers,  one  of 
the  numerous  family  of  birds  that  get  their  living 
by  wading  among  the  shallows,  and  picking  up 
worms  and  insects. 

W.  There  were  a  great  many  swallows,  too, 
sporting  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  that  enter- 
tained me  with  their  motions.  Sometimes  they 
dashed  into  the  stream :  sometimes  they  pursued 
one  another  so  quick,  that  the  eye  could  scarcely 
follow  them.  In  one  place,  where  a  high,  steep 
sand  bank  rose  directly  above  the  river,  I  observed 
many  of  them  go  in  and  out  of  holes  with  which 
the  bank  was  bored  full. 

Mr.  A.  Those  were  sandmartins,  the  smallest  of 
our  four  species  of  swallows.  They  are  of  a  mouse 
color  above,  and  white  beneath.  They  make  their 
nests  and  bring  up  their  young  in  these  holes, 
which  run  a  great  depth,  and  by  their  situation 
are  secure  from  all  plunderers. 

W.  A  little  farther  I  saw  a  man  in  a  boat,  who 
was  catching  eels  in  an  odd  way.  He  had  a  long 
pole  with  broad  iron  prongs  at  the  end,  just  like 
Neptune's  trident,  only  there  were  five  instead  of 
three.  This  he  pushed  straight  down  among  the 
mud  in  the  deepest  parts  of  the  river,  and  fetched 
up  the  eels  sticking  between  the  prongs. 

Mr.  A.  I  have  seen  this  method.  It  is  called 
spearing  of  eels. 

W.  While  I  was  looking  at  him,  a  heron  came 
flying  over  my  head,  with  his  large  flagging  wings. 
He  lit  at  the  next  turn  of  the  river,  and  I  crept 
softly  behind  the  bank  to  watch  his  motions.  He 
had  waded  into  the  water  as  far  as  his  long  legs 
■would  carry  him,  and  was  standing  with  his  neck 
drawn  in,  looking  intent!)'  on  the  stream.  Pres- 
ently he  darted  his  long  bill  as  quick  as  lightning 
into  the  water,  and  drew  out  a  fish,  which  he  swal- 


lowed. I  saw  him  catch  another  in  the  same  man- 
ner. He  then  took  alarm  at  some  noise  I  made, 
and  flew  away  slowly  to  a  wood  at  some  distance, 
where  he  settled. 

Mr.  A.  Probably  his  nest  was  there,  for  herons 
build  upon  the  loftiest  trees  they  can  find,  and 
sometimes  live  in  society  together,  like  rooks. 
Formerly,  when  these  birds  were  valued  for  the 
amusement  of  hawking,  many  gentlemen  had  their 
heronries,  and  a  few  are  still  remaining. 

W.  I  think  they  are  the  largest  wild  birds  we 
have. 

Mr.  A.  They  are  of  a  great  length  and  spread 
of  wing,  but  their  bodies  are  comparatively  small. 

W.  I  then  turned  homeward  across  the  mead- 
ows, where  I  stopped  a  while  to  look  at  a  large 
flock  of  starlings,  which  kept  flying  about  at  no 
great  distance.  I  could  not  tell  at  first  what  to 
make  of  them ;  for  they  rose  all  together  from  the 
ground  as  thick  as  a  swarm  of  bees,  and  formed 
themselves  into  a  kind  of  black  cloud,  hovering 
over  the  field.  After  taking  a  short  round,  they 
settled  again,  and  presently  rose  again  in  the 
sam«  manner.  I  dare  say  there  were  hundreds  of 
them. 

Mr.  A.  Perhaps  so ;  for  in  the  fenny  countries 
their  flocks  are  so  numerous  as  to  break  down 
whole  acres  of  reeds  by  settling  on  them.  This 
disposition  of  starlings  to  fly  in  close  swarms 
was  remarked  even  by  Homer,  who  compares  the 
foe  flying  from  one  of  his  heroes,  to  a  cloud  of 
stares  retiring  dismayed  at  the  approach  of  the 
hawk. 

W.  After  I  had  left  the  meadows,  I  crossed  the 
corn-fields  in  the  way  to  our  house,  and  passed  by 
a  deep  marie  pit.  Looking  into  it,  I  saw  in  one 
of  the  sides  a  cluster  of  what  I  took  to  be  shells  ; 
and  upon  going  down,  I  picked  up  a  clod  of  marie, 
which  was  quite  full  of  them  ;  but  how  sea  shells 
could  get  there,  I  cannot  imagine. 

Mr.  A.  I  do  not  wonder  at  your  surprise,  since 
many  philosophers  have  been  much  perplexed  to 
account  for  the  same  appearance.  It  is  not  un- 
common to  find  great  quantities  of  shells  and  rel- 
ics of  marine  animals  even  in  the  bowels  of  high 


342 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


mountains,  very  remote  from  the  sea.  They  are 
certainly  proofs  that  the  earth  was  once  in  a  very 
different  state  from  what  it  is  at  present ;  but  in 
what  manner,  and  how  long  ago  these  changes 
took  place,  can  only  be  guessed  at. 

W.  I  got  to  the  high  field  next  our  house  just 
as  the  sun  was  setting,  and  I  stood  looking  at  it 
till  it  was  quite  lost.  What  a  glorious  sight !  The 
clouds  were  tinged  purple  and  crimson  and  yel- 
low, of  all  shades  and  hues,  and  the  clear  sky 
varied  from  blue  to  a  fine  green  at  the  horizon. 
But  how  large  the  sun  appears  just  as  it  sets  !  I 
think  it  seems  twice  as  big  as  when  it  is  over 
head. 

Mr.  A.  It  does  so ;  and  you  may  probably  have 
observed  the  same  apparent  enlargement  of  the 
moon  at  its  rising. 

W.  I  have  ;  bub  pray  what  is  the  reason  of 
this? 

Mr.  A.  It  is  an  optical  deception,  depending 
upon  principles  which  I  cannot  well  explain  to 
you  till  you  know  more  of  that  branch  of  science. 
But  what  a  number  of  new  ideas  this  afternoon's 
walk  has  afforded  you !  I  do  not  wonder  that 
you  found  it  amusing ;  it  has  been  very  instruct- 
ive too.  Did  you  see  nothing  of  all  these  sights, 
Robert  ? 


R.  I  saw  some  of  them,  but  I  did  not  take  par- 
ticular notice  of  them. 

Mr.  A.  Why  not  ? 

R.  I  don't  know.  I  did  not  care  about  them, 
and  I  made  the  best  of  my  way  home. 

Mr.  A.  That  would  have  been  right,  if  you  had 
been  sent  on  a  message  ;  but  as  you  only  walked 
for  amusement,  it  would  have  been  wiser  to  have 
sought  out  as  many  sources  of  it  as  possible.  But 
so  it  is  —  one  man  walks  through  the  world  with 
his  eyes  open,  and  another  with  them  shut ;  and 
upon  this  difference  depends  all  the  superiority  of 
knowledge  the  one  acquires  above  the  other.  I 
have  known  sailors  who  had  been  in  all  the  quar- 
ters of  the  world,  and  could  tell  you  nothing  but 
the  signs  of  the  tippling-houses  they  frequented 
in  different  parts,  and  the  price  and  quality  of  the 
liquor.  On  the  other  hand,  a  Franklin  could 
not  cross  the  channel  without  making  some  obser- 
vations useful  to  mankind.  While  many  a  vacant 
thoughtless  youth  is  whirled  throughout  Europe 
without  gaining  a  single  idea  worth  crossing  a 
street  for,  the  observing  eye  and  inquiring  mind 
finds  matter  of  improvement  and  delight  in  every 
ramble  in  town  or  country.  Do  you  then,  Wil- 
liam, continue  to  make  use  of  your  eyes  ;  and  you, 
Robert,  learn  that  eyes  were  given  you  to  use. 


THE  BOY  WITHOUT  A  GENIUS. 


BY  JOHN  AIKIN. 


Me.  Wiseman,  the  school-master,  at  the  end  of 
his  summer  vacation,  received  a  new  scholar  with 
the  following  letter. 

Sir,  —  This  will  be  delivered  to  you  by  my  son 
Samuel,  whom  I  beg  leave  to  commit  to  your  care, 
hoping  that  by  your  well-known  skill  and  atten- 
tion you  will  be  able  to  make  something  of  him ; 
which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  none  of  his  masters 
have  hitherto  done.  He  is  now  eleven,  and  yet 
can  do  nothing  but  read  his  mother  tongue,  and 


that  indifferently.  We  sent  him  at  seven  to  a 
grammar  school  in  our  neighborhood  ;  but  his 
master  soon  found  that  his  genius  was  not  turned 
to  learning  languages.  He  was  then  put  to  writ- 
ing, but  he  set  about  it  so  awkwardly  that  he 
made  nothing  of  it.  He  was  tried  at  accounts, 
but  it  appeared  that  he  had  no  genius  for  that 
either.  He  could  do  nothing  in  geography  for 
want  of  memory.  In  short,  if  he  has  any  genius 
at  all,  it  does  not  yet  show  itself.  But  I  trust  to 
your  experience  in  cases  of  this  nature  to  discover 


THE  EOT   WITHOUT  A    GENIUS. 


343 


what  he  is  fit  for,  and  to  instruct  him  accordingly. 
I  beg  to  be  favored  shortly  with  your  opinion 
about  him,  and  remain,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

Humphry  Acres. 

When  Mr.  Wiseman  had  read  this  letter,  he 
shook  his  head,  and  said  to  his  assistant,  A  pretty 
subject  they  have  sent  us  here  !  a  lad  that  has  a 
great  genius  for  nothing  at  all.  But  perhaps  my 
friend  Mr.  Acres  expects  that  a  boy  should  show 
a  genius  for  a  thing  before  he  knows  anything 
about  it  —  no  uncommon  error  !  Let  us  see,  how- 
ever, what  the  youth  looks  like.  I  suppose  he  is 
a  human  creature  at  least. 

Master  Samuel  Acres  was  now  called  in.  He 
came  hanging  down  his  head,  and  looking  as  if  he 
was  going  to  be  flogged. 

Come  hither,  my  dear !  said  Mr.  Wiseman. 
Stand  by  me,  and  do  not  be  afraid.  Nobody  will 
hurt  yon.      How  old  are  you  ? 

Eleven  last  May,  sir. 

A  well-grown  boy  of  your  age,  indeed.  You 
love  play,  I  dare  say. 

Yes,  sir. 

What,  are  you  a  good  hand  at  marbles  ? 

Pretty  good,  sir. 

And  can  spin  a  top,  and  drive  a  hoop,  I  suppose? 

Yes,  sir. 

Then  you  have  the  full  use  of  your  hands  and 
fingers  ? 

Yes,  sir. 

Can  you  write,  Samuel  ? 

I  learned  a  little,  sir,  but  I  left  it  off  again. 

And  why  so? 

Because  I  could  not  make  the  letters. 

No  !  Why  how  do  you  think  other  boys  do  ?  — 
have  they  more  fingers  than  you  ? 

No,  sir. 

Are  you  not  able  to  hold  a  pen  as  well  as  a  mar- 
ble ? 

Samuel  was  silent. 

Let  me  look  at  your  hand. 

Samuel  held  out  both  his  paws,  like  a  dancing 
bear. 


I  see  nothing  here  to  hinder  you  from  writing 
as  well  as  any  boy  in  the  school.  You  can  read, 
I  suppose. 

Yes,  sir. 

Tell  me,  then,  what  is  written  over  the  school- 
room door. 

Samuel  with  some  hesitation  read, — 

WHATEVER   MAN   HAS   DONE,   MAN   MAY   DO. 

Pray,  how  did  you  learn  to  read  ?  —  Was  it  not 
with  taking  pains? 

Yes,  sir. 

Well  —  taking  more  pains  will  enable  you  to 
read  better.  Do  j'ou  know  anything  of  the  Latin 
grammar  ? 

No,  sir. 

Have  you  never  learned  it  ? 

I  tried,  sir,  but  I  could  not  get  it  by  heart. 

Why,  you  can  say  some  things  by  heart.  I 
dare  say  you  can  tell  me  the  names  of  the  week  in 
their  order. 

Yes,  sir,  I  know  them. 

And  the  months  in  the  year,  perhaps. 

Yes,  sir. 

And  you  could  probably  repeat  the  names  of 
your  brothers  and  sisters,  and  all  your  father's 
servants,  and  half  the  people  in  the  village  be- 
sides. 

I  believe  I  could,  sir. 

Well  —  and  is  Mo,  lime,  hoc,  more  difficult  to  re- 
member than  these  ? 

Samuel  was  silent. 

Have  you  learned  anything  of  accounts  ? 

I  went  into  addition,  sir,  but  I  did  not  go  on 
with  it. 

Why  so  ? 

I  could  not  do  it,  sir. 

How  many  marbles  can  you  buy  for  a  penny  ? 

Twelve  new  ones,  sir. 

And  how  many  for  a  half-penny  ? 

Six. 

And  how  many  for  two  pence  ? 

Twenty-four. 

If  you  were  to  have  a  penny  a  day,  what  would 
that  make  in  a  week  ? 


344 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


Seven  pence. 

But  if  you  paid  two  pence  out  of  that,  what 
would  you  have  left  ? 

Samuel  studied  a  while  and  then  said,  five  pence. 

Right.  Why  here  you  have  been  practicing  the 
four  great  rules  of  arithmetic,  addition,  substrae- 
tion,  multiplication,  and  division.  Learning  ac- 
counts is  no  more  than  this.  Well,  Samuel,  I  see 
what  you  are  fit  for.  I  shall  set  you  about  noth- 
ing but  what  you  are  able  to  do  ;  but  observe, 
you  must  do  it.  We  have  no  I  cant  here.  Now 
go  among  your  school-fellows. 

Samuel  went  away,  glad  that  his  examination 
was  over,  and  with  more  confidence  in  his  powers 
than  he  had  felt  before. 

The  next  day  he  began  business-  A  boy  less 
than  himself  was  called  out  to  set  him  a  copy  of 
letters,  and  another  was  appointed  to  hear  him 
grammar.  He  read  a  few  sentences  in  English 
that  he  could  perfectly  understand,  to  the  master 
himself.  Thus  by  going  on  steadity  and  slowly, 
he  made  a  sensible  progress.  He  had  already 
joined  his  letters,  got  all  the  declensions  perfectly, 
and  half  the  multiplication  table,  when  Mr.  Wise- 
man thought  it  time  to  answer  his  father's  letter  ; 
which  he  did  as  follows :  — 

Sir,  — I  now  think  it  right  to  give  you  some  in- 
formation concerning  your  son.  You  perhaps  ex- 
pected it  sooner,  but  I  always  wish  to  avoid  hasty 
judgments.  You  mentioned  in  your  letter  that 
it  had  not  yet  been  discovered  which  way  his  ge- 
nius pointed.  If  by  genius  you  meant  such  a  de- 
cided bent  of  mind  to  any  one  pursuit  as  will  lead 
to  excel  with  little  or  no  labor,  or  instruction,  I 
must  say  that  I  have  not  met  with  such  a  quality 


in  more  than  three  or  four  boys  in  my  life,  and 
your  son  is  certainly  not  among  the  number. 
But  if  you  mean  only  the  ability  to  do  some  of 
those  things  which  the  greater  part  of  mankind 
can  do  when  properly  taught,  I  can  affirm  that  I 
find  in  him  no  peculiar  deficiency  ;  and  whether 
you  choose  to  bring  him  up  to  a  trade  or  to  some 
practical  profession,  I  see  no  reason  to  doubt  that 
he  may  in  time  become  sufficiently  qualified  for  it. 
It  is  my  favorite  maxim,  sir,  that  everything  most 
valuable  in  this  life  may  generally  be  acquired  by 
taking  pains  for  it.  Your  son  has  already  lost 
much  time  in  the  fruitless  expectation  of  finding 
out  what  he  would  take  up  of  his  own  accord. 
Believe  me,  sir,  few  boys  will  take  up  anything  of 
their  own  accord  but  a  top  or  a  marble.  I  will 
take  care  while  he  is  with  me  that  he  loses  ne 
more  time  this  way,  but  is  employed  about  things 
that  are  fit  for  him,  not  doubting  that  we  shall 
find  him  fit  for  them. 

I  am,  sir,  yours,  etc. 

Solon  Wiseman. 

Though  the  doctrine  of  this  letter  did  not  per- 
fectly agree  with  Mr.  Acre's  notions,  yet  being 
convinced  that  Mr.  Wiseman  was  more  likely  to 
make  something  of  his  son  than  any  of  his  former 
preceptors,  he  continued  him  at  this  school  for 
some  years,  and  had  the  satisfaction  to  find  him 
going  on  in  a  steady  course  of  gradual  improve- 
ment. In  due  time  a  profession  was  chosen  fcr 
him,  which  seemed  to  suit  his  temper  and  talents, 
but  for  which  he  had  no  particular  turn,  having 
never  thought  at  all  about  it.  He  made  a  re- 
spectable figure  in  it,  and  went  through  the  world 
with  credit  and  usefulness,  though  without  a  genius. 


A   TALE   OF   POTTED   SPRATS. 

BY   AMELIA   OPIE. 


Most  mistresses  of  families  have  a  family  re- 
ceipt-book ;  and  are  apt  to  believe  that  no  receipts 
are  so  good  as  their  own. 


With  one  of  these  notable  ladies  a  young  house- 
keeper  went  to  pass  a  few  days,  both  at  her  town 
and  country-house.     The  hostess  was  skilled,  not 


A    TALE   OF  POTTED   SPRATS. 


345 


only  in  culinary  lore,  but  in  economy  ;  and  was 
in  the  babit  of  setting  on  her  table,  even  when 
not  alone,  whatever  her  taste  or  carefulness  had 
led  her  to  pot,  pickle,  or  preserve,  for  occasional 
use. 

Before  a  meagre  family  dinner  was  quite  over, 
a  dish  of  potted  sprats  was  set  before  the  lady 
of  the  house,  who,  expatiating  on  their  excellence, 
derived  from  a  family  receipt  of  a  century  old, 
pressed  her  still  unsatisfied  guest  to  partake  of 
them. 

The  dish  was  as  good  as  much  salt  and  little 
spice  could  make  it;  but  it  had  one  peculiarity 
—  it  had  a  strong  flavor  of  garlic,  and  to  garlic 
the  poor  guest  had  a  great  dislike. 

But  she  was  a  timid  woman  ;  and  good-breeding, 
and  what  she  called  benvolence,  said,  "  persevere 
a  swallow,"  though  her  palate  said,  "  no."  "  Is 
it  not  excellent?"  said  the  hostess.  "Very," 
faltered  out  the  half-suffocated  guest ;  —  and  this 
was  lie  the  first.  "  Did  you  ever  eat  anything 
like  it  before  ?  "  "  Never,"  replied  the  other 
more  firmly ;  for  then  she  knew  that  she  spoke 
the  truth,  and  longing  to  add,  "  and  I  hope  I  never 
shall  eat  anything  like  it  again."  "  I  will  give 
you  the  receipt,"  said  the  lady,  kindly  ;  "  it  will 
be  of  use  to  you  as  a  young  housekeeper :  for  it 
is  economical,  as  well  as  good,  and  serves  to  make 
out,  when  we  have  a  scrap-dinner.  My  servants 
often  dine  on  it."  "I  wonder  you  can  get  any 
servants  to  live  with  you,"  thought  the  guest ; 
"  but  I  dare  say  you  do  not  get  any  one  to  stay 
long !  "  "  You  do  not,  however,  eat  as  if  you 
liked  it."  "  Oh,  yes,  indeed  I  do,  very  much,"  (lie 
the  second)  she  replied,  "but  you  forget  I  have 
already  eaten  a  good  dinner :  "  (lie  the  third. 
Alas  !  what  had  benevolence,  so  called,  to  answer 
for  this  occasion  !) 

"  Well,  I  am  delighted  to  find  that  you  like  my 
sprats,"  said  the  flattered  hostess,  while  the  cloth 
was  removing  :  adding,  "  John  !  do  not  let  those 
sprats  be  eaten  in  the  kitchen  !  "  an  order  which 
the  guest  heard  with  indescribable  alarm. 

The  next  day  they  were  to  set  off  for  the  coun- 
try-house, or  cottage.     When  they  were  seated  in 

44 


the  carriage,  a  large  box  was  put  in,  and  the  guest 
fancied  she  smelt  garlic  ;  but 

"  Where  ignorance  is  bliss, 
'T  is  folly  to  be  wise." 

She  therefore  asked  no  questions  ;  but  tried  to 
enjoy  the  present,  regardless  of  the  future.  At  a 
certain  distance  they  stopped  to  bait  the  horses. 
There  the  guest  expected  that  the}'-  should  get 
out,  and  take  some  refreshment ;  but  her  econom- 
ical companion,  with  a  shrewd  wink  of  the  eye, 
observed,  "  I  always  sit  in  the  carriage  on  these 
occasions.  If  one  gets  out,  the  people  at  the  inn 
expect  one  to  order  a  luncheon.  I  therefore  take 
mine  with  me."  So  saying,  John  was  summoned 
to  drag  the  carriage  out  of  sight  of  the  inn  win- 
dows. He  then  unpacked  the  box,  took  out  of 
it  knives  and  forks,  plates,  etc.,  and  also  a  jar, 
which,  impregnating  the  air  with  its  effluvia,  even 
before  it  was  opened,  disclosed  to  the  alarmed 
guest  that  its  contents  were  the  dreaded  sprats  ! 

"  Alas  ! "    thought    she,    "  Pandora's    box    was 
nothing  to  this !  for  in  that,  Hope   remained  be- 
hind ;   but,  at  the  bottom  of  this  is  Despair  !  "    In 
vain  did  the  unhappy  lady  declare  (lie  the  fourth) 
that    "she   had    no    appetite,  and  (lie   the  fifth) 
that  she  never  ate  in  the  morning."     Her  hostess 
would  take  no  denial.     However,  she  contrived  to 
get  a  piece  of  sprat  down,  enveloped   in  bread  -y 
and  the  rest  she  threw  out  of  the  window,  when 
her  companion  was  looking  another  way  —  who, 
on  turning  round,  exclaimed,  "  so,  you  have  soon 
dispatched  the  fish  !  let  me  give  you  another ;  do 
not  refuse,  because  you  think  they  are  nearly  fin- 
ished ;  I  assure   you  there    are  several    left;  and 
(delightful    information  !)   we  shall  have  a  fresh 
supply  to-morrow  !  "     However,  this  time  she  was 
allowed   to   know   when   she  had   eaten   enough  ; 
and  the  travelers  proceeded  to  their  journey's  end. 
This  day,  the  sprats  did  not  appear  at  dinner  ; 
—  but,  there    being    only    a  few  left,  they  were 
kept  for  a  bonne  louche,  and  reserved  for  supper ! 
a  meal  of  which,  this  evening,  on  account  of  indis- 
position, the    hostess    did   not   partake,  and    was 
therefore  at  liberty  to  attend  entirely  to  the  wants 
of  her  guest,  who  would  fain  have  declined  eating 


346 


THE  BOOK  OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


also,  but  it  was  impossible  ;  sbe  had  just  declared 
that  she  was  quite  well,  and  had  often  owned  that 
she  enjoyed  a  piece  of  supper  after  an  early  din- 
ner. There  was  therefore  no  retreat  from  the 
maze  in  which  her  insincerity  had  involved  her  ; 
and  eat  she  must :  but,  when  she  again  smelled  on 
her  plate  the  nauseous  composition,  which  being 


near  the  bottom  of  the  pot  was  more  disagreeable 
than  ever,  human  patience  and  human  infirmity 
could  bear  no  more  ;  the  scarcely  tasted  morsel 
fell  from  her  lips,  and  she  rushed  precipitately 
into  the  open  air,  almost  disposed  to  execrate,  in 
her  heart,  potted  sprats,  the  good  breeding  of  her 
officious  hostess,  and  even  Benevolence  itself. 


WASTE   NOT,   WANT   NOT:    OR,   TWO    STRINGS   TO   YOUR   BOW. 


BY   MAEIA    EDGEWORTH. 


Me.  Gresham,  a  Bristol  merchant,  who  had, 
by  honorable  industry  and  economy,  accumulated 
a  considerable  fortune,  retired  from  business  to  a 
new  house  which  he  had  built  upon  the  Downs, 
near  Clifton.  Mr.  Gresham,  however,  did  not  im- 
agine that  a  new  house  alone  could  make  him 
happy.  He  did  not  propose  to  live  in  idleness  and 
extravagance  ;  for  such  a  life  would  have  been 
equally  incompatible  with  his  habits  and  his  prin- 
ciples. He  was  fond  of  children  ;  and  as  he  had 
no  sons,  he  determined  to  adopt  one  of  his  rela- 
tions. He  had  two  nephews,  and  he  invited  both 
of  them  to  his  house,  that  he  might  have  an  op- 
portunity of  judging  of  their  dispositions,  and  of 
the  habits  which  they  had  acquired. 

Hal  and  Benjamin,  Mr.  Gresham's  nephews, 
were  about  ten  years  old.  They  had  been  edu- 
cated very  differently.  Hal  was  the  son  of  the 
elder  branch  of  the  family.  His  father  was  a  gen- 
tleman, who  spent  rather  more  than  he  could  af- 
ford ;  and  Hal,  from  the  example  of  the  servants 
in  his  father's  family,  with  whom  he  had  passed 
the  first  years  of  his  childhood,  learned  to  waste 
more  of  everything  than  he  used.  He  had  been 
told,  that  "  gentlemen  should  be  above  being  care- 
ful and  saving ; "  and  he  had  unfortunately  im- 
bibed a  notion  that  extravagance  was  the  sign  of 
a  generous  disposition,  and  economy  of  an  avari- 
cious one. 

Benjamin,  on  the  contrary,  had  been  taught 
habits  of  care  and  foresight.  His  father  had  but 
a  very  small  fortune,  and  was  anxious  that  •  his 


son  should  early  learn  that  economy  insures  inde- 
pendence, and  sometimes  puts  in  the  power  of 
those  who  are  not  very  rich  to  be  very  generous. 

The  morning  after  these  two  boys  arrived  at 
their  uncle's,  they  were  eager  to  see  all  the  rooms 
in  the  house.  Mr.  Gresham  accompanied  them, 
and  attended  to  their  remarks  and  exclamations. 

"  Oh  !  what  an  excellent  motto !  "  exclaimed 
Ben,  when  he  read  the  following  words,  which 
were  written  in  large  characters  over  the  chim- 
ney-piece, in  his  uncle's  spacious  kitchen,  — 

"  WASTE   NOT,    WANT   NOT." 

"  Waste  not,  want  not !  "  repeated  his  cousin 
Hal,  in  rather  a  contemptuous  tone  ;  "  I  think  it 
looks  stingy  to  servants  ;  and  no  gentleman's  serv- 
ants, cooks  especially,  would  like  to  have  such  a 
mean  motto  always  staring  them  in  the  face." 
Ben,  who  was  not  so  conversant  as  his  cousin  in 
the  ways  of  cooks  and  gentlemen's  servants,  made 
no  reply  to  these  observations. 

Mr.  Gresham  was  called  away  whilst  his  neph- 
ews were  looking  at  the  other  rooms  in  the  house. 
Some  time  afterwards  he  heard  their  voices  in  the 
hall. 

"  Boys,"  said  he,  "  what  are  you  doing  there  ?  " 
"  Nothing,  sir,"  said  Hal ;  "  you  were  called  away 
from  us,  and  we  did  not  know  which  way  to  go." 
"  And  have  you  nothing  to  do?  "  said  Mr.  Gres- 
ham. "No,  sir,  nothing,"  answered  Hal,  in  a  care- 
less tone,  like  one  who  was  well  content  with  the 
state   of  habitual  idleness.      "  No,  sir,  nothing !  " 


WASTE  NOT,    WANT  NOT. 


347 


replied  Ben,  in  a  voice  of  lamentation.  "  Come," 
said  Mr.  Gresham,  "  if  you  have  nothing  to  do 
lads,  will  you  unpack  these  two  parcels  for  me  ?  " 

The  two  parcels  were  exactly  alike,  both  of  them 
well  tied  up  with  good  whip-cord.  Ben  took  his 
parcel  to  a  table,  and,  after  breaking  off  the  seal- 
ing-wax, began  carefully  to  examine  the  knot,  and 
then  to  untie  it.  Hal  stood  still,  exactly  in  the 
spot  where  the  parcel  was  put  into  his  hands,  and 
tried  first  at  one  corner,  and  then  at  another,  to 
pull  the  string  off  by  force. 

"  I  wish  these  people  would  n't  tie  up  their  par- 
cels so  tight,  as  if  they  were  never  to  be  undone," 
cried  he,  as  he  tugged  at  the  cord  ;  and  he  pulled 
the  knot  closer  instead  of  loosening  it. 

"  Ben  !  why,  how  did  you  get  yours  undone, 
man  ?  —  what's  in  your  parcel  ?  —  I  wonder  what 
is  in  mine.  I  wish  I  could  get  this  string  off — 
I  must  cut  it." 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Ben,  who  now  had  undone  the 
last  knot  of  his  parcel,  and  who  drew  out  the 
length  of  string  with  exultation,  "  don't  cut  it, 
Hal.  Look  what  a  nice  cord  this  is,  and  yours  is 
the  same  :  it 's  a  pity  to  cut  it ;  '  Waste  not,  want 
not! '  you  know." 

"  Pooh  !  said  Hal,  "  what  signifies  a  bit  of  pack- 
thread ?  "  "  It  is  whip-cord,"  said  Ben.  "  Well, 
whip-cord  !  what  signifies  a  bit  of  whip-cord !  you 
can  get  a  bit  of  whip-cord  twice  as  long  as  that  for 
two  pence  ;  and  who  cares  for  two  pence !  Not  I, 
for  one  !  so  here  it  goes,"  cried  Hal,  drawing  out 
his  knife  ;  and  he  cut  the  cord,  precipitately,  in 
sundry  places. 

"  Lads  !  have  you  undone  the  parcels  for  me?  " 
said  Mr.  Gresham,  opening  the  parlor-door  as  he 
3poke.  "  Yes,  sir,"  cried  Hal ;  and  he  dragged 
off  his  half-cut,  half-entangled  string,  —  "  here  's 
the  parcel."  "  And  here  's  my  parcel,  uncle;  and 
here  's  the  string,"  said  Ben.  "  You  may  keep  the 
string  for  your  pains,"  said  Mr.  Gresham.  "  Thank 
you,  sir,"  said  Ben  ;  "  what  an  excellent  whip-cord 
it  is!"  "And  you,  Hal,"  continued  Mr.  Gres- 
ham, "  you  may  keep  your  string  too,  if  it  will  be 
of  any  use  to  you."  "  It  will  be  of  no  use  to  me, 
thank  you  sir,"  said  Hal.     "  No,  I  am  afraid  not, 


if  this  be  it,"  said  his  uncle,  taking  up  the  jagged, 
knotted  remains  of  Hal's  cord. 

A  few  days  after  this,  Mr.  Gresham  gave  to 
each  of  his  nephews  a  new  top. 

"  But  how  's  this  ?  "  said  Hal ;  "  these  tops  have 
no  strings;  what  shall  we  do  for  strings?"  "I 
have  a  string  that  will  do  very  well  for  mine," 
said  Ben  ;  and  he  pulled  out  of  his  pocket  the  fine, 
long,  smooth  string  which  had  tied  up  the  parcel. 
With  this  he  soon  set  up  his  top,  which  spun  ad- 
mirably well. 

"  Oh  how  I  wish  I  had  but  a  string  !  "  said  Hal ; 
"  what  shall  I  do  for  a  string  ?  I  '11  tell  yon  what  ; 
I  can  use  the  string  that  goes  round  my  hat !  " 
"  But  then,"  said  Ben,  "  what  will  you  do  for  a 
hat-band  ?  "  "  I  '11  manage  to  do  without  one," 
said  Hal ;  and  he  took  the  string  off  his  hat  for 
his  top.  It  soon  was  worn  through  ;  and  he  split 
his  top  by  driving  the  peg  too  tightly  into  it. 
His  cousin  Ben  let  him  set  up  his  the  next  day  ; 
but  Hal  was  not  more  fortunate  or  more  careful 
when  he  meddled  with  other  people's  things  than 
when  he  managed  his  own.  He  had  scarcely 
played  half  an  hour  before  he  split  it,  by  driving 
in  the  peg  too  violently. 

Ben  bore  this  misfortune  with  good  humor. 
"  Come,"  said  he,  "  it  can't  be  helped  :  but  give 
me  the  string,  because  that  may  still  be  of  use  for 
something  else. 

It  happened  some  time  afterwards  that  a  lady, 
who  had  been  intimately  acquainted  with  Hal's 
mother  at  Bath,  —  that  is  to  say,  who  had  fre- 
quently met  her  at  the  card-table  during  the  win- 
ter, —  now  arrived  at  Clifton.  She  was  informed 
by  his  mother  that  Hal  was  at  Mr.  Gresham's  ;  and 
her  sons  who  were  friends  of  his,  came  to  see  him, 
and  invited  him  to  spend  the  next  day  with  them. 

Hal  joyfully  accepted  the  invitation.  He  was 
always  glad  to  go  out  to  dine,  because  it  gave  him 
something  to  do,  something  to  think  of,  or  at  least 
something  to  say.  Besides  this,  he  had  been  edu- 
cated to  think  it  was  a  fine  thing  to  visit  fine 
people  ;  and  Lady  Diana  Sweepstakes  (for  that 
was  the  name  of  his  mother's  acquaintance)  was 
a  very  fine   lady,  and  her  two  sons   intended  to 


348 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


be  very  great  gentlemen.  He  was  in  a  prodigious 
hurry  when  these  young  gentlemen  knocked  at 
his  uncle's  door  the  next  day  ;  but  just  as  he  got 
to  the  hall  door,  little  Patty  called  to  him  from 
the  top  of  the  stairs,  and  told  him  that  he  had 
dropped  his  pocket-handkerchief. 

"  Pick  it  up,  then,  and  bring  it  to  me,  quick, 
can't  you,  child  ?  "  cried  Hal,  "  for  Lady  Di's  sons 
are  waiting  for  me." 

Little  Patty  did  not  know  anything  about  Lady 
Di's  sons  ;  but  as  she  was  very  good-natured,  and 
saw  that  her  cousin  Hal  was,  for  some  reason  or 
other,  in  a  desperate  hurry,  she  ran  down-stairs  as 
fast  as  she  possibly  could,  towards  the  landing- 
place,  where  the  handkerchief  lay  ;  but,  alas  !  be- 
fore she  reached  the  handkerchief,  she  fell,  rolling 
down  a  whole  flight  of  stairs,  and  when  her  fall 
was  at  last  stopped  by  the  landing-place,  she  did 
not  cry,  but  she  writhed  as  if  she  was  in  great 
pain. 

"  Where  are  you  hurt,  my  love  ?  "  said  Mr. 
Gresham,  who  came  instantly,  on  hearing  the 
noise  of  some  one  falling  down-stairs.  "  Where 
are  you  hurt,  my  dear  ?  " 

"  Here,  papa,"  said  the  little  girl,  touching  her 
ankle,  which  she  had  decently  covered  with  her 
gown :  "  I  believe  I  am  hurt  here,  but  not 
much,"  added  she,  trying  to  rise ;  "  only  it  hurts 
me  when  I  move."  "  I  '11  carry  you  ;  don't  move 
then,"  said  her  father;  and  he  took  her  up  in  his 
arms.  "  My  shoe  ;  I  've  lost  one  of  my  shoes," 
said  she. 

Ben  looked  for  it  upon  the  stairs,  and  he  found 
it  sticking  in  a  loop  of  whip-cord,  which  was 
entangled  round  one  of  the  banisters.  When  this 
cord  was  drawn  forth,  it  appeared  that  it  was  the 
very  same  jagged  entangled  piece  which  Hal  had 
pulled  off  his  parcel.  He  had  diverted  himself 
with  running  up  and  down  stairs,  whipping  the 
banisters  with  it,  as  he  thought  he  could  convert 
it  to  no  better  use ;  and,  with  his  usual  careless- 
ness, he  at  last  left  it  hanging  just  where  he  hap- 
pened to  throw  it  when  the  dinner-bell  rang. 
Poor  little  Patty's  ankle  was  terribly  sprained, 
and    Hal   reproached   himself   for   his    folly,  and 


would  have  reproached  himself  longer,  perhaps,  if 
Lady  Di  Sweepstakes'  sons  had  not  hurried  him 
away. 

In  the  evening,  Patty  could  not  run  about  as 
she  used  to  do  ;  but  she  sat  upon  the  sofa,  and 
she  said  that  she  did  not  feel  the  pain  in  her  ankle 
so  much,  whilst  Ben  was  so  good  as  to  play  at 
jack-straivs  with  her. 

"  That 's  right,  Ben  ;  never  be  ashamed  of  being 
good-natured  to  those  who  are  younger  and  weaker 
than  yourself,"  said  his  uncle,  smiling  at  seeing 
him  produce  his  whip-cord,  to  indulge  his  little 
cousin  with  a  game  at  her  favorite  cat's-cradle. 
"I  shall  not  think  you  one  bit  less  manly,  because 
I  see  you  playing  at  cat's-cradle  with  a  little  child 
of  six  years  old." 

Hal,  however,  was  not  precisely  of  his  uncle's 
opinion  ;  for  when  he  returned  in  the  evening,  and 
saw  Ben  playing  with  his  little  cousin,  he  could 
not  help  smiling  contemptuously,  and  asked  if  he 
had  been  playing  at  cat's-cradle  all  night.  In  a 
heedless  manner  he  made  some  inquiries  after 
Patty's  sprained  ankle,  and  then  he  ran  on  to  tell 
all  the  news  he  had  heard  at  Lady  Diana  Sweep- 
stakes', —  news  which  he  thought  would  make  him 
appear  a  person  of  vast  importance. 

"Do  you  know,  uncle,  —  do  you  know,  Ben," 
said  he,  —  "  there 's  to  be  the  most  famous  doings 
that  ever  were  heard  of  upon  the  Downs  here,  the 
first  day  of  next  month,  which  will  be  in  a  fort- 
night, —  thank  my  stars !  I  wish  the  fortnight 
was  over;  I  shall  think  of  nothing  else,  I  know, 
till  that  happy  day  comes  !  " 

Mr.  Gresham  inquired  why  the  first  of  Septem- 
ber was  to  be  so  much  happier  than  any  other  day 
in  the  year.  "  Why,"  replied  Hal,  "  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes,  you  know,  is  a  famous  rider  and 
archer,  and  all  that."  "  Very  likely,"  said  Mr. 
Gresham,  soberly  ;  "  but  what  then  ?  " 

"  Dear  uncle  !  "  cried  HaI,  "  but  you  shall  hear. 
There 's  to  be  a  race  upon  the  Downs  the  first  of 
September,  and  after  the  race  there  's  to  be  an 
archery  meeting  for  the  ladies,  and  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes  is  to  be  one  of  them.  And  after  the 
ladies  have  done  shooting,  —  now,  Ben,  comes  the 


WASTE  NOT,    WANT  NOT. 


349 


best  part  of  it !  —  we  boys  are  to  have  our  turn, 
and  Lady  Di  is  to  give  a  prize  to  the  best  marks- 
man amongst  us,  of  a  very  handsome  bow  and  ar- 
row !  Do  you  know,  I  've  been  practicing  already, 
and  I  '11  show  you  to-morrow,  as  soon  as  it  comes 
home,  the,  famous  bow  and  arrow  that  Lady  Diana 
has  given  me  ;  but,  perhaps,"  added  he,  with  a 
scornful  laugh,  "  you  like  a  cat's-cradle  better  than 
a  bow  and  arrow." 

Ben  made  no  reply  to  this  taunt  at  the  moment ; 
but  the  next  day,  when  Hal's  new  bow  and  arrow 
came  home,  he  convinced  him  that  he  knew  how 
to  use  it  very  well. 

"Ben,"  said  his  uncle,  "you  seem  to  be  a  good 
marksman,  though  you  have  not  boasted  of  your- 
self. I  '11  give  you  a  bow  and  arrow,  and,  perhaps 
if  you  practice,  you  may  make  yourself  an  archer 
before  the  first  of  September;  and,  in  the  mean 
time,  you  will  not  wish  the  fortnight  to  be  over, 
for  you  will  have  something  to  do." 

"Oh,  sir,"  interrupted  Hal,  "but  if  you  mean 
that  Ben  should  put  in  for  the  prize,  he  must  have 
a  uniform."  "  Why  must  he  ?  "  said  Mr.  Gresham. 
"  Why,  sir,  because  everybody  has  —  I  mean 
everybody  that 's  anybody ;  and  Lady  Diana  was 
talking  about  the  uniform  all  dinner-time,  and  it 's 
settled  all  about  it,  except  the  buttons  ;  the  young 
Sweepstakes  are  to  get  theirs  made  first  for  pat- 
terns :  they  are  to  be  white,  faced  with  green  ;  and 
they  '11  look  very  handsome,  I  'm  sure ;  and  I  shall 
write  to  mamma  to-night,  as  Lady  Diana  bid  me, 
about  mine ;  and  I  shall  tell  her  to  be  sure  to  an- 
swer my  letter,  without  fail,  by  return  of  the  post ; 
and  then  if  mamma  makes  no  objection,  which  I 
know  she  won't,  because  she  never  thinks  much 
about  expense,  and  all  that,  —  then  I  shall  bespeak 
my  uniform,  and  get  it  made  by  the  same  tailor 
that  makes  for  Lady  Diana  and  the  young  Sweep- 
stakes." 

"  Mercy  upon  us  !  "  said  Mr.  Gresham,  who  was 
almost  stunned  by  the  rapid  vociferation  with 
which  this  long  speech  about  a  uniform  was  pro- 
nounced. "I  don't  pretend  to  understand  these 
things,"  added  he,  with  an  air  of  simplicity;  "but 
we  will    inquire,  Ben,  into  the  necessity  of   the 


case ;  and  if  it  is  necessary  —  or  if  you  think  it 
necessary  that  you  shall  have  a  uniform,  —  why, 
I  '11  give  you  one." 

"  You,  uncle!  Will  you,  indeed?"  exclaimed 
Hal,  with  amazement  painted  in  his  countenance. 
"Well,  that's  the  last  thing  in  the  world  I  should 
have  expected  !  You  are  not  at  all  the  sort  of 
person  I  should  have  thought  would  care  about  a 
uniform  ;  and  now  I  should  have  supposed  you  'd 
have  thought  it  extravagant  to  have  a  coat  on  pur- 
pose only  for  one  day  ;  and  I  'm  sure  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes  thought  as  I  do ;  for  when  I  told  her 
of  that  motto  over  your  kitchen-chimney,  '  waste 
not,  avaxt  XOT,'  she  laughed,  and  said  that  I  had 
better  not  talk  to  you  about  uniforms,  and  that 
my  mother  was  the  proper  person  to  write  to  about 
my  uniform  :  but  I  '11  tell  Lady  Diana,  uncle,  how 
good  you  are,  and  how  much  she  was  mistaken." 

"  Take  care  how  you  do  that,"  said  Mr.  Gres- 
ham ;  "for  perhaps  the  lady  was  not  mistaken." 
"Nay,  did  not  you  say,  just  now,  you  would 
give  poor  Ben  a  uniform  ?  "  "I  said  I  would,  if 
he  thought  it  necessary  to  have  one."  "  Oh,  I  '11 
answer  for  it,  he  '11  think  it  necessary,"  said  Hal, 
laughing,  "because  it  is  necessary."  "Allow  him., 
at  least,  to  judge  for  himself,"  said  Mr.  Gres- 
ham. "  My  dear  uncle,  but  I  assure  you,"  said 
Hal,  earnestljT,  "there's  no  judging  about  the 
matter,  because  really,  upon  my  word,  Lady  Di- 
ana said  distinctly,  that  her  sons  were  to  have  uni- 
forms, white  faced  with  green,  and  a  green  and 
white  cockade  in  their  hats."  "  May  be  so,"  said 
Mr.  Gresham,  still  with  the  same  look  of  calm 
simplicity ;  "  put  on  your  hats,  boys,  and  come 
with  me.  I  know  a  gentleman  whose  sons  are  to 
be  at  this  archery  meeting,  and  we  will  inquire 
into  all  the  particulars  from  him.  Then,  after  we 
have  seen  him  (it  is  not  eleven  o'clock  yet),  we 
shall  have  time  enough  to  walk  on  to  Bristol,  and 
choose  the  cloth  for  Ben's  uniform,  if  it  is  neces- 
sary." 

"  I  cannot  tell  what  to  make  of  all  he  says," 
whispered  Hal  as  he  reached  down  his  hat ;  "  do 
you  think,  Ben,  he  means  to  give  you  this  uniform 
or  not?"     "I  think,"  said  Ben,  "that  he  means 


350 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


to  give  me  one,  if  it  is  necessary,  or,  as  he  said,  if 
I  think  it  is  necessary." 

"  And  that  to  be  sure  you  will  ;  won't  you?  or 
else  you  '11  be  a  great  fool,  I  know,  after  all  I  've 
told  you.  How  can  any  one  in  the  world  know  so 
much  about  the  matter  as  I,  who  have  dined  with 
Lady  Diana  Sweepstakes  but  yesterday,  and  heard 
all  about  it  from  beginning  to  end  ?  And  as  for 
this  gentleman  that  we  are  going  to,  I  'm  sure,  if 
he  knows  anything  about  the  matter,  he'll  say 
exactly  the  same  as  I  do."  "  We  shall  hear,"  said 
Ben,  with  a  degree  of  composure  which  Hal  could 
by  no  means  comprehend  when  a  uniform  was  in 
question. 

The  gentleman  upon  whom  Mr.  Gresham  called 
had  three  sons,  who  were  all  to  be  at  this  archery 
meeting  ;  and  they  unanimously  assured  him,  in 
the  presence  of  Hal  and  Ben,  that  they  had  never 
thought  of  buying  uniforms  for  this  grand  occa- 
sion, and  that,  amongst  the  number  of  their  ac- 
quaintance, they  knew  of  but  three  boys  whose 
friends  intended  to  be  at  such  an  unnecessary  ex- 
pense.    Hal  stood  amazed. 

"  Such  are  the  varieties  of  opinion  upon  all  the 
grand  affairs  of  life,"  said  Mr.  Gresham,  looking 
at  his  nephews.  "  What  amongst  one  set  of  peo- 
ple you  hear  asserted  to  be  absolutely  necessary, 
you  will  hear  from  another  set  of  people  is  quite 
unnecessary.  All  that  can  be  done,  my  dear  boys, 
in  these  difficult  cases,  is  to  judge  for  yourselves, 
which  opinions,  and  which  people,  are  the  most 
reasonable." 

Hal,  who  had  been  more  accustomed  to  think 
of  what  was  fashionable  than  of  what  was  reason- 
able, without  at  all  considering  the  good  sense  of 
what  his  uncle  said  to  him,  replied,  with  childish 
petulance,  "  Indeed,  sir,  I  don't  know  what  other 
people  think  ;  but  I  only  know  what  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes  said."  The  name  of  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes,  Hal  thought,  must  impress  all  pres- 
ent with  respect :  he  was  highly  astonished  when, 
as  he  looked  round,  he  saw  a  smile  of  contempt 
upon  every  one's  countenance ;  and  he  was  yet 
further  bewildered  when  he  heard  her  spoken  of 
as    a  very  silly,  extravagant,    ridiculous    woman, 


whose  opinion  no  prudent  person  would  ask  upon 
any  subject,  and  whose  example  was  to  be  shunned, 
instead  of  being  imitated.  "  Aye,  my  dear  Hal," 
said  his  uncle,  smiling  at  his  look  of  amazement, 
"  these  are  some  of  the  things  that  }roung  people 
must  learn  from  experience.  All  the  world  do  not 
agree  in  opinion  about  characters :  you  will  hear 
the  same  person  a'dmh'ed  in  one  company,  and 
blamed  in  another ;  so  that  we  must  still  come 
round  to  the  same  point,  Judge  for  yourself." 

Hal's  thoughts  were,  however,  at  present,  too 
full  of  the  uniform  to  allow  his  judgment  to  act 
with  perfect  impartiality.  As  soon  as  their  visit 
was  over,  and  all  the  time  they  walked  down  the 
hill  from  Prince's  Buildings  towards  Bristol,  he 
continued  to  repeat  nearly  the  same  arguments 
which  he  had  formerly  used,  respecting  necessity, 
the  uniform,  and  Lady  Diana  Sweepstakes.  To 
all  this  Mr.  Gresham  made  no  reply  ;  and  longer 
had  the  young  gentleman  expatiated  upon  the 
subject,  which  had  so  strongly  seized  upon  his  im- 
agination, had  not  his  senses  been  forcibly  assailed 
at  this  instant  by  the  delicious  odors  and  tempting 
sight  of  certain  cakes  and  jellies  in  a  pastry-cook'3 
shop.  "  O  uncle,"  said  he,  as  his  uncle  was  going 
to  turn  the  corner  to  pursue  the  road  to  Bristol, 
"  look  at  those  jellies  !  "  pointing  to  a  confection- 
er's shop.  "  I  must  buy  some  of  those  good  things, 
for  I  have  got  some  half-pence  in  my  pocket." 
"  Your  having  half-pence  in  your  pocket  is  an 
excellent  reason  for  eating,"  said  Mr.  Gresham, 
smiling.  "But  I  really  am  hungry,"  said  Hal; 
"  you  know,  uncle,  it  is  a  good  while  since  break- 
fast." 

His  uncle,  who  was  desirous  to  see  his  nephews 
act  without  restraint,  that  he  might  judge  their 
characters,  bid  them  do  as  they  pleased. 

"  Come,  then,  Ben,  if  you  've  any  half-pence  in 
your  pocket."  "  I  'm  not  hungry,"  said  Ben.  "  I 
suppose  that  means  that  you  've  no  half-pence," 
said  Hal,  laughing,  with  the  look  of  superiority 
which  he  had  been  taught  to  think  the  rich  might 
assume  towards  those  who  were  convicted  either 
of  poverty  or  economy.  "  Waste  not,  want  not," 
said  Ben  to  himself.    Contrary  to  his  cousin's  sur. 


WASTE  NOT,    WANT  NOT. 


851 


mise,  he  happened  to  have  twopenny-worth  of 
half-pence  actually  in  his  pocket. 

At  the  very  moment  Hal  stepped  into  the  pas- 
try-cook's shop,  a  poor,  industrious  man,  with  a 
wooden  leg,  who  usually  sweeps  the  dirty  corner 
of  the  walk,  which  turns  at  this  spot  to  the  Wells, 
held  his  hat  to  Ben,  who,  after  glancing  his  eye  at 
the  petitioner's  well-worn  broom,  instantly  pro- 
duced his  two-pence.  "  I  wish  I  had  more  half- 
pence for  you,  my  good  man,"  said  he  ;  "  but  I  've 
only  two-pence." 

Hal  came  out  of  Mr.  Millar's,  the  confection- 
er's shop,  with  a  hatful  of  cakes  in  his  hand.  Mr. 
Millar's  dog  was  sitting  on  the  flags  before  the 
door ;  and  he  looked  up,  with  a  wistful,  begging 
eye,  at  Hal,  who  was  eating  a  queen-cake.  Hal5 
who  was  wasteful  even  in  his  good-nature,  threw 
a  whole  queen-cake  to  the  dog,  who  swallowed  it 
for  a  single  mouthful. 

"  There  goes  two-pence  in  the  form  of  a  queen- 
cake,"  said  Mr.  Gresham. 

Hal  next  offered  some  of  his  cakes  to  his  uncle 
and  cousin  ;  but  they  thanked  him  and  refused  to 
eat  any,  because,  they  said,  they  were  not  hungry  ; 
so  he  ate  and  ate,  as  he  walked  along,  till  at  last 
he  stopped,  and  said,  "  This  bun  tastes  so  bad 
after  the  queen-cakes,  I  can't  bear  it ! "  and  he  was 
going  to  fling  it  from  him  into  the  river.  "  Oh,  it 
is  a  pity  to  waste  that  good  bun  ;  we  may  be  glad 
of  it  yet,"  said  Ben;  "give  it  to  me,  rather  than 
throw  it  away."  "  Why,  I  thought  you  said  you 
were  not  hungry,"  said  Hal.  "  True,  I  am  not 
hungry  now ;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  I  should 
never  be  hungry  again."  "  Well,  there  is  the  cake 
for  you  ;  take  it ;  for  it  has  made  me  sick  ;  and  I 
don't  care  what  becomes  of  it." 

Ben  folded  the  refuse  bit  of  his  cousin's  bun  in 
a  piece  of  paper,  and  put  it  into  his  pocket. 

"  I  'm  beginning  to  be  exceedingly  tired,  or 
sick,  or  something,"  said  Hal ;  "and  as  there  is  a 
stand  of  coaches  somewhere  hereabouts,  had  not 
we  better  take  a  coach,  instead  of  walking  all  the 
way  to  Bristol  ?  " 

"  For  a  stout  archer,"  said  Mr.  Gresham,  "  you 


are  more  easily  tired  than  one  might  have  ex- 
pected. However,  with  all  my  heart ;  let  us  take 
a  Coach,  for  Ben  asked  me  to  show  him  the  ca- 
thedral yesterday  ;  and  I  believe  I  should  find  it 
rather  too  much  for  me  to  wralk  so  far,  though  I 
am  not  sick  with  eating  good  things." 

"  The  cathedral !  "  said  Hal,  after  he  had  been 
seated  in  the  coach  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
and  had  somewhat  recovered  from  his  sickness,  — 
"  the  cathedral !  Why,  are  we  only  going  to  Bris- 
tol to  see  the  cathedral  ?  I  thought  we  came  out 
to  see  about  a  uniform." 

There  was  a  dullness  and  melancholy  kind  of 
stupidity  in  Hal's  countenance  as  he  pronounced 
these  words,  like  one  wakening  from  a  dream, 
which  made  both  his  uncle  and  cousin  burst  out 
a-laughing. 

"  Why,"  said  Hal,  who  was  now  piqued,  "  I  'm 
sure  you  did  say,  uncle,  you  would  go  to  Mr.  Hall's 
to  choose  the  cloth  for  the  uniform."  "  Very  true, 
and  so  I  will,"  said  Mr.  Gresham  ;  "  but  we  need 
not  make  a  whole  morning's  work,  need  we,  of 
looking  at  a  piece  of  cloth  ?  Cannot  we  see  a 
uniform  and  a  cathedral  both  in  one  morning  ?  " 

They  went  first  to  the  cathedral.  Hal's  head 
was  too  full  of  the  uniform  to  take  any  notice  of 
the  painted  window,  which  immediately  caught 
Ben's  unembarrassed  attention.  He  looked  at  the 
large  stained  figures  on  the  Gothic  window,  and 
he  observed  their  colored  shadows  on  the  floor  and 
walls. 

Mr.  Gresham,  who  perceived  that  he  was  eager 
on  all  subjects  to  gain  information,  took  this  op- 
portunity of  telling  him  several  things  about  the 
lost  art  of  painting  on  glass,  Gothic  arches,  etc., 
which  Hal  thought  extremely  tiresome. 

"Come!  come!  we  shall  be  late  indeed,"  said 
Hal  ;  "surely  you've  looked  long  enough,  Ben,  at 
this  blue  and  red  window."  "  I  'm  only  thinking 
about  these  colored  shadows,"  said  Ben.  "  I  can 
show  you,  when  we  go  home,  Ben,"  said  his  uncle, 
"  an  entertaining  paper  upon  such  shadows."  1 
"  Hark  !  "  cried  Ben,  "  did  you  hear  that  noise  ?  " 
They  all  listened ;  and  they  heard  a  bird  singing 


1   Vide  Priestley's  History  of  Vision,  chapter  on  Colored  Shadows. 


352 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


in  the  cathedral.  "  It 's  our  old  robin,  sir,"  said 
the  lad  who  had  opened  the  cathedral-door  for 
them. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Gresham,  "  there  he  is,  boys, 
look,  —  perched  upon  the  organ  ;  he  often  sits 
there,  and  sings,  whilst  the  organ  is  playing." 
"  And,"  continued  the  lad  who  showed  the  cathe- 
dral, "  he  has  lived  here  these  many,  many  win- 
ters. They  say  he  is  fifteen  years  old  ;  and  he  is 
so  tame,  poor  fellow,  that  if  I  had  a  bit  of  bread 
he  'd  come  down  and  feed  in  my  hand."  "  I  've  a 
bit  of  a  bun  here,"  cried  Ben,  joyfully,  producing 
the  remains  of  the  bun  which  Hal  but  an  hour  be- 
fore would  have  thrown  away.  "  Pray,  let  us  see 
the  poor  robin  eat  out  of  your  hand." 

The  lad  crumbled  the  bun,  and  called  to  the 
robin,  who  fluttered  and  chirped,  and  seemed  re- 
joiced at  the  sight  of  the  bread  ;  but  yet  he  did 
not  come  down  from  his  pinnacle  on  the  organ. 

"  He  is  afraid  of  us"  said  Ben  ;  "  he  is  not 
used  to  eat  before  strangers,  I  suppose." 

"  Ah,  no,  sir,"  said  the  young  man,  with  a  deep 
sigh,  "  that  is  not  the  thing.  He  is  used  enough 
to  eat  afore  company.  Time  was  he  'd  have  come 
down  for  me  before  ever  so  many  fine  folks,  and 
have  ate  his  crumbs  out  of  my  hand  at  my  first 
call ;  but,  poor  fellow,  it 's  not  his  fault  now.  He 
does  not  know  me  now,  sir,  since  my  accident,  be- 
cause of  this  great  black  patch."  The  young  man 
put  his  hand  to  his  right  eye,  which  was  covered 
with  a  huge  black  patch.  Ben  asked  what  accident 
he  meant ;  and  the  lad  told  him  that,  but  a  few 
weeks  ago,  he  had  lost  the  sight  of  his  eye  by 
the  stroke  of  a  stone,  which  reached  him  as  he 
was  passing  under  the  rocks  at  Clifton  unluckily 
when  the  workmen  were  blasting.  "  I  don't  mind 
so  much  for  myself,  sir,"  said  the  lad  ;  "  but  I  can't 
work  so  well  now,  as  I  used  to  do  before  my  ac- 
cident for  my  old  mother,  who  has  had  a  stroke 
of  the  palsy ;  and  I  've  a  many  little  brothers 
and  sisters  not  well  able  yet  to  get  their  own 
livelihood,  though  they  be  as  willing  as  willing 
can  be." 

"Where  does  your  mother  live?"  said  Mr. 
Gresham.     "  Hard  by,  sir,  just  close  to  the  church 


here :  it  was  her  that  always  had  the  showing  of 
it  to  strangers,  till  she  lost  the  use  of  her  poor 
limbs." 

"  Shall  we,  may  we,  uncle,  go  that  wray  ?  This 
is  the  house;  is  not  it?"  said  Ben,  when  they 
went  out  of  the  cathedral. 

They  went  into  the  house  :  it  was  rather  a  hovel 
than  a  house  ;  but  poor  as  it  was,  it  was  as  neat 
as  misery  could  make  it.  The  old  woman  was 
sitting  up  in  her  wretched  bed  winding  worsted  ; 
four  meagre,  ill-clothed,  pale  children  were  all 
busy,  some  of  them  sticking  pins  in  paper  for  the 
pin-maker,  and  others  sorting  rags  for  the  paper- 
maker. 

"  What  a  horrid  place  it  is  !  "  said  Hal,  sigh- 
ing ;  "  I  did  not  know  there  were  such  shocking 
places  in  the  world.  I  've  often  seen  terrible-look- 
ing, tumble-down  places,  as  we  drove  through  the 
town  in  mamma's  carriage  ;  but  then  I  did  not 
know  who  lived  in  them  ;  and  I  never  saw  the 
inside  of  any  of  them.  It  is  very  dreadful,  indeed, 
to  think  that  people  are  forced  to  live  in  this 
way.  I  wish  mamma  would  send  me  some  more 
pocket-money,  that  I  might  do  something  for  them. 
I  had  half-a-crown  ;  but,"  continued  he,  feeling  in 
his  pockets,  "  I  'm  afraid  I  spent  the  last  shilling 
of  it  this  morning  upon  those  cakes  that  made  me 
sick.  I  wish  I  had  my  shilling  now,  I  'd  give  it 
to  these  poor  people." 

Ben,  though  he  was  all  this  time  silent,  was  as 
sorry  as  his  talkative  cousin  for  all  these  poor  peo- 
ple. But  there  was  some  difference  between  the 
sorrow  of  these  two  boys. 

Hal,  after  he  was  again  seated  in  the  hackney- 
coach,  and  had  rattled  through  the  busy  streets  of 
Bristol  for  a  few  minutes,  quite  forgot  the  specta- 
cle of  misery  which  he  had  seen  ;  and  the  gay 
shops  in  Wine  Street  and  the  idea  of  his  green 
and  white  uniform  wholly  occupied  his  imagina- 
tion. 

"  Now  for  our  uniforms  !  "  cried  he,  as  he 
jumped  eagerly  out  of  the  coach,  when  his  uncle 
stopped  at  the  woolen-draper's  door. 

"  Uncle,"  said  Ben,  stopping  Mr.  Gresham  be- 
fore he  got  out  of  the  carriage,  "  I  don't  think  a 


WASTE  NOT,    WANT  NOT. 


353 


uniform  is  at  all  necessary  for  me.  I  'm  very 
much  obliged  to  you  ;  but  I  would  rather  not  have 
one.  I  Lave  a  very  good  coat;  and  I  think  it 
would  be  waste." 

"  Well,  let  me  get  out  of  the  carriage,  and  we 
will  see  about  it,"  said  Mr.  Gresham  ;  "  perhaps 
the  sight  of  the  beautiful  green  and  white  cloth, 
and  the  epaulet  (have  you  ever  considered  the 
epaulets  ?)  may  tempt  you  to  change  your  mind." 
"  Oh  no,"  said  Ben,  laughing  :  "  I  shall  not  change 
my  mind." 

The  green  cloth,  and  the  white  cloth,  and  the 
epaulets  were  produced,  to  Hal's  infinite  satisfac- 
tion. His  uncle  took  up  a  pen,  and  calculated  for 
a  few  minutes ;  then,  showing  the  back  of  the  let- 
ter, upon  which  he  was  writing,  to  his  nephews, 
"  Cast  up  these  sums,  boys,"  said  he,  "  and  tell 
me  whether  I  am  right."  "  Ben,  do  you  do  it," 
said  Hal,  a  little  embarrassed  ;  "  I  am  not  quick 
at  figures."  Ben  ivas,  and  he  went  over  his  uncle's 
calculation  very  expeditiously. 

"  It  is  right,  is  it  ?  "  said  Mr.  Gresham.  "  Yes, 
sir,  quite  right."  "  Then  by  this  calculation,  I 
find  I  could,  for  less  than  half  the  money  your 
uniforms  would  cost,  purchase  for  each  of  you 
boys  a  warm  great-coat,  which  you  will  want,  I 
have  a  notion,  this  winter  upon  the  Downs." 

"  Oh,  sir,"  said  Hal,  with  an  alarmed  look ; 
"  but  it  is  not  winter  yet ;  it  is  not  cold  weather 
yet.     We  shan't  want  great-coats  yet." 

"  Don't  you  remember  how  cold  we  were,  Hal, 
the  day  before  yesterday,  in  that  sharp  wind, 
when  we  were  flying  our  kite  upon  the  Downs  ? 
and  winter  will  come,  though  it  is  not  come  yet. 
I  am  sure,  I  should  like  to  have  a  good  warm 
great-coat  very  much." 

Mr.  Gresham  took  six  guineas  out  of  his  purse  ; 
and  he  placed  three  of  them  before  Hall  and  three 
before  Ben.  "  Young  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  T  be- 
lieve your  uniforms  would  come  to  about  three 
guineas  apiece.  Now  I  will  lay  out  this  money 
for  you  just  as  you  please.  Hal,  what  say  you  ?  " 
Why,  sir,"  said  Hal,  "  a  great-coat  is  a  good 
thing,  to  be  sure ;  and  then,  after  the  great-coat, 
as  you  said  it  would  only  cost  half  as  much  as  the 

45 


uniform,  there  would  be  some  money  to  spare, 
would  not  there?"  "Yes,  my  dear,  about  five- 
and-twenty  shillings."  "  Five-and-twenty  shil- 
lings ?  I  could  buy  and  do  a  great  many  things, 
to  be  sure,  with  five-and-twenty  shillings ;  but 
then,  the  tiling  is,  I  must  go  without  the  uniform, 
if  I  have  the  great-coat."  "  Certainly,"  said  his 
uncle.  "  Ah  !  "  said  Hal,  sighing,  as  he  looked 
at  the  epaulet,  "  uncle,  if  you  would  not  be  dis- 
pleased if  I  choose  the  uniform  " —  "  I  shall  not 
be  displeased  at  your  choosing  whatever  you  like 
best,"  said  Mr.  Gresham. 

"  Well,  then,  thank  you,  sir,"  said  Hal ;  "  I  think 
I  had  better  have  the  uniform,  because,  if  I  have 
not  the  uniform  now  directly,  it  will  be  of  no  use 
to  me,  as  the  archery  meeting  is  the  week  after 
next,  you  know ;  and  as  to  the  great-coat,  per- 
haps between  this  time  and  the  very  cold  weather, 
which,  perhaps,  won't  be  till  Christmas,  papa  will 
buy  a  great-coat  for  me  ;  and  I  '11  ask  mamma  to 
give  me  some  pocket-money  to  give  away,  and  she 
will,  perhaps."  To  all  this  conclusive,  conditional 
reasoning,  which  depended  upon  pei-haps,  three 
times  repeated,  Mr.  Gresham  made  no  reply  ;  but 
he  immediately  bought  the  uniform  for  Hal,  and 
desired  that  it  should  be  sent  to  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes'  son's  tailor,  to  be  made  up.  The 
measure  of  Hal's  happiness  was  now  complete. 

"And  how  am  I  to  lay  out  the  three  guineas 
for  you,  Ben  ?  "  said  Mr.  Gresham  ;  "  speak,  what 
do  you  wish  for  first  ?  "  "A  great-coat,  uncle, 
if  you  please."  Mr.  Gresham  bought  the  coat ; 
and,  after  it  was  paid  for,  five-and-twenty  shillings 
of  Ben's  three  guineas  remained.  "  What  next, 
my  boy?"  said  his  uncle.  "Arrows,  uncle,  if 
you  please :  three  arrows."  "  My  dear,  I  prom- 
ised you  a  bow  and  arrows."  "  No,  uncle,  you 
only  said  a  bow."  "  Well,  I  meant  a  bow  and 
arrows.  I  'm  glad  you  are  so  exact,  however. 
It  is  better  to  claim  less  than  more  of  what  is 
promised.  The  three  arrows  you  shall  have.  But, 
go  on  ;  how  shall  I  disjjose  of  these  five-and-twenty 


shilli 


for 


you 


•  In  clothes,  if  you   will  be 


so   good,  uncle,  for  that  poor  boy  who    has    ths 
great  black  patch  on  his  eye." 


354 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


"I  always  believed,"  said  Mr.  Gresham,  shak- 
ing hands  with  Ben,  "  that  economy  and  generos- 
ity were  the  best  friends,  instead  of  being  enemies, 
as  some  silly,  extravagant  people  would  have  us 
think  them.  Choose  the  poor  blind  boy's  coat, 
my  dear  nephew,  and  pay  for  it.  There  's  no  oc- 
casion for  my  praising  you  about  the  matter. 
Your  best  reward  is  in  your  own  mind,  child ;  and 
you  want  no  other,  or  I  'm  mistaken.  Now  jump 
into  the  coach,  boys,  and  let 's  be  off.  We  shall 
be  late,  I  'm  afraid,"  continued  he,  as  the  coach 
drove  on  ;  "  but  I  must  let  you  stop,  Ben,  with 
your  goods,  at  the  poor  boy's  door." 

When  they  came  to  the  house,  Mr.  Gresham 
opened  the  coach-door,  and  Ben  jumped  out  with 
his  parcel  under  his  arm. 

"  Stay,  stay  !  You  must  take  me  with  you," 
said  his  pleased  uncle  ;  "  I  like  to  see  people  made 
happy,  as  well  as  you  do."  "  And  so  do  I  too  !  " 
said  Hal ;  "  let  me  come  with  you.  I  almost  wish 
my  uniform  was  not  gone  to  the  tailor's,  so  I  do." 
And  when  he  saw  the  look  of  delight  and  grati- 
tude with  which  the  poor  boy  received  the  clothes 
which  Ben  gave  him,  and  when  he  heard  the 
mother  and  children  thank  him,  Hal  sighed,  and 
said,  "  Well,  I  hope  mamma  will  give  me  some 
more  pocket-money  soon." 

Upon  his  return  home,  however,  the  sight  of 
the  famous  bow  and  arrow,  which  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes  had  sent  him,  recalled  to  his  imagi- 
nation all  the  joys  of  his  green  and  white  uni- 
form ;  and  he  no  longer  wished  that  it  had  not 
been  sent  to  the  tailor's.  "  But  I  don't  understand, 
cousin  Hal,"  said  little  Patty,  "  why  you  call  this 
bow  a  famous  bow.  You  say  famous  very  often  ; 
and  I  don't  know  exactly  what  it  means  ;  a  famous 
uniform — famous  doings.  I  remember  you  said 
there  are  to  he  famous  doings,  the  first  of  Septem- 
ber, upon  the  Downs.  What  does  famous  mean  ?  " 
"  Oh,  why,  famous  means.  Now  don't  you  know 
what  famous  means?  It  means — it  is  a  word 
that  people  say  —  it  is  the  fashion  to  say  it  —  it 
means  —  it  means  famous."  Patty  laughed,  and 
said,  "  This  does  not  explain  it  to  me." 

"  No,"  said  Hal,  "  nor  can  it  be  explained  :  if 


you  don't  understand  it,  that 's  not  my  fault  \ 
everybody  but  little  children,  I  suppose,  under- 
stands it ;  but  there  's  no  explaining  those  sort  of 
words,  if  you  don't  take  them  at  once.  There  's 
to  he  famous  doings  upon  the  Downs,  the  first  of 
September ;  that  is,  grand,  fine.  In  short,  what 
does  it  signify  talking  any  longer,  Patty,  about 
the  matter  ?  Give  me  my  bow,  for  I  must  go  out 
upon  the  Downs  and  practice." 

Ben  accompanied  him  with  the  bow  and  the 
three  arrows  which  his  uncle  had  now  given  to 
him  ;  and  every  day  these  two  boys  went  out 
upon  the  Downs  and  practiced  shooting  with  in- 
defatigable perseverance.  Where  equal  pains  are 
taken,  success  is  usually  found  to  be  pretty  nearly 
equal.  Our  two  archers,  by  constant  practice,  be- 
came expert  marksmen  ;  and  before  the  day  of 
trial  they  were  so  exactly  matched  in  point  of 
dexterity,  that  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  decide 
which  was  superior. 

The  long-expected  first  of  September  at  length 
arrived.  "What  sort  of  a  day  is  it?"  was  the 
first  question  that  was  asked  by  Hal  and  Ben 
the  moment  that  they  wakened.  The  sun  shone 
bright !  but  there  was  a  sharp  and  high  wind. 
"Ha!"  said  Ben,  "I  shall  be  glad  of  my  good 
great-coat  to-day  ;  for  I  've  a  notion  it  will  be 
rather  cold  upon  the  Downs,  especially  when  we 
are  standing  still,  as  we  must,  whilst  all  the  peo- 
ple are  shooting."  "  Oh,  never  mind  !  I  don't 
think  I  shall  feel  it  cold  at  all,"  said  Hal,  as  he 
dressed  himself  in  his  new  green  and  white  uni- 
form ;  and  he  viewed  himself  with  much  com- 
placency. 

"  Good  -  morning  to  you,  uncle;  how  do  you 
do?  "  said  he,  in  a  voice  of  exultation,  when  he 
entered  the  breakfast-room.  How  do  you  do  ? 
seemed  rather  to  mean  :  How  do  you  like  me  in 
my  uniform  ?  And  his  uncle's  cool,  "  Very  well, 
I  thank  you,  Hal,"  disappointed  him,  as  it  seemed 
only  to  say,  "  Your  uniform  makes  no  difference 
in  my  opinion  of  you." 

Even  little  Patty  went  on  eating  her  breakfast 
much  as  usual,  and  talked  of  the  pleasure  of  walk- 
ing with  her  father  to  the  Downs,  and  of  all  the 


WASTE  NOT,    WANT  NOT. 


355 


little  things  which  interested  her ;  so  that  Hal's 
epaulets  were  not  the  principal  object  in  any  one's 
imagination  but  his  own. 

"  Papa,"  said  Patty,  "  as  we  go  up  the  hill 
where  there  is  so  much  red  mud,  I  must  take  care 
to  pick  my  way  nicely  ;  and  I  must  hold  up  my 
frock,  as  you  desired  me;  and  perhaps  you  will 
be  so  good,  if  I  am  not  troublesome,  to  lift  me 
over  the  very  bad  places  where  there  are  no  step- 
ping-stones. My  ankle  is  entirely  well,  and  I  'm 
glad  of  that,  or  else  I  should  not  be  able  to  walk 
so  far  as  the  Downs.  How  good  you  were  to  me, 
Ben,  when  I  was  in  pain,  the  day  I  sprained  my 
ankle  !  you  played  at  jack-straws,  and  at  cat's- 
cradle,  with  me.  Oh,  that  puts  me  in  mind  — 
here  are  your  gloves,  which  I  asked  you  that  night 
to  let  me  mend.  I  've  been  a  great  while  about 
them  ;    but   are    not    they    very    neatly    mended, 


papa : 


look  at  the  sewinsr." 


"  I  am  not  a  very  good  judge  of  sewing,  my 
dear  little  girl,"  said  Mr.  Gresham,  examining 
the  work  with  a  close  and  scrupulous  eye  ;  "  but, 
in  my  opinion,  here  is  one  stitch  that  is  rather 
too  long.  The  white  teeth  are  not  quite  even." 
"  Oh,  papa,  I  '11  take  out  that  long  tooth  in  a 
minute,"  said  Patty,  laughing  :  "  I  did  not  think 
that  you  would  have  observed  it  so  soon." 

"  I  would  not  have  you  trust  to  my  blindness," 
said  her  father,  stroking  her  head  fondly  ;  "  I  ob- 
serve everything.  I  observe,  for  instance,  that 
you  are  a  grateful  little  girl,  and  that  you  are 
glad  to  be  of  use  to  those  who  have  been  kind  to 
you  ;  and  for  this  I  forgive  you  the  long  stitch." 
"  But  it 's  out,  it 's  out,  papa,"  said  Patty  ;  "  and 
the  next  time  your  gloves  want  mending,  Ben, 
I  '11  mend  them  better." 

"  They  are  very  nice,  I  think,"  said  Ben,  draw- 
ing them  on  ;  "  and  I  am  much  obliged  to  you. 
I  was  just  wishing  I  had  a  pair  of  gloves  to  keep 
my  fingers  warm  to-day,  for  I  never  can  shoot 
well  when  my  hands  are  benumbed.  Look,  Hal, 
you  know  how  ragged  these  gloves  were  ;  you 
said  they  were  good  for  nothing  but  to  throw 
away  ;  now  look,  there  's  not  a  hole  in  them,"  said 
he,  spreading  his  fingers. 


"  Now,  is  it  not  very  extraordinary,"  said  Hal 
to  himself,  "  that  they  should  go  on  so  long  talk- 
ing about  an  old  pair  of  gloves,  without  saying 
scarcely  a  word  about  my  new  uniform  ?  Well, 
the  young  Sweepstakes  and  Lady  Diana  will  talk 
enough  about  it;  that's  one  comfort.  Is  not  it 
time  to  think  of  setting  out,  sir?  "  said  Hal  to  his 
uncle.  The  company,  you  know,  are  to  meet  at 
the  Ostrich  at  twelve,  and  the  race  is  to  begin  at 
one,  and  Lady  Diana's  horses,  I  know,  were  or- 
dered to  be  at  the  door  at  ten." 

Mr.  Stephen,  the  butler,  here  interrupted  the 
hurrying  young  gentleman  in  his  calculations. 
"  There 's  a  poor  lad,  sir,  below,  with  a  great  black 
patch  on  his  right  eye,  who  is  come  from  Bristol, 
and  wants  to  speak  a  word  with  the  young  gentle- 
men, if  you  please.  I  told  him  they  were  just 
going  out  with  you  ;  but  he  says  he  won't  detain 
them  more  than  half  a  minute." 

"  Show  him  up,  show  him  up,"  said  Mr.  Gres- 
ham. 

"  But,  I  suppose,"  said  Hal,  with  a  sigh,  "  that 
Stephen  mistook  when  he  said  the  young  gentle- 
men ;  he  only  wants  to  see  Ben,  I  dare  say  ;  I  'm 
sure  he  has  no  reason  to  want  to  see  me." 

"  Here  he  comes.  O  Ben,  he  is  dressed  in  the 
new  coat  you  gave  him,"  whispered  Hal,  who  was 
really  a  good-natured  boy,  though  extravagant. 
"  How  much  better  he  looks  than  he  did  in  the 
ragged  coat!  Ah!  he  looked  at  you  first,  Ben  — 
and  well  he  may  !  " 

The  boy  bowed,  without  any  cringing  civility, 
but  with  an  open,  decent  freedom  in  his  manner, 
which  expressed  that  he  had  been  obliged,  but 
that  he  knew  his  young  benefactor  was  not  think- 
ing of  the  obligation.  He  made  as  little  distinc- 
tion as  possible  between  his  bows  to  the  two  cous- 
ins. 

"  As  I  was  sent  with  a  message,  by  the  clerk  of 
our  parish,  to  Redland  chapel  out  on  the  Downs, 
to-day,  sir,"  said  he  to  Mr.  Gresham,  "  knowing 
your  house  lay  in  my  way,  my  mother,  sir,  bid  me 
call  and  make  bold  to  offer  the  young  gentlemen 
two  little  worsted  balls  that  she  has  worked  for 
them,"  continued  the  lad,  pulling  out  of  his  pocket 


356 


THE  BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR    STORIES. 


two  worsted  balls  worked  in  green  and  orange-col- 
ored stripes.  "  They  are  but  poor  things,  sir,  she 
bid  me  say,  to  look  at ;  but,  considering  she  has 
but  one  hand  to  work  with,  and  that  her  left  hand, 
you  '11  not  despise  'em,  we  hopes."  He  held  the 
balls  to  Ben  and  Hal.  "  They  axe  both  alike, 
gentlemen,"  said  he.  "  If  you  '11  be  pleased  to 
take  'em,  they  're  better  than  they  look,  for  the}r 
bound  higher  than  your  head.  I  cut  the  cork 
round  for  the  inside  myself,  which  was  all  I  could 
do." 

"  They  are  nice  balls,  indeed ;  we  are  much 
obliged  to  you,"  said  the  boys  as  they  received 
them  ;  and  they  proved  them  immediately.  The 
balls  struck  the  floor  with  a  delightful  sound,  and 
rebounded  higher  than  Mr.  Gresham's  head.  Lit- 
tle Patty  clapped  her  hands  joyfully.  But  now  a 
thundering  double  rap  at  the  door  was  heard. 

"  The  Master  Sweepstakes,  sir,"  said  Stephen, 
"  are  come  for  Master  Hal.  They  say  that  all  the 
young  gentlemen  who  have  archery  uniforms  are 
to  walk  together,  in  a  body,  I  think  they  say,  sir ; 
and  they  are  to  parade  along  the  Well  Walk,  they 
desired  me  to  say,  sir,  with  a  drum  and  fife,  and 
so  up  the  hill  by  Prince's  Place,  and  all  to  go  upon 
the  Downs  together,  to  the  place  of  meeting.  I 
am  not  sure  I  'm  right,  sir  ;  for  both  the  young 
gentlemen  spoke  at  once,  and  the  wind  is  very 
high  at  the  street-door,  so  that  I  could  not  well 
make  out  all  they  said ;  but  I  believe  this  is  the 
sense  of  it." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Hal,  eagerly,  "  it 's  all  right. 
I  know  that  is  just  what  was  settled  the  day  I 
dined  at  Lady  Diana's ;  and  Lady  Diana  and  a 
great  party  of  gentlemen  are  to  ride  "  — 

"  Well,  that  is  nothing  to  the  purpose,"  inter- 
rupted Mr.  Gresham.  "Don't  keep  these  Master 
Sweepstakes  waiting.  Decide  :  do  you  choose  to 
go  with  them  or  with  us?"  "Sir  —  uncle  —  sir, 
you  know,  since  all  the  uniforms  agreed  to  go  to- 
gether "  —  "  Off  with  you,  then,  Mr.  Uniform, 
if  you  mean  to  go,"  said  Mr.  Gresham. 

Hal  ran  down-stairs  in  such  a  hurry  that  he 
forgot  his  bow  and  arrows.  Ben  discovered  this 
when  he  went  to  fetch  his  own ;  and  the  lad  from 


Bristol,  who  had  been  ordered  by  Mr.  Gresham  to 
eat  his  breakfast  before  he  proceeded  to  Redland 
chapel,  heard  Ben  talking  about  his  cousin's  bow 
and  arrows.  "  I  know,"  said  Ben,  "  he  will  be 
sorry  not  to  have  his  bow  with  him,  because  here 
are  the  green  knots  tied  to  it,  to  match  his  cock- 
ade ;  and  he  said  that  the  boys  were  all  to  carry 
their  bows,  as  part  of  the  show." 

"  If  you  '11  give  me  leave,  sir,"  said  the  poor 
Bristol  lad,  "  I  shall  have  plenty  of  time ;  and  1  '11 
run  down  to  the  Well  Walk  after  the  young  gen- 
tleman, and  take  him  his  bow  and  arrows." 

"  Will  you  ?  I  shall  be  much  obliged  to  you," 
said  Ben  ;  and  away  went  the  boy  with  the  bow 
that  was  ornamented  with  green  ribbons. 

The  public  walk  leading  to  the  Wells  was  full 
of  company.  The  windows  of  all  the  houses  in 
St.  Vincent's  Parade  were  crowded  with  well- 
dressed  ladies,  who  were  looking  out  in  expecta- 
tion of  the  archery  procession.  Parties  of  gentle- 
men and  ladies,  and  a  motley  crowd  of  spectators, 
were  seen  moving  backwards  and  forwards,  under 
the  rocks,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  water.  A 
barge,  with  colored  streamers  flying,  was  waiting 
to  take  up  a  party  who  were  going  upon  the  water. 
The  bargemen  rested  upon  their  oars,  and  gazed 
with  broad  faces  of  curiosity  upon  the  busy  scene 
that  appeared  upon  the  public  walk. 

The  archers  and  archeresses  were  now  drawn 
up  on  the  flags,  under  the  semicircular  piazza  just 
before  Mrs.  Yearsley's  library.  A  little  band  of 
children,  who  had  been  mustered  by  Lady  Diana 
Sweepstakes'  spirited  exertions,  closed  the  proces- 
sion. They  were  now  all  in  readiness.  The 
drummer  only  waited  for  her  ladyship's  signal ; 
and  the  archers'  corps  only  waited  for  her  lady- 
ship's word  of  command  to  march. 

"  Where  are  your  bow  and  arrows,  my  little 
man '? "  said  her  ladyship  to  Hal,  as  she  reviewed 
her  Lilliputian  regiment.  "  You  can't  march,  man, 
without  your  arms  !  " 

Hal  had  dispatched  a  messenger  for  his  forgot- 
ten bow,  but  the  messenger  returned  not.  He 
looked  from  side  to  side  in  great  distress.  "  Oh, 
there  's  my  bow  coming,  I  declare  !  "  cried  he  :  — 


WASTE  NOT,    WANT  NOT. 


357 


"  look,  I  see  the  bow  and  the  ribbons.  Look  now, 
between  the  trees,  Charles  Sweepstakes,  on  the 
Hortwell  Walk ;  —  it  is  coming  !  "  "  But  you  've 
kept  us  all  waiting  a  confounded  time,"  said  his 
impatient  friend.  "  It  is  that  good-natured  poor 
fellow  from  Bristol,  I  protest,  that  has  brought  it 
me ;  I  'm  sure  I  don't  deserve  it  from  him,"  said 
Hal  to  himself,  when  he  saw  the  lad  with  the 
black  patch  on  his  eye  running,  quite  out  of 
breath,  towards  him  with  his  bow  and  arrows. 

"  Fall  back,  my  good  friend  ;  fall  back,"  said 
the  military  lady,  as  soon  as  he  had  delivered  the 
bow  to  Hal ;  "  I  mean,  stand  out  of  the  way,  for 
your  great  patch  cuts  no  figure  amongst  us. 
Don't  follow  so  close,  now,  as  if  you  belonged  to 
us,  pray." 

The  poor  boy  had  no  ambition  to  partake  of  the 
triumph  ;  he  fell  back  as  soon  as  he  understood  the 
meaning  of  the  lady's  words.  The  drum  beat,  the 
fife  played,  the  archers  marched,  the  spectators 
admired.  Hal  stepped  proudly,  and  felt  as  if  the 
eyes  of  the  whole  universe  were  upon  his  epau- 
lettes, or  upon  the  facings  of  his  uniform  ;  whilst 
all  the  time  he  was  considered  only  as  part  of  a 
show. 

The  walk  appeared  much  shorter  than  usual, 
and  he  was  extremely  sorry  that  Lady  Diana, 
when  they  were  half-way  up  the  hill  leading  to 
Prince's  Place,  mounted  her  horse,  because  the 
road  was  dirty,  and  all  the  gentlemen  and  ladies 
who  accompanied  her  followed  her  example. 

"  We  can  leave  the  children  to  walk,  you 
know,"  said  she  to  the  gentleman  who  helped  her 
to  mount  her  horse.  "  I  must  call  to  some  of  them, 
though,  and  leave  orders  where  they  are  to  join. 

She  beckoned  ;  and  Hal,  who  was  foremost,  and 
proud  to  show  his  alacrity,  ran  on  to  receive  her 
ladyship's  orders.  Now,  as  we  have  before  ob- 
served, it  was  a  sharp  and  windy  day  ;  and  though 
Lady  Diana  Sweepstakes  was  actually  speaking  to 
him,  and  looking  at  him,  he  could  not  prevent  his 
nose  from  wanting  to  be  blowed  :  he  pulled  out  his 
handkerchief,  and  out  rolled  the  new  ball  which 
had  been  given  to  him  just  before  he  left  home, 
and  which,  according  to  his  usual  careless  habits, 


he  had  stuffed  into  his  pocket  in  his  hurry.  "  Oh, 
my  new  ball !  "  cried  he,  as  he  ran  after  it.  As 
he  stooped  to  pick  it  up,  he  let  go  his  hat,  which 
he  had  hitherto  held  on  with  anxious  care  ;  for 
the  hat,  though  it  had  a  fine  green  and  white 
cockade,  had  no  band  or  string  round  it.  The 
string,  as  we  may  recollect,  our  wasteful  hero  had 
used  in  spinning  his  top.  The  hat  was  too  large 
for  his  head  without  this  band  ;  a  sudden  gust  of 
wind  blew  it  off.  Lady  Diana's  horse  started  and 
reared.  She  was  a  famous  horsewoman,  and  sat 
him  to  the  admiration  of  all  beholders  ;  but  there 
was  a  puddle  of  red  clay  and  water  in  this  spot, 
and  her  ladyship's  uniform-habit  was  a  sufferer  by 
the  accident.  "  Careless  brat !  "  said  she,  "  why 
can't  he  keep  his  hat  upon  his  head  ?  "  In  the 
mean  time  the  wind  blew  the  hat  down  the  hill, 
and  Hal  ran  after  it,  amidst  the  laughter  of  his 
kind  friends,  the  young  Sweepstakes,  and  the  rest 
of  the  little  regiment.  The  hat  was  lodged,  at 
length,  upon  a  bank.  Hal  pursued  it  ;  he  thought 
this  bank  was  hard,  but,  alas  !  the  moment  he  set 
his  foot  upon  it  the  foot  sank.  He  tried  to  draw 
it  back  ;  his  other  foot  slipped,  and  he  fell  pros- 
trate, in  his  green  and  white  uniform,  into  the 
treacherous  bed  of  red  mud.  His  companions, 
who  had  halted  upon  the  top  of  the  hill,  stood 
laughing  spectators  of  his  misfortune. 

It  happened  that  the  poor  boy  with  the  black 
patch  upon  his  eye,  who  had  been  ordered  by 
Lady  Diana  to  "fall  back,"'  and  to  "  keep  at  a  dis- 
tance" was  now  coming  up  the  hill;  and  the  mo- 
ment he  saw  our  fallen  hero  he  hastened  to  his 
assistance.  He  dragged  poor  Hal,  who  was  a 
deplorable  spectacle,  out  of  the  red  mud.  The 
obliging  mistress  of  a  lodging-house,  as  soon  as  she 
understood  that  the  young  gentleman  was  nephew 
to  Mr.  Gresham,  to  whom  she  had  formerly  let 
her  house,  received  Hal,  covered  as  he  was  with 
dirt. 

The  poor  Bristol  lad  hastened  to  Mr.  Gresham's 
for  clean  stockings  and  shoes  for  Hal.  He  was 
unwilling  to  give  up  his  uniform  ;  it  was  rubbed 
and  rubbed,  and  a  spot  here  and  there  was  washed 
out ;  and  he  kept  continually  repeating,  —  "  When 


358 


THE   BOOK   OF  FAMILIAR    STORIES. 


it  's  dry  it  will  all  brush  off  —  when  it 's  dry  it 
will  all  brush  off,  won't  it  ?  "'  But  soon  the  fear 
of  being  too  late  at  the  archery-meeting  began  to 
balance  the  dread  of  appearing  in  his  stained  ha- 
biliments ;  and  he  now  as  anxiously  repeated, 
whilst  the  woman  held  the  wet  coat  to  the  fire, 
"  Oh,  I  shall  be  too  late  :  indeed,  I  shall  be  too 
late  ;  make  haste ;  it  will  never  dry  ;  hold  it 
nearer —  nearer  to  the  fire.  I  shall  lose  my  turn 
to  shoot ;  oh,  give  me  the  coat ;  I  don't  mind  how 
it  is,  if  I  can  but  get  it  on." 

Holding  it  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  fire  dried  it 
quickly,  to  be  sure  ;  but  it  shrunk  it  also,  so  that 
it  was  no  easy  matter  to  get  the  coat  on  again. 
However,  Hal,  who  did  not  see  the  red  splashes, 
which,  in  spite  of  all  these  operations,  were  too 
visible  upon  his  shoulders  and  upon  the  skirts  of 
his  white  coat  behind,  was  pretty  well  satisfied  to 
observe  that  there  was  not  one  spot  upon  the  fac- 
ings. "Nobody,"  said  he,  "will  take  notice  of 
my  coat  behind,  I  dare  say.  I  think  it  looks  as 
smart  almost  as  ever  !  "  —  and  under  this  persua- 
sion our  young  archer  resumed  his  bow,  —  his 
bow  with  green  ribbons,  now  no  more  !  —  and  he 
pursued  his  way  to  the  Downs. 

All  his  companions  were  far  out  of  sight.  "  I 
suppose,"  said  he  to  his  friend  with  the  black 
patch,  ■ —  "I  suppose  my  uncle  and  Ben  had  left 
home  before  you  went  for  the  shoes  and  stockings 
for  me?"  "Oh  yes,  sir;  the  butler  said  they 
had  been  gone  to  the  Downs  a  matter  of  a  good 
half-hour  or  more." 

Hal  trudged  on  as  fast  as  he  possibly  could. 
When  he  got  upon  the  Downs,  he  saw  numbers  of 
carriages,  and  crowds  of  people,  all  going  towards 
the  place  of  meeting  at  the  Ostrich.  He  pressed 
forward.  He  was  at  first  so  much  afraid  of  being 
late,  that  he  did  not  take  notice  of  the  mirth  his 
motley  appearance  excited  in  all  beholders.  At 
length  he  reached  the  appointed  spot.  There 
was  a  great  crowd  of  people.  In  the  midst  he 
heard  Lady  Diana's  loud  voice  betting  upon  some 
one  who  was  just  going  to  shoot  at  the  mark. 

"  So  then  the  shooting  is  begun,  is  it  ?  "  said 
Hal.    "  Oh,  let  me  in  !  pray  let  me  into  the  circle  ! 


I  'm  one  of  the  archers  —  I  am,  indeed ;  don't  you 
see  my  green  and  white  uniform  ?  " 

"  Your  red  and  white  uniform,  you  mean,"  said 
the  man  to  whom  he  addressed  himself ;  and  the 
people,  as  they  opened  a  passage  for  him,  could 
not  refrain  from  laughing  at  the  mixture  of  dirt 
and  finery  which  it  exhibited.  In  vain,  when 
he  got  into  the  midst  of  the  formidable  circle, 
he  looked  to  his  friends,  the  young  Sweepstakes. 
for  their  countenance  and  support.  They  were 
amongst  the  most  unmerciful  of  the  laughers. 
Lady  Diana  also  seemed  more  to  enjoy  than  to 
pity  his  confusion. 

"  Why  could  not  you  keep  your  hat  upon  your 
head,  man  ?  "  said  she,  in  her  masculine  tone. 
"  You  have  been  almost  the  ruin  of  my  poor  uni- 
form-habit ;  but  I  've  escaped  rather  better  than 
you  have.  Don't  stand  there,  in  the  middle  of  the 
circle,  or  you  11  have  an  arrow  in  your  eyes  just 
now,  I  've  a  notion." 

Hal  looked  round  in  search  of  better  friends. 
"Oh,  where 's  my  uncle  ?  —  where 's  Ben?"  said 
he.  He  was  in  such  confusion  that,  amongst  the 
number  of  faces,  he  could  scarcely  distinguish  one 
from  another ;  but  he  felt  somebody  at  this  mo- 
ment pull  his  elbow,  and,  to  his  great  relief,  he 
heard  the  friendly  voice,  and  saw  the  good-nat- 
ured face  of  his  cousin  Ben. 

"  Come  back  ;  come  behind  these  people,"  said 
Ben  ;  "  and  put  on  my  great-coat ;  here  it  is  for 
you." 

Right  glad  was  Hal  to  cover  his  disgraced  uni- 
form with  the  rough  great-coat  which  he  had  for- 
merly despised.  He  pulled  the  stained,  drooping 
cockade  out  of  his  unfortunate  hat ;  and  he  was 
now  sufficiently  recovered  from  his  vexation  to 
give  an  intelligible  account  of  his  accident  to  his 
uncle  and  Patty,  who  anxiously  inquired  what  had 
detained  him  so  long,  and  what  had  been  the  mat- 
ter. In  the  midst  of  the  history  of  his  disaster, 
he  was  just  proving  to  Patty  that  his  taking  the 
hat-band  to  spin  his  top  had  nothing  to  do  with  his 
misfortune,  and  he  was  at  the  same  time  endeavor- 
oring  to  refute  his  uncle's  opinion  that  the  waste 
of  the  whip-cord  that  tied  the  parcel  was  the  orig- 


WASTE  NOT,   WANT  NOT. 


359 


znal  cause  of  all  his  evils,  when  he  was  summoned 
to  try  his  skill  with  his  famous  bow. 

"  My  hands  are  benumbed  ;  I  can  scarcely  feel," 
said  he,  rubbing  them,  and  blowing  upon  the  ends 
of  his  fingers. 

"  Gome,  come,"  cried  young  Sweepstakes,  — 
"  I  'in  within  one  inch  of  the  mark  ;  who  '11  go 
nearer,  I  shall  like  to  see.  Shoot  away,  Hal  ;  but 
first  understand  our  laws  ;  we  settled  them  before 
you  came  upon  the  green.  You  are  to  have  three 
shots,  with  your  own  bow  and  your  own  arrows  ; 
and  nobody  's  to  borrow  or  lend  under  pretence  of 
other  bows  being  better  or  worse,  or  under  any 
pretence.     Do  you  hear,  Hal  ?  " 

This  young  gentleman  had  good  reasons  for  be- 
ing so  strict  in  these  laws,  as  he  had  observed  that 
none  of  his  companions  had  such  an  excellent  bow 
as  he  had  provided  for  himself.  Some  of  the  boys 
had  forgotten  to  bring  more  than  one  arrow  with 
them,  and  by  his  cunning  regulation  that  each  per- 
son should  shoot  with  their  own  arrows,  many  had 
lost  one  or  two  of  their  shots. 

"  You  are  a  lucky  fellow ;  you  have  your  three 
arrows,"  said  young  Sweepstakes.  "  Come,  we 
can't  wait  whilst  you  rub  your  fingers,  man  ;  — 
shoot  away." 

Hal  was  rather  surprised  at  the  asperity  with 
which  his  friend  spoke.  He  little  knew  how  eas- 
ily acquaintance,  who  call  themselves  friends,  can 
change,  when  their  interest  comes  in  fehe  slightest 
degree  in  competition  with  their  friendship.  Hur- 
ried by  his  impatient  rival,  and  with  his  hands  so 
much  benumbed  that  he  could  scarcely  feel  how 
to  fix  the  arrow  in  the  string,  he  drew  the  bow. 
The  arrow  was  within  a  quarter  of  an  inch  of 
Master  Sweepstakes'  mark,  which  was  the  nearest 
that  had  yet  been  hit.  Hal  seized  his  second  ar- 
row. "  If  I  have  any  luck,"  said  he —  But  just 
as  he  pronounced  the  word  luck,  and  as  he  bent 
his  bow,  the  string  broke  in  two,  and  the  bow 
fell  from  his  hands. 


"  There,  it 's  all  over  with  you  !  "  cried  Master 
Sweepstakes,  with  a  triumphant  laugh. 

"  Here  's  my  bow  for  him,  and  welcome,"  said 
Ben.  "  No,  no,  sir,"  said  Master  Sweepstakes, 
"  that  is  not  fair ;  that 's  against  the  regulation. 
You  may  shoot  with  your  own  bow,  if  you  choose 
it,  or  you  may  not,  just  as  you  think  proper  ;  but 
you  must  not  lend  it,  sir." 

It  was  now  Ben's  turn  to  make  his  trial.  His 
first  arrow  was  not  successful.  His  second  was 
exactly  as  near  as  Hal's  first.  "  You  have  but  one 
more,"  said  Master  Sweepstakes  ;  "  now  for  it !  " 
Ben,  before  he  ventured  his  last  arrow,  prudently 
examined  the  string  of  his  bow  ;  and,  as  he  pulled 
it  to  try  its  strength,  it  cracked.  Master  Sweep- 
stakes clapped  his  hands  with  loud  exultations  and 
insulting  laughter.  But  his  laugbter  ceased  when 
our  provident  hero  calmly  drew  from  his  pocket 
an  excellent  piece  of  whipcord. 

"  The  everlasting  whipcord,  I  declare  !  "  ex- 
claimed Hal,  when  he  saw  that  it  was  the  very 
same  that  had  tied  up  the  parcel.  "  Yes,"  said 
Ben,  as  he  fastened  it  to  his  bow,  "  I  put  it  into 
my  pocket  to-day  on  purpose,  because  I  thought 
I  might  happen  to  want  it."  He  drew  his  bow 
the  third  and  last  time. 

"  Oh,  papa  !  "  cried  little  Patty,  as  his  arrow 
hit  the  mark,  "it's  the  nearest;  is  it  not  the 
nearest  ?  " 

Master  Sweepstakes,  with  anxiety,  examined  the 
hit.  There  could  be  no  doubt.  Ben  was  victori- 
ous !  The  bow,  the  prize-bow,  was  now  delivered 
to  him  ;  and  Hal,  as  he  looked  at  the  whipcord, 
exclaimed,  — 

"  How  lucky  this  whipcord  has  been  to  you, 
Ben  !  " 

"  It  is  lucky,  perhaps  you  mean,  that  he  took 
care  of  it,"  said  Mr.  Gresham. 

"Aye,"  said  Hal,  "very  true;  he  might  well 
say,  '  Waste  not,  want  not.'  It  is  a  good  thing  to 
have  two  strings  to  one's  bow." 


360 


THE  BOOK  OF  FAMILIAR   STORIES. 


THE  DISCONTENTED   PENDULUM. 


BY   JANE   TAYLOR. 


An  old  Clock,  that  had  stood  for  fifty  years  in 
a  farmer's  kitchen  without  giving  its  owner  any 
cause  of  complaint,  early  one  summer's  morning, 
before  the  family  was  stirring,  suddenly  stopped. 
Upon  this  the  Dial-plate  (if  we  may  credit  the  fa- 
ble) changed  countenance  with  alarm  ;  the  Hands 
made  an  ineffectual  effort  to  continue  their  course  ; 
the  Wheels  remained  motionless  with  surprise  ; 
the  Weights  hung  speechless.  Each  member  felt 
disposed  to  lay  the  blame  on  the  others. 

At  length  the  Dial  instituted  a  formal  inquiry 
into  the  cause  of  the  stop,  when  Hands,  Wheels, 
Weights,  with  one  voice  protested  their  innocence. 
But  now  a  faint  tick  was  heard  from  the  Pendu- 
lum, who  thus  spoke :  — 

"  I  confess  nryself  to  be  the  sole  cause  of  the 
present  stoppage,  and  am  willing,  for  the  general 
satisfaction,  to  assign  my  reasons.  The  truth  is, 
that  I  am  tired  of  ticking."  Upon  hearing  this, 
the  old  Clock  became  so  enraged  that  it  was  on 
the  point  of  striking. 

"Lazy  Wire!  "  exclaimed  the  Dial-plate.  "As 
to  that,"  replied  the  Pendulum,  "  it  is  vastly 
easy  for  you,  Mistress  Dial,  who  have  always,  as 
everybody  knows,  set  yourself  up  above  me  —  it  is 
Tastly  easy  for  you,  I  say,  to  accuse  other  people 
of  laziness  —  you  who  have  nothing  to  do  all  your 
life  but  to  stare  people  in  the  face,  and  to  amuse 
yourself  with  watching  all  that  goes  on  in  the 
kitchen.  Think,  I  beseech  you,  how  you  would 
like  to  be  shut  up  for  life  in  this  dark  closet,  and 
wag  backward  and  forward  year  after  year,  as  I 
do."  "  As  to  that,"  said  the  Dial,  "  is  there  not 
a  window  in  your  house  on  purpose  for  you  to 
look  through  ?  " 

"  But  what  of  that  ?  "  resumed  the  Pendulum. 
"  Although  there  is  a  window,  I  dare  not  stop, 
even  for  an  instant,  to  look  out.  Besides,  I  am 
really  weary  of  my  way  of  life ;  and,  if  you  please, 


I  '11  tell  you  how  I  took  this  disgust  at  my  em- 
ployment. 

"  This  morning  I  happened  to  be  calculating 
how  many  times  I  should  have  to  tick  in  the 
course  only  of  the  next  twenty-four  hours  —  per- 
haps some  of  you  above  there  can  tell  me  the  ex- 
act sum  ?  "  The  Minute-hand,  being  quick  at 
figures,  instantly  replied,  "  Eighty-six  thousand 
four  hundred  times."  "  Exactly  so,"  replied  the 
Pendulum. 

"  Well,  I  appeal  to  you  all  if  the  thought  of  this 
was  not  enough  to  fatigue  one?  And  when  I  be- 
gan to  multiply  the  strokes  of  one  day  by  those  of 
months  and  years,  really  it  is  no  wonder  if  I  felt 
discouraged  at  the  prospect ;  so,  after  a  great  deal 
of  reasoning  and  hesitation,  thought  I  to  myself, 
'  I  '11  stop  ! '" 

The  Dial  could  scarcely  keep  its  countenance 
during  this  harangue ;  but,,  resuming  its  gravity, 
thus  replied :  "  Dear  Mr.  Pendulum,  I  am  really 
astonished  that  such  a  useful,  industrious  person 
as  yourself  should  have  been  overcome  by  this 
suggestion. 

"  It  is  true,  you  have  done  a  great  deal  of  work 
in  your  time;  so  have  we  ail,  and  are  likely  to  do; 
and  though  this  may  fatigue  us  to  think  of,  the 
question  is,  Will  it  fatigue  us  to  do  ?  Would  you 
now  do  me  the  favor  to  give  about  half  a  dozen 
strokes,  to  illustrate  my  argument  ?  "  The  Pen- 
dulum complied,  and  ticked  six  times  at  its  usual 
pace. 

"  Now,"  resumed  the  Dial,  "  was  that  exertion 
fatiguing  to  you  ?  "  "  Not  in  the  least,"  replied 
the  Pendulum  ;  "  it  is  not  of  six  strokes  that  I 
complain,  nor  of  sixty,  but  of  millions." 

"  Very  good,"  replied  the  Dial ;  "  but  recollect 
that,  although  you  may  think  of  a  million  strokes 
in  an  instant,  you  are  required  to  execute  but  one ; 
and  that,  however  often  you  may  hereafter  have 


THE  DISCONTENTED  PENDULUM. 


361 


to  swing,  a  moment  will  always  be  given  you  to 
swing  in." 

"  That  consideration  staggers  me,  I  confess," 
said  the  Pendulum.  "  Then  I  hope,"  added  the 
Dial-plate,  "  we  shall  all  immediately  return  to 
our  duty,  for  the  people  will  lie  in  bed  till  noon 
if  we  stand  idling  thus." 

Upon  this,  the  Weights,  who  had  never  been 
accused  of  light  conduct,  used  all  their  influence 
in  urging  him  to  proceed  ;  when,  as  with  one  con- 

46 


sent,  the  Wheels  began  to  turn,  the  Hands  began 
to  move,  the  Pendulum  began  to  swing,  and,  to  its 
credit,  ticked  as  loud  as  ever  ;  while  a  beam  of  the 
rising  sun,  that  streamed  through  a  hole  in  the 
kitchen-shutter,  shining  full  upon  the  Dial-plate,, 
made  it  brighten  up  as  it  nothing  had  been  the 
matter. 

When  the  farmer  came  down  to  breakfast,  he 
declared,  upon  looking  at  the  Clock,  that  his 
watch  had  gained  half  an  hour  in  the  night. 


A  VOYAGE  TO  LILLIPTJT. 


BY  JONATHAN  SWIFT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    ADTHOR     GIVES     SOME     ACCOUNT    OF     HIMSELF    AND 
FAMILY.  —  HIS  FIRST    INDUCEMENTS  TO  TRAVEL.  —  HE 

IS    SHIPWRECKED,    AND    SWIMS    FOR    HIS    LIFE. GETS 

SAFE    ON    SHORE    IN    THE     COUNTRY   OF    LILLIPUT. —  IS 
MADE  A  PRISONER,  AND  CARRIED  UP  THE  COUNTRY. 

My  father  had  a  small  estate  in  Nottingham- 
shire ;  I  was  the  third  of  five  sons.  He  sent  me 
to  Emanuel  College  in  Cambridge,  at  fourteen 
years  old,  where  I  resided  three  years,  and  ap- 
plied myself  close  to  my  studies ;  but  the  charge 
of  maintaining  me,  although  I  had  a  very  scanty 
allowance,  being  too  great  for  a  narrow  fortune,  I 
was  bound  apprentice  to  Mr.  James  Bates,  an 
eminent  surgeon  in  London,  with  whom  I  con- 
tinued four  years  ;  my  father  now  and  then  send- 
ing me  small  sums  of  money,  I  laid  them  out  in 
learning  navigation,  and  other  parts  of  the  mathe- 
matics, useful  to  those  who  intend  to  travel,  as  I 
always  believed  it  would  be,  some  time  or  other, 
my  fortune  to  do.  When  I  left  Mr.  Bates,  I  went 
down  to  my  father ;  where,  by  the  assistance  of 
him  and  my  uncle  John,  and  some  other  relations, 
I  got  forty  pounds,  and  a  promise  of  thirty  pounds 
a  year  to  maintain  me  at  Leyden  ;  there  I  studied 
physic  two  years  and  seven  months,  knowing  it 
would  be  useful  in  long  voyages.  Soon  after  my 
return  from  Leyden,  I  was  recommended  by  my 
good  master,  Mr.  Bates,  to  be  surgeon  to  the 
Swallow,  Captain  Abraham  Pannell,  commander; 
with  whom  I  continued  three  years  and  a  half, 
making  a  voyage  or  two  into  the  Levant,  and 
some  other  parts.  When  I  came  back  I  resolved 
to  settle  in  London  ;  to  which  Mr.  Bates,  my 
master,  encouraged  me,  and  by  him  I  was  recom- 


mended to  several  patients.  I  took  part  oi  a  small 
house  in  the  Old  Jewry  ;  and  being  advised  to  al- 
ter my  condition,  I  married  Miss  Mary  Burton, 
second  daughter  to  Mr.  Edmund  Burton,  hosier,  in 
Newgate  Street,  with  whom  I  received  four  hun- 
dred pounds  for  a  portion. 

But  my  good  master  Bates  dying  in  two  years 
after,  and  I  having  few  friends,  my  business  be- 
began  to  fail ;  for  my  conscience  would  not  suffer 
me  to  imitate  the  bad  practice  of  too  many  among 
my  brethren.  Having,  therefore,  consulted  with 
my  wife  and  some  of  my  acquaintance,  I  deter- 
mined to  go  again  to  sea.  I  was  surgeon  succes- 
sively in  two  ships,  and  made  several  voyages,  for 
six  years,  to  the  East  and  West  Indies,  by  which  I 
got  some  addition  to  my  fortune.  My  hours  of 
leisure  I  spent  in  reading  the  best  authors,  ancient 
and  modern,  being  always  provided  with  a  good 
number  of  books  ;  and  when  I  was  ashore,  in  ob- 
serving the  manners  and  dispositions  of  the  people, 
as  well  as  learning  their  language ;  wherein  I  had 
a  great  facility,  by  the  strength  of  my  memory. 

The  last  of  these  voyages  not  proving  very  fort- 
unate, I  grew  weary  of  the  sea,  and  intended  to 
stay  at  home  with  my  wife  and  family.  I  re- 
moved from  the  Old  Jewry  to  Fetter  Lane,  and 
from  thence  to  Wapping,  hoping  to  get  business 
among  the  sailors,  but  it  would  not  turn  to  ac- 
count. After  three  years'  expectation  that  things 
would  mend,  I  accepted  an  advantageous  offer 
from  Captain  William  Prichard,  master  of  the  An- 
telope, who  was  making  a  voyage  to  the  South 
Sea.  We  set  sail  from  Bristol,  May  4,  1699,  and 
our  voyage  at  first  was  very  prosperous. 

It   would  not  be  proper,  for  some   reasons,  to 


A    VOYAGE    TO  LILLIPVT. 


363 


trouble  the  reader  with  the  particulars  of  our  ad- 
ventures in  those  seas  ;  let  it  suffice  to  inform 
him,  that  in  our  passage  from  thence  to  the  East 
Indies,  we  were 
driven  by  a  vio- 
lent storm  to  the 
northwest  of  Van 
Diemen's  Land. 
By  an  observa- 
tion, we  found 
ourselves  in  the 
latitude  of  thirty 
degrees,  two 
minutes  south. 
Twelve  of  our 
CTew  were  dead 
by  immoderate 
labor  and  ill 
food  ;  the  rest 
were  in  a  very 
weak  condition. 
On  the  5th  of 
November,  which 
was  the  begin- 
ning of  summer 
in  those  parts, 
the  weather  be- 
ing very  hazy, 
the  seamen  spied 
a  rock  within 
half  a  cable's 
length  of  the 
ship,  but  the 
wind  was  so 
strong  that  w  e 
were  driven  di- 
rectly upon  it, 
and  immediately 
split.  Six  of  the 
crew,  of  whom  I 
was  one,  having 
let  down  the  boat  into  the  sea,  made  a  shift  to 
get  clear  of  the  ship  and  the  rock.  We  rowed,  by 
my  computation,  about  three  leagues,  till  we  were 
able  to  work  no  longer,  being  already  spent  with 


P  Mmuon 
I  Good  Fortune 


I  NaflW    ^>" 
SUNDA 


cp* 


»4" 


iBleRiIcu 

iLillipui. 
DifcoverecLA  JXi(>ga . 


labor  while  we  were  in  the  ship.  We  therefore 
trusted  ourselves  to  the  mercy  of  the  waves,  and 
in  about  half  an  hour  the  boat  was  overset  by  a 

s  udden  flurry 
from  the  north. 
What  became  of 
my  companions 
in  the  boat,  as 
well  as  of  those 
who  escaped  on 
the  rock,  or  were 
left  in  the  vessel, 
I  cannot  tell,  but 
conclude  they 
were  all  lost. 
For  my  own 
part,  I  swam  as 
fortune  di- 
rected me,  and 
was  pushed  for- 
ward by  wind 
and  tide.  I 
often  let  my 
legs  drop,  and 
could  feel  n  o 
bottom;  but 
when  I  was  al- 
most gone,  and 
able  to  struggle 
no  longer,  I 
found  myself 
within  my  depth, 
and  by  this  time 
the  storm  was 
much  abated. 
The  declivity 
was  so  small 
that  I  walked 
near  a  mile  be- 
fore   I  got  to  the 


shore,  which  I 
conjectured  was  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
I  then  advanced  forward  near  half  a  mile,  but 
could  not  discover  any  sign  of  houses  or  inhab- 
itants ;  at  least  I  was  in  so  weak  a  condition  that 


364 


A    VOYAGE  TO  LILL1PUT. 


I  did  not  observe  them.  I  was  extremely  tired, 
and  with  that,  and  the  heat  of  the  weather,  and 
about  half  a  pint  of  brandy  that  I  drank  as  I  left 
the  ship,  I  found  myself  much  inclined  to  sleep. 
I  lay  down  on  the  grass,  which  was  very  short 
and  soft,  where  I  slept  sounder  than  ever  I  re- 
membered to  have  done  in  ray  life,  and,  as  I  reck- 
oned, about  nine  hours  ;  for  when  I  awaked  it 
was  just  daylight.  I  attempted  to  rise,  but  was 
not  able  to  stir ;  for,  as  I  happened  to  lie  on  my 
back,  I  found  my  arms  and  legs  were  strongly 
fastened  on  each  side  to  the  ground  ;  and  my  hair, 
which  was  long  and  thick,  tied  down  in  the  same 
manner.  I  likewise  felt  several  slender  ligatures 
across  my  body,  from  my  arm-pits  to  my  thighs.  I 
could  only  look  upwards  ;  the  sun  began  to  grow 
hot,  and  the  light  offended  my  eyes,  I  heard  a 
confused  noise  about  me ;  but  in  the  posture  I 
lay  could  see  nothing  except  the  skj7.  In  a  little 
time  I  felt  something  alive  moving  on  my  left  leg, 
which,  advancing  gently  forward  over  my  breast, 
came  almost  up  to  my  chin ;  when  bending  my 
eyes  downward  as  much  as  I  could,  I  perceived 
it  to  be  a  human  creature  not  six  inches  high, 
with  bow  and  arrow  in  his  hands,  and  a  quiver 
at  his  back.  In  the  mean  time,  I  felt  at  least 
forty  more  of  the  same  kind  (as  I  conjectured) 
following  the  first.  I  was  in  the  utmost  astonish- 
ment, and  roared  so  loud  that  they  all  ran  back  in 
fright ;  and  some  of  them,  as  I  was  afterwards 
told,  were  hurt  by  the  falls  they  got  by  leaping 
from  my  sides  upon  the  ground.  However,  they 
soon  returned,  and  one  of  them,  who  ventured  so 
far  as  to  get  a  full  sight  of  my  face,  lifting  up  his 
hands  and  eyes  by  way  of  admiration,  cried  out 
in  a  shrill  but  distinct  voice,  Hekindh  degul! 
The  others  repeated  the  same  words  several  times, 
but  then  I  knew  not  what  they  meant. 

I  lay  all  this  while,  as  the  reader  may  believe, 
in  great  uneasiness  ;  at  length,  struggling  to  get 
loose,  I  had  the  fortune  to  break  the  strings,  and 
wrench  out  the  pegs  that  fastened  my  left  arm  to 
the  ground,  for,  by  lifting  it  up  to  my  face,  I  dis- 
covered the  methods  they  had  taken  to  bind  me, 
and  at  the  same  time  with  a  violent  pull,  which 


gave  me  excessive  pain,  I  a  little  loosened  the 
strings  that  tied  down  my  hair  on  the  left  side, 
so  that  I  was  just  able  to  turn  my  head  about  two 
inches.  But  the  creatures  ran  off  a  second  time, 
before  I  could  seize  them  ;  whereupon  there  was 
a  great  shout  in  a  very  shrill  accent,  and  after  it 
had  ceased  I  heard  one  of  them  cry  aloud,  Tolgo 
phonac  ;  when  in  an  instant  I  felt  above  a  hun- 
dred arrows  discharged  on  my  left  hand,  which 
pricked  me  like  so  many  needles ;  and  besides 
they  shot  another  flight  into  the  air,  as  we  do 
bombs  in  Europe,  whereof  many,  I  suppose,  fell 
on  my  body  (though  I  felt  them  not),  and  some 
on  my  face,  which  I  immediately  covered  with 
my  left  hand.  When  this  shower  of  arrows  was 
over,  I  fell  a  groaning  with  grief  and  pain,  and 
then  striving  again  to  get  loose,  they  discharged 
another  volley  larger  than  the  first,  and  some  of 
them  attempted  with  spears  to  stick  me  in  the 
sides ;  but  by  good  luck  I  had  on  me  a  buff  jerkin, 
which  they  could  not  pierce.  I  thought  it  the 
most  prudent  method  to  lie  still,  and  my  design 
was  to  continue  so  till  night,  when,  my  left  hand 
being  already  loose,  I  could  easily  free  myself: 
and  as  for  the  inhabitants,  I  had  reason  to  believe 
I  might  be  a  match  for  the  greatest  army  they 
could  bring  against  me,  if  they  were  all  of  the 
same  size  with  him  that  I  saw.  But  fortune  dis- 
posed otherwise  of  me.  When  the  people  observed 
I  was  quiet,  they  discharged  no  more  arrows ; 
but,  by  the  noise  I  heard,  I  knew  their  numbers 
increased ;  and  about  four  yards  from  me,  over 
against  my  right  ear,  I  heard  a  knocking  for 
above  an  hour,  like  that  of  people  at  work  ;  when 
turning  my  head  that  way,  as  well  as  the  pegs 
and  strings  would  permit  me,  I  saw  a  stage  erected 
about  a  foot  and  a  half  from  the  ground,  capable 
of  holding  four  of  the  inhabitants,  with  two  or 
three  ladders  to  mount  it:  from  whence  one  of 
them,  who  seemed  to  be  a  person  of  quality,  made 
me  a  long  speech,  whereof  I  understood  not  one 
syllable.  But  I  should  have  mentioned,  that  be- 
fore the  principal  person  began  his  oration,  he 
cried  out  three  times,  Langro  dehul  san  (these 
words    and  the  former  were  afterwards  repeated 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


365 


and  explained  to  me).  Whereupon,  immediately 
about  fifty  of  the  inhabitants  came  and  cut  the 
string  that  fastened  the  left  side  of  my  head, 
which  gave  me  the  liberty  of  turning  it  to  the 
right,  and  of  observing  the  person  and  gesture  of 
him  that  was  to  speak.  He  appeared  to  be  of 
middle  age,  and  taller  than  any  of  the  other  three 
who  attended  him,  whereof  one  was  a  page  that 
held  up  his  train,  and  seemed  to  be  somewhat 
longer  than  my  middle  finger  ;  the  other  two  stood 
one  on  each  side  to  support  him.  He  acted  every 
part  of  an  orator,  and  I  could  observe  many  pe- 
riods of  threatenings,  and  others  of  promises,  pity, 
and  kindness.  I  answered  in  a  few  words,  but  in 
the  most  submissive  manner,  lifting  up  my  left 
hand  and  both  my  eyes  to  the  sun,  as  calling  him 
for  a  witness ;  and  being  almost  famished  with 
hunger,  not  having  eaten  a  morsel  for  some  hours 
before  I  left  the  ship,  I  found  the  demands  of 
nature  so  strong  upon  me  that  I  could  not  forbear 
showing  my  impatience  (perhaps  against  the  strict 
rules  of  decency)  by  putting  my  finger  frequently 
to  my  mouth,  to  signify  that  I  wanted  food.  The 
hurgo  (for  so  they  call  a  great  lord,  as  I  afterwards 
learned)  understood  me  very  well.  He  descended 
from  the  stage,  and  commanded  that  several  lad- 
ders should  be  applied  to  my  sides,  on  which  above 
a  hundred  of  the  inhabitants  mounted,  and  walked 
towards  my  mouth,  laden  with  baskets  full  of 
meat,  which  had  been  provided  and  sent  thither 
by  the  king's  orders,  upon  the  first  intelligence  he 
received  of  me.  I  observed  there  was  the  flesh 
of  several  animals,  but  could  not  distinguish  them 
by  the  taste.  There  were  shoulders,  legs,  and 
loins,  shaped  like  those  of  mutton,  and  very  well 
dressed,  but  smaller  than  the  wings  of  a  lark.  I 
ate  them  by  two  or  three  at  a  mouthful,  and  took 
three  loaves  at  a  time  about  the  bigness  of  musket- 
bullets.  They  supplied  me  as  fast  as  they  could, 
showing  a  thousand  marks  of  wonder  and  aston- 
ishment at  my  bulk  and  appetite. 

I  then  made  another  sign  that  I  wanted  drink. 
They  found  by  my  eating  that  a  small  quantity 
would  not  suffice  me  ;  and  being  a  most  ingenious 
people,  they  slung  up,  with  great  dexterity,  one 


of  their  largest  hogsheads,  then  rolled  it  towards 
my  hand,  and  beat  out  the  top ;  I  drank  it  off  at 
a  draught,  which  I  might  well  do,  for  it  did  not 
hold  half  a  pint,  and  tasted  like  a  small  wine 
of  Burgundy,  but  much  more  delicious.  They 
brought  me  a  second  hogshead,  which  I  drank  in 
the  same  manner,  and  made  signs  for  more  :  but 
they  had  none  to  give  me.  When  I  had  per- 
formed these  wonders  they  shouted  for  joy,  and 
danced  upon  my  breast,  repeating  several  times  as 
they  did,  at  first,  Hekinah  degul.  They  made  me 
a  sign  that  I  should  throw  down  the  two  hogs- 
heads, but  first  warning  the  people  below  to  stand 
out  of  the  way,  crying  aloud,  Borach  mevolah; 
and  when  they  saw  the  vessels  in  the  air  there 
was  a  universal  shout  of  Hekinah  degul.  I  confess 
I  was  often  tempted,  while  they  were  passing 
backwards  and  forwards  on  my  body,  to  seize 
forty  or  fifty  of  the  first  that  came  in  my  reach 
and  dash  them  against  the  ground.  But  the  re- 
membrance of  what  I  had  felt,  which  probably 
might  not  be  the  worst  they  could  do,  and  the 
promise  of  honor  I  made  to  them — for  so  I  in- 
terpreted my  submissive  behavior  —  soon  drove 
out  these  imaginations.  Besides,  I  now  consid- 
ered myself  as  bound  by  the  laws  of  hospitality 
to  a  people  who  had  treated  me  with  so  much  ex- 
pense and  magnificence.  However,  in  my  thoughts 
I  could  not  sufficiently  wonder  at  the  intrepidity 
of  these  diminutive  mortals,  who  durst  venture  to 
mount  and  walk  upon  my  body  while  one  of  my 
hands  was  at  liberty,  without  trembling  at  the 
very  sight  of  so  prodigious  a  creature  as  I  must 
appear  to  them.  After  some  time,  when  they  ob- 
served that  I  made  no  more  demands  for  meat, 
there  appeared  before  me  a  person  of  high  -ank 
from  his  imperial  majesty.  His  excellency,  hav- 
ing mounted  on  the  small  of  my  right  leg,  ad- 
vanced forwards  up  to  my  face,  with  about  a 
dozen  of  his  retinue,  and  producing  his  credentials 
under  the  signet  royal,  which  he  applied  close  to 
my  eyes,  spoke  about  ten  minutes  without  any 
signs  of  aneer,  but  with  a  kind  of  determined 
resolution  ;  often  pointing  forwards,  which,  as  I 
afterwards   found,  was  towards   the  capital  city, 


366 


A    VOYAGE   TO  L1LLIPUT. 


about  half  a  mile  distant,  whither  it  was  agreed 
by  his  majesty  in  council  that  I  must  be  conveyed. 
I  answered  in  few  words,  but  to  no  purpose,  and 
made  a  sign  with  my  hand  that  was  loose,  putting 
it  to  the  other  (but  over  his  excellency's  head  for 
fear  of  hurting  him  or  his  train)  and  then  to  my 
own  head  and  body,  to  signify  that  I  desired  my 
liberty. 

\t  appeared  that  he  understood  me  well  enough, 
for  he  shook  his  head  by  way  of  disapprobation, 
and  held  his  hands  in  a  posture  to  show  that  I 
must  be  carried  as  a  prisoner.  However,  he  made 
other  signs,  to  let  me  understand  that  I  should 
have  meat  and  drink  enough,  and  very  good  treat- 
ment. Whereupon  I  once  more  thought  of  at- 
tempting to  break  my  bonds ;  but  again,  when  I 
felt  the  smart  of  their  arrows  upon  my  face  and 
hands,  which  were  all  in  blisters,  and  many  of  the 
darts  still  sticking  in  them,  and  observing  likewise 
that  the  number  of  my  enemies  increased,  I  gave 
tokens  to  let  them  know  that  they  might  do  with 
me  what  they  pleased.  Upon  this,  the  hurgo  and 
his  train  withdrew,  with  much  civility  and  cheer- 
ful countenances.  Soon  after  I  heard  a  general 
shout,  with  frequent  repetitions  of  the  words,  Pep- 
lom  selam  ;  and  I  felt  great  numbers  of  people  on 
my  left  side  relaxing  the  cords  to  such  a  degree 
that  I  was  able  to  turn  upon  my  right.  But,  be- 
fore this,  they  had  daubed  my  face  and  both  my 
hands  with  a  sort  of  ointment,  very  pleasant  to 
the  smell,  which,  in  a  few  minutes,  removed  all 
the  smart  of  their  arrows.  These  circumstances, 
added  to  the  refreshment  I  had  received  by  their 
victuals  and  drink,  which  were  very  nourishing, 
disposed  me  to  sleep.  I  slept  about  eight  hours, 
as  I  was  afterwards  assured  ;  and  it  was  no  won- 
der, for  the  physicians,  by  the  emperor's  order, 
had  mingled  a  sleepy  potion  in  the  hogsheads  of 
wine. 

It  seems  that  upon  the  first  moment  I  was  dis- 
covered sleeping  on  the  ground,  after  my  landing, 
the  emperor  had  early  notice  of  it  by  an  express  ; 
and  determined  in  council  that  I  should  be  tied 
in  the  manner  I  have  related  (which  was  done  in 
the  night  while  I  slept),  that  plenty  of  meat  and 


drink  should  be  sent  to  me,  and  a  machine  prt, 
pared  to  carry  me  to  the  capital  city.  This  reso- 
lution perhaps  may  appear  very  bold  and  danger- 
ous, and  I  am  confident  would  not  be  imitated  by 
any  prince  in  Europe  on  the  like  occasion.  How- 
ever, in  my  opinion,  it  was  extremely  prudent,  as 
well  as  generous  :  for,  supposing  these  people  had 
endeavored  to  kill  me  with  their  spears  and  ar- 
rows, while  I  was  asleep,  I  should  certainly  have 
awaked  with  the  first  sense  of  smart,  which  might 
have  so  far  aroused  my  rage  and  strength  as  to 
have  enabled  me  to  break  the  strings  wherewith  I 
was  tied  ;  after  which,  as  they  were  not  able  to 
make  resistance,  so  they  could  expect  no  mercy. 

These  people  are  most  excellent  mathemati- 
cians, and  arrived  to  a  great  perfection  in  mechan- 
ics by  the  countenance  and  encouragement  of  the 
emperor,  who  is  a  renowned  patron  of  learning. 
This  prince  has  several  machines  fixed  on  wheels, 
for  the  carriage  of  trees  and  other  great  weights. 
He  often  builds  his  largest  men-of-war,  whereof 
some  are  nine  feet  long,  in  the  woods  where  the 
timber  grows,  and  has  them  carried  on  these  en- 
gines three  or  four  hundred  yards  to  the  sea. 
Five  hundred  carpenters  and  engineers  were  im- 
mediately set  at  work  to  prepare  the  greatest  en- 
gine they  had.  It  was  a  frame  of  wood  raised 
three  inches  from  the  ground,  about  seven  feet  long 
and  four  wide,  moving  upon  twenty-two  wheels. 
The  shout  I  heard  was  upon  the  arrival  of  this  en- 
gine, which,  it  seems,  set  out  in  four  hours  aftei 
my  landing.  It  was  brought  parallel  to  me,  as  J 
lay.  But  the  principal  difficulty  was  to  raise  and 
place  me  in  this  vehicle.  Eighty  poles,  each  of 
one  foot  high,  were  erected  for  this  purpose,  and 
very  strong  cords,  of  the  bigness  of  packthread, 
were  fastened  by  hooks  to  many  bandages,  which 
the  workmen  had  girt  round  my  neck,  my  hands, 
my  body,  and  my  legs.  Nine  hundred  of  the 
strongest  men  were  employed  to  draw  up  these 
cords,  by  many  pulleys  fastened  on  the  poles  ;  and 
thus,  in  less  than  three  hours,  I  was  raised  and 
slung  into  the  engine,  and  there  tied  fast.  All 
this  I  was  told  ;  for,  while  the  operation  was  per- 
forming, I  lay  in  a  profound  sleep,  by  the  force  of 


A    VOYAGE    TO  LILLIPUT. 


367 


that    soporiferous    medicine  infused  into    my  liq- 
Fifteen   hundred   of  the    emperor's    largest 


uor 


horses,  each  about  four  inches  and  a  half  high, 
were  employed  to  draw  me  towards  the  metrop- 
olis, which,  as  I  said,  was  half  a  mile  distant. 


About  four  hours  after  we  began  our  journey,  I 
awaked  by  a  very  ridiculous  accident ;  for  the  car- 
riage being  stopped  a  while,  to  adjust  something 
that  was  out  of  order,  two  or  three  of  the  young 
natives   had   the    curiosity    to    see    how  I    looked 


when  I  was  asleep  ;  they  climbed  up  into  the  en- 
gine, and  advancing  very  softly  to  my  face,  one  of 
them,  an  officer  in  the  guards,  put  tha  sharp  end 
of  his  half-pike  a  good  way  up  into  my  left  nos- 
tril, which  tickled  my  nose  like  a  straw,  and  made 


me  sneeze  violently  ;  whereupon  they  stole  off,  un 
perceived,  and  it  was  three  weeks  before  I  knew 
the  cause  of  my  awaking  so  suddenly.  "We  made 
a  long  march  the  remaining  part  of  the  day,  and 
rested  at  night  with  five  hundred  guards  on  each 


368 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


side  of  me,  half  with  torches,  and  half  with  bows 
and  arrows,  ready  to  shoot  me  if  I  should  offer  to 
stir.  The  next  morning,  at  sunrise,  we  continued 
our  march,  and  arrived  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  the  city  gates  about  noon.  The  emperor,  and 
all  his  court,  came  out  to  meet  us  ;  but  his  great 
officers  would  by  no  means  suffer  his  majesty  to 
endanger  his  person  by  mounting  on  my  body. 

At  the  place  where  the  carriage  stopped  there 
stood  an  ancient  temple,  esteemed  to  be  the  larg- 
est in  the  whole  kingdom,  which,  having  been  pol- 
luted some  years  before  by  an  unnatural  murder, 
was,  according  to  the  zeal  of  those  people,  looked 
upon  as  profane,  and  therefore  had  been  applied 
to  common  use,  and  all  the  ornaments  and  furni- 
ture carried  away.  In  this  edifice  it  was  deter- 
mined I  should  lodge.  The  great  gate,  fronting 
to  the  north,  was  about  four  feet  high,  and  almost 
two  feet  wide,  through  which  I  could  easily  creep. 
On  each  side  of  the  gate  was  a  small  window,  not 
above  six  inches  from  the  ground  ;  into  that  on  the 
left  side  the  king's  smith  conveyed  fourscore  and 
eleven  chains,  like  those  that  hang  to  a  lady's 
watch  in  Europe,  and  almost  as  large,  which  were 
locked  to  my  left  leg  with  six-and-thirty  padlocks. 
Over  against  this  temple,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
great  highway,  at  twenty  feet  distance,  there  was 
a  turret  at  least  five  feet  high.  Here  the  emperor 
ascended,  with  many  principal  lords  of  his  court, 
to  have  an  opportunity  of  viewing  me,  as  I  was 
told,  for  I  could  not  see  them.  It  was  reckoned 
that  above  an  hundred  thousand  inhabitants  came 
out  of  the  town  upon  the  same  errand  ;  and,  in 
spite  of  my  guards,  I  believe  there  could  not  be 
fewer  than  ten  thousand,  at  several  times,  who 
mounted  my  body,  by  the  help  of  ladders.  But 
a  proclamation  was  soon  issued,  to  forbid  it,  upon 
pain  of  death.  When  the  workmen  found  it  was 
impossible  for  me  to  break  loose,  they  cut  all  the 
strings  that  bound  me ;  whereupon  I  rose  up,  with 
as  melancholy  a  disposition  as  ever  I  had  in  my 
life.  But  the  noise  and  astonishment  of  the  people, 
at  seeing  me  rise  and  walk,  are  not  to  be  expressed. 
The  chains  that  held  my  left  leg  were  about  two 


yards  long,  and  gave  me  not  only  liberty  of  walk- 
ing backwards  and  forwards  in  a  semicircle,  but, 
being  fixed  within  four  inches  of  the  gate,  allowed 
me  to  creep  in,  and  lie  at  my  full  length  in  the 
temple. 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE  EMPEROR  OF  LILLIPUT,  ATTENDED  BY  SEVERAL  OF 
THE  NOBILITY,  COMES  TO  SEE  THE  AUTHOR  IN  HIS 
CONFINEMENT.  —  THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSON  AND  HABITS 
DESCRIBED. —  LEARNED  MEN  APPOINTED  TO  TEACH  THE 
AUTHOR  THEIR  LANGUAGE.  —  HE  GAINS  FAVOR  BY  HIS 
MILD  DISPOSITION.  —  HIS  POCKETS  ARE  SEARCHED,  AND 
HIS  SWORD  AND  PISTOLS  TAKEN  FROM  HIM. 

When  I  found  myself  on  my  feet,  I  looked 
about  me,  and  must  confess  I  never  beheld  a  more 
entertaining  prospect.  The  country  around  ap- 
peared like  a  continued  garden,  and  the  inclosed 
fields,  which  were  generally  forty  feet  square,  re- 
sembled so  many  beds  of  flowers.  These  fields 
were  intermingled  with  woods  of  half  a  sta?ig,1  and 
the  tallest  trees,  as  I  could  judge,  appeared  to 
be  seven  feet  high.  I  viewed  the  town  on  my 
left  hand,  which  looked  like  the  painted  scene  of  a 
city  in  a  theatre 

The  emperor  was  already  descending  from  the 
tower,  and  advancing  on  horseback  towards  me, 
which  had  like  to  have  cost  him  dear;  for  the 
beast,  though  very  well  trained,  yet  wholly  un- 
used to  such  a  sight,  which  appeared  as  if  a  mount- 
ain moved  before  him,  reared  up  on  his  hinder 
feet :  but  that  prince,  who  is  an  excellent  horse- 
man, kept  his  seat,  till  his  attendants  ran  in,  and 
held  the  bridle,  while  his  majesty  had  time  to 
dismount.  When  he  alighted,  he  surveyed  me 
round  with  great  admiration  ;  but  kept  beyond  the 
length  of  my  chain.  He  ordered  his  cooks  and  but- 
lers, who  were  already  prepared,  to  give  me  victuals 
and  drink,  which  they  pushed  forward  in  a  sort  of 
vehicles  upon  wheels,  till  I  could  reach  them.  I 
took  these  vehicles,  and  soon  emptied  them  all  : 
twenty  of  them  were  filled  with  meat,  and  ten 
with  liquor ;  each  of  the  former  afforded  me  two 
or  three  good  mouthf  uls  ;  and  I  emptied  the  liquor 
of  ten  vessels,  which  was  contained  in  earthen  vials, 


1  A  stang  is  a  pole  or  perch  ;  sixteen  feet  and  a  half. 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


369 


into  one  vehicle,  drinking  it  off  at  a  draught ;  and 
so  I  did  with  the  rest.  The  empress  and  young 
princes  of  the  blood  of  both  sexes,  attended  by 
many  ladies,  sat  at  some  distanee  in  their  chairs  : 
but,  uprni  the  accident  that  happened  to  the  em- 
peror's horse,  they  alighted,  and  came  near  his 
person,  which  I  am  now  going  to  describe.  He 
is  taller,  by  almost  the  breath  of  my  nail,  than 
any  of  his  court ;  which  alone  is  enough  to  strike 
an  awe  into  the  beholders.  His  features  are  strong 
.and  masculine,  with  an  Austrian  lip,  and  arched 
nose  ;  his  complexion  olive,  his  countenance  erect, 
his  body  and  limbs  well  proportioned,  all  his 
motions  graceful,  and  his  deportment  majestic. 
He  was  then  past  his  prime,  being  twenty-eight 
years  and  three  quarters  old,  of  which  he  had 
reigned  about  seven  in  great  felicity,  and  gener- 
ally victorious.  For  the  better  convenience  of 
beholding  him,  I  lay  on  my  side,  so  that  my  face 
was  parallel  to  his,  and  he  stood  but  three  yards 
■off :  however  I  have  had  him  since  many  times  in 
my  hand,  and  therefore  cannot  be  deceived  in  the 
description.  His  dress  was  very  plain  and  simple, 
and  the  fashion  of  it  between  the  Asiatic  and  the 
European  ;  but  he  had  on  his  head  a  light  helmet 
of  gold,  adorned  with  jewels,  and  a  plume  on  the 
•crest.  He  held  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand  to 
defend  himself,  if  I  should  happen  to  break  loose : 
it  was  almost  three  inches  long ;  the  hilt  and  scab- 
bard were  gold  enriched  with  diamonds.  His  voice 
was  shrill,  but  very  clear  and  articulate  ;  and  I 
could  distinctly  hear  it  when  I  stood  up.  The 
ladies  and  courtiers  were  all  most  magnificently 
clad  ;  so  that  the  spot  they  stood  upon  seemed  to 
resemble  a  petticoat  spread  on  the  ground,  em- 
broidered with  figures  of  gold  and  silver.  His  im- 
perial majesty  spoke  often  to  me,  and  I  returned 
answers :  but  neither  of  us  could  understand  a 
syllable.  There  were  several  of  his  priests  and 
lawyers  present  (as  I  conjectured  by  their  hab- 
its), who  were  commanded  to  address  themselves 
to  me ;  and  I  spoke  to  them  in  as  many  languages 
as  I  had  the  least  smattering  of,  which  were  High 
and  Low  Dutch,  Latin,  French,  Spanish,  Italian, 
tnd  Lingua  Franca ;  but  all  to  no  purpose.     After 

47 


about  two  hours  the  court  retired,  and  I  was  left 
with  a  strong  guard,  to  prevent  the  impertinence, 
and  probably  the  malice,  of  the  rabble  ;  who  were 
very  impatient  to  crowd  about  me  as  near  as  they 
durst  ;  and  some  of  them  had  the  impudence  to 
shoot  their  arrows  at  me,  as  I  sat  on  the  ground 
by  the  door  of  my  house,  whereof  one  very  nar- 
rowly missed  my  left  eye.  But  the  colonel  ordered 
six  of  the  ringleaders  to  be  seized,  and  thought 
no  punishment  so  proper  as  to  deliver  them  bound 
into  my  hands;  which  some  of  his  soldiers  ac- 
cordingly did,  pushing  them  forwards  with  the 
butt-ends  of  their  pikes  into  my  reach.  I  took 
them  all  in  my  right  hand,  put  five  of  them  into 
my  coat-pocket,  and  as  to  the  sixth,  I  made  a 
countenance  as  if  I  would  eat  him  alive.  The 
poor  man  squalled  terribly,  and  the  colonel  and 
his  officers  were  in  much  pain,  especially  when 
they  saw  me  take  out  my  penknife ;  but  I  soon 
put  them  out  of  fear;  for,  looking  mildly,  and  im- 
mediately cutting  the  strings  he  was  bound  with, 
I  set  him  gently  on  the  ground  and  away  he  ran. 
I  treated  the  rest  in  the  same  manner,  taking  them 
one  by  one  out  of  my  pocket  ;  and  I  observed 
both  the  soldiers  and  people  were  highly  delighted 
at  this  mark  of  my  clemency,  which  was  repre- 
sented very  much  to  my  advantage  at  court. 

Towards  night  I  got  with  some  difficulty  into 
my  house,  where  I  lay  on  the  ground,  and  con- 
tinued to  do  so  about  a  fortnight ;  during  which 
time,  the  emperor  gave  orders  to  have  a  bed  pre- 
pared for  me.  Six  hundred  beds  of  the  common 
measure  were  brought  in  carriages,  and  worked 
up  in  my  house  ;  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  their  beds, 
sewn  together,  made  up  the  breadth  and  length ; 
and  these  were  four  double  ;  which,  however,  kept 
me  but  very  indifferently  from  the  hardness  of 
the  floor,  that  was  of  smooth  stone.  By  the  same 
computation  they  provided  me  with  sheets,  blan- 
kets, and  coverlets,  tolerable  enough  for  one  who 
had  been  so  long  inured  to  hardships. 

As  the  news  of  my  arrival  spread  through  the 
kingdom,  it  brought  prodigious  numbers  of  rich, 
idle,  and  curious  people  to  see  me  ;  so  that  the 
villages  were  almost  emptied  ;  and  great  neglect 


370 


A    VOTAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


of  tillage  and  household  affairs  must  have  ensued, 
if  his  imperial  majesty  had  not  provided  by  sev- 
eral proclamations  and  orders  of  state,  against 
this  inconvenieney.  He  directed  that  those  who 
had  already  beheld  me  should  return  home,  and 
not  presume  to  come  within  fifty  yards  of  my 
house,  without  license  from  the  court ;  whereby 
the  secretaries  of  state  got  considerable  fees. 

In  the  mean  time  the  emperor  held  frequent 
councils,  to  debate  what  course  should  be  taken 
with  me  ;  and  I  was  afterwards  assured  by  a  par- 
ticular friend,  a  person  of  great  quality,  who  was 
as  much  in  the  secret  as  any,  that  the  court  was 
under  many  difficulties  concerning  me.  They  ap- 
prehended my  breaking  loose  ;  that  my  diet  would 
be  very  expensive,  and  might  cause  a  famine. 
Sometimes  they  determined  to  starve  me,  or  at 
least  to  shoot  me  in  the  face  and  hands  with  poi- 
soned arrows,  which  would  soon  dispatch  me  ;  but 
again  they  considered  that  the  stench  of  so  large  a 
carcass  might  produce  a  plague  in  the  metropolis 
and  probably  spread  through  the  whole  kingdom. 
In  the  midst  of  these  consultations,  several  officers 
of  the  army  went  to  the  door  of  the  great  council- 
chamber,  and  two  of  them  being  admitted,  gave 
an  account  of  my  behavior  to  the  six  criminals 
above  mentioned ;  which  made  so  favorable  an 
impression  in  the  breast  of  his  majesty  and  the 
whole  board,  in  my  behalf,  that  an  imperial  com- 
mission was  issued  out,  obliging  all  the  villages 
nine  hundred  yards  round  the  city  to  deliver  in 
every  morning  six  beeves,  forty  sheep,  and  other 
victuals  for  my  sustenance  ;  together  with  a  pro- 
portionable quantity  of  bread,  and  wine  and  other 
liquors  ;  for  the  due  payment  of  which  his  majesty 
gave  assignments  upon  his  treasury  —  for  this 
prince  lives  chiefly  upon  his  own  demesnes  :  sel- 
dom, except  upon  great  occasions,  raising  any  sub- 
sidies upon  his  subjects,  who  are  bound  to  attend 
him  in  his  wars  at  their  own  expense.  An  estab- 
lishment was  also  made  of  six  hundred  persons  to 
be  my  domestics,  who  had  board-wages  allowed 
for  their  maintenance,  and  tents  built  for  them 
very  conveniently  on  each  side  of  my  door.  It 
was    likewise  ordered  that  three   hundred  tailors 


should  make  me  a  suit  of  clothes,  after  the  fashion 
of  the  country ;  that  six  of  his  majesty's  greatest 
scholars  should  be  employed  to  instruct  me  in 
their  language  ;  and  lastly,  that  the  emperor's 
horses,  and  those  of  the  nobility  and  troops  of 
guards,  should  be  frequently  exercised  in  my 
sight,  to  accustom  themselves  to  me.  All  these 
orders  were  duly  put  in  execution  ;  and  in  about 
three  weeks  I  made  great  progress  in  learning 
their  language  :  during  which  time  the  emperor 
frequently  honored  me  with  his  visits,  and  was 
pleased  to  assist  my  masters  in  teaching  me.  We 
began  already  to  converse  together  in  some  sort ; 
and  the  first  words  I  learned,  were  to  express  my 
desire  "  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  give  me  my  lib- 
erty ;"  which  I  every  day  repeated  on  my  knees. 
His  answer,  as  I  could  apprehend  it,  was  "  that 
this  must  be  a  work  of  time,  not  to  be  thought  on 
without  the  advice  of  his  council,  and  that  first  I 
must  lumos  kelmin  pesso  desrnar  Ion  emposo  ; " 
that  is,  swear  a  peace  with  him  and  his  kingdom : 
however,  that  I  should  be  used  with  all  kindness : 
and  he  advised  me  "  to  acquire  by  my  patience  and 
discreet  behavior  the  good  opinion  of  himself  and 
his  subjects."  He  desired  "  I  would  not  take  it 
ill,  if  he  gave  orders  to  certain  proper  officers  to 
search  me  ;  for  probably  I  might  carry  about  me 
several  weapons,  which  must  needs  be  dangerous 
things,  if  they  answered  the  bulk  of  so  prodigious 
a  person."  I  said,  "His  majesty  should  be  satis- 
fied :  for  I  was  ready  to  strip  myself,  and  turn  up 
my  pockets  before  him."  This  I  delivered,  part 
in  words,  and  part  in  signs.  He  replied,  "  that, 
by  the  laws  of  the  kingdom,  I  must  be  searched 
by  two  of  his  officers ;  that  he  knew  this  could  not 
be  done  without  my  consent  and  assistance  ;  and 
he  had  so  good  an  opinion  of  my  generosity  and 
justice  as  to  trust  their  persons  in  my  hands  ;  that 
whatever  they  took  from  me  should  be  returned 
when  I  left  the  country,  or  paid  for  at  the  rate 
which  I  would  set  upon  them."  I  took  up  the  two 
officers  in  my  hands,  put  them  first  into  my  coat- 
pockets,  and  then  into  every  other  pocket  about 
me,  except  my  two  fobs  and  another  secret  pocket, 
which  I  had  no  mind  should  be  searched,  wherein 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


371 


1  had  some  little  necessaries  that  were  of  no  con- 
sequence to  any  but  myself.  In  one  of  my  fobs 
there  was  a  silver  watch,  and  in  the  other  a  small 
quantity  of  gold  in  a  purse.  These  gentlemen, 
having  pen,  ink,  and  paper  about  them,  made  an 
exact  inventory  of  everything  they  saw ;  and 
when  they  had  done,  desired  I  would  set  them 
down,  that  they  might  deliver  it  to  the  em- 
peror. This  inventory  I  afterwards  translated 
into  English,  and  is  word  for  word  as  follows  :  — 
"  Imprimis,  In  the  right  coat-pocket  of  the  great 
Man-mountain  (  for  so  I  interpret  the  words  quin- 
hus  flestrin),  after  the  strictest  search,  we  found 
only  one  great  piece  of  coarse  cloth,  large  enough 
to  be  a  foot-cloth  for  your  majesty's  chief  room  of 
state.  In  the  left  pocket  we  saw  a  huge  silver 
chest,  with  a  cover  of  the  same  metal,  which  we, 
the  searchers,  were  not  able  to  lift.  We  desired 
it  should  be  opened,  and  one  of  us  stepping  into 
it,  found  himself  up  to  the  mid-leg  in  a  sort  of 
dust,  some  part  whereof  flying  up  to  our  faces,  set 
us  both  a-sneezing  for  several  times  together.  In 
his  right  waistcoat  pocket  we  found  a  prodigious 
bundle  of  white  thin  substances,  folded  one  over 
another,  about  the  bigness  of  three  men,  tied  with 
a  strong  cable,  and  marked  with  black  figures  ; 
which  we  humbly  conceive  to  be  writings,  every 
letter  almost  half  as  large  as  the  palm  of  our 
hands.  In  the  left  there  was  a  sort  of  engine, 
from  the  back  of  which  were  extended  twenty 
long  poles,  resembling  the  palisadoes  before  your 
majesty's  court ;  wherewith  we  conjecture  the 
Man-mountain  combs  his  head,  for  we  did  not  al- 
ways trouble  him  with  questions,  because  we 
found  it  a  great  difficulty  to  make  him  understand 
us.  In  the  large  pocket  on  the  right  side  of  his 
middle  cover  (so  I  translate  ranfu-lo,  by  which 
they  meant  my  breeches),  we  saw  a  hollow  pillar 
of  iron,  about  the  length  of  a  man,  fastened  to  a 
strong  piece  of  timber  larger  than  the  pillar ;  and 
upon  one  side  of  the  pillar  were  huge  pieces  of 
iron  sticking  out,  cut  into  strange  figures,  which 
we  know  not  what  to  make  of.  In  the  left  pocket 
another  engine  of  the  same  kind.  In  the  smaller 
pocket  on  the  right  side,  were  several  round  flat 


pieces  of  white  and  red  metal,  of  different  bulk; 
some  of  the  white,  which  seemed  to  be  silver, 
were  so  large  and  heavy  that  my  comrade  and  I 
could  hardly  lift  them.  In  the  left  pocket  were 
two  black  pillars  irregularly  shaped  :  we  could 
not,  without  difficulty,  reach  the  top  of  them  as  we 
stood  at  the  bottom  of  his  pocket.  One  of  them 
was  covered,  and  seemed  all  of  a  piece ;  but  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  other  there  appeared  a  white 
round  substance,  about  twice  the  bigness  of  our 
heads.  Within  each  of  these  was  inclosed  a  pro- 
digious plate  of  steel ;  which,  by  our  orders,  we 
obliged  him  to  show  us,  because  we  apprehended 
they  might  be  dangerous  engines.  He  took  them 
out  of  their  cases,  and  told  us,  that  in  his  own 
country  his  practice  was  to  shave  his  beard  with 
one  of  these,  and  cut  his  meat  with  the  other. 
There  were  two  pockets  which  we  could  not  enter  : 
these  he  called  his  fobs  ;  they  were  two  large  slits 
cut  into  the  top  of  his  middle  cover,  but  squeezed 
close  by  the  pressure  of  his  belly.  Out  of  the 
right  fob  hung  a  great  silver  chain,  with  a  wonder- 
ful kind  of  engine  at  the  bottom.  We  directed 
him  to  draw  out  whatever  was  at  the  end  of  that 
chain,  which  appeared  to  be  a  globe,  half  silver, 
and  half  of  some  transparent  metal ;  for,  on  the 
transparent  side  we  saw  certain  strange  figures 
circularly  drawn,  and  thought  we  could  touch 
them,  till  we  found  our  fingers  stopped  by  that 
lucid  substance.  He  put  this  engine  to  our  ears, 
which  made  an  incessant  noise,  like  that  of  a  wa- 
ter-mill :  and  we  conjectui-e  it  is  either  some  un- 
known animal,  or  the  god  that  he  worshijus  ;  but 
we  are  more  inclined  to  the  latter  opinion,  because 
he  assured  us  (if  we  understood  him  right,  for  lie 
expressed  himself  very  imperfectly)  that  he  seldom 
did  anything  without  consulting  it.  He  called  it 
his  oracle,  and  said  it  pointed  out  the  time  for 
every  action  of  his  life.  From  the  left  fob  he 
took  out  a  net  almost  large  enough  for  a  fisher- 
man, but  contrived  to  open  and  shut  like  a  purse, 
and  served  him  for  the  same  use  :  we  found  therein 
several  massy  pieces  of  yellow  metal,  which,  if 
they  be  real  gold,  must  be  of  immense  value. 
"  Having  thus,  in  obedience  to  your  majesty's 


372 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


commands,  diligently  searched  all  his  pockets,  we 
observed  a  girdle  about  his  waist,  made  of  the 
hide  of  some  prodigious  animal,  from  which,  on 
the  left  side,  hung  a  sword  of  the  length  of  five 
men  ;  and  on  the  right,  a  bag,  or  pouch,  divided 
into  two  cells,  each  cell  capable  of  holding  three 
of  your  majesty's  subjects.  In  one  of  these  cells 
were  several  globes,  or  balls,  of  a  most  ponderous 
metal,  about  the  bigness  of  our  heads,  and  re- 
quired a  strong  hand  to  lift  them  :  the  other  cell 
contained  a  heap  of  certain  black  grains,  but  of 
no  great  bulk  or  weight,  for  we  could  hold  above 
fifty  of  them  in  the  palms  of  our  hands. 

"  This  is  an  exact  inventory  of  what  we  found 
about  the  body  of  the  Man-mountain,  who  used  us 
with  great  civility,  and  due  respect  to  your  maj- 
esty's commission.  Signed  and  sealed  on  the 
fourth  day  of  the  eighty-ninth  moon  of  your  maj- 
esty's auspicious  reign :  — 

"  Clefbln  Feelock. 

"  Maesi  Feelock." 

When  the  inventory  was  read  over  to  the  em- 
peror, he  directed  me,  although  in  very  gentle 
terms,  to  deliver  up  the  several  particulars.  He 
first  called  for  my  scimitar,  which  I  took  out, 
scabbard  and  all.  In  the  mean  time  he  ordered 
three  thousand  of  his  choicest  troops  (who  then 
attended  him)  to  surround  me  at  a  distance,  with 
their  bows  and  arrows  just  ready  to  discharge  ; 
but  I  did  not  observe  it,  for  mine  eyes  were  wholly 
fixed  upon  his  majesty.  He  then  desired  me  to 
draw  my  scimitar,  which,  although  it  had  got 
some  rust  by  the  sea-water,  was  in  most  parts, 
exceeding  bright.  I  did  so,  and  immediately  all 
the  troops  gave  a  shout  between  terror  and  sur- 
prise ;  for  the  sun  shone  clear,  and  the  reflection 
dazzled  their  eyes  as  I  waved  the  scimitar  to  and 
fro  in  my  hand.  His  majesty,  who  is  a  most 
magnanimous  prince,  was  less  daunted  than  I 
could  expect :  he  ordered  me  to  return  it  into  the 
scabbard,  and  cast  it  on  the  ground  as  gently  as  I 
could,  about  six  feet  from  the  end  of  my  chain. 
The  next  thing  he  demanded  was  one  of  the  hol- 
low iron  pillars  ;  by  which  he   meant  my  pocket 


pistols.  I  drew  it  out,  and  at  his  desire,  as  well  a8 
I  could,  expressed  to  him  the  use  of  it ;  and  charg- 
ing it  only  with  powder,  which,  by  the  closeness 
of  my  pouch  happened  to  escape  wetting  in  the  sea 
(an  inconvenience  against  which  all  prudent  mar- 
iners take  special  care  to  provide),  I  first  cautioned 
the  emperor  not  to  be  afraid,  and  then  I  let  it  off 
in  the  air.  The  astonishment  here  was  much 
greater  than  at  the  sight  of  the  scimitar.  Hun- 
dreds fell  down  as  if  they  had  been  struck  dead  ; 
and  even  the  emperor,  although  he  stood  his 
ground,  could  not  recover  himself  for  some  time. 

I  delivered  up  both  my  pistols  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  I  had  done  my  scimitar,  and  then  my  pouch 
of  powder  and  bullets  ;  begging  him  that  the  for- 
mer might  be  kept  from  fire,  for  it  would  kindle 
with  the  smallest  spark,  and  blow  up  his  imperial 
palace  into  the  air.  I  likewise  delivered  up  my 
watch,  which  the  emperor  was  very  curious  to  see, 
and  commanded  two  of  his  tallest  yeomen  of  the 
guards  to  bear  it  on  a  pole  upon  their  shoulders, 
as  draymen  in  England  do  a  barrel  of  ale.  He 
was  amazed  at  the  continual  noise  it  made,  and 
the  motion  of  the  minute-hand,  which  he  could 
easily  discern  ;  for  their  sight  is  much  more  acute 
than  ours  :  he  asked  the  opinion  of  his  learned 
men  about  it,  which  were  various  and  remote,  as 
the  reader  may  well  imagine  without  my  repeat- 
ing ;  although,  indeed,  I  could  not  very  perfectly 
understand  them.  I  then  gave  up  my  silver  and 
copper  money,  my  purse  with  nine  large  pieces  of 
gold,  and  some  smaller  ones ;  my  knife  and  razor, 
my  comb  and  silver  snuff-box,  my  handkerchief 
and  journal-book.  My  scimitar,  pistols,  and  pouch, 
were  conveyed  in  carriages  to  his  majesty's  stores  ; 
but  the  rest  of  my  goods  were  returned  me. 

I  had,  as  I  before  observed,  one  private  pocket, 
which  escaped  their  search,  wherein  there  was  a 
pair  of  spectacles  (which  I  sometimes  use  for  the 
weakness  of  mine  eyes),  a  pocket  perspective,  and 
some  other  little  conveniences ;  which,  being  of  no 
consequence  to  the  emperor,  I  did  not  think  my- 
self bound  in  honor  to  discover,  and  I  apprehended 
they  might  be  lost  or  spoiled  if  I  ventured  them 
out  of  my  possession. 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


373 


CHAPTER  ni. 

THE  AUTHOR  DIVERTS  THE  EMPEROR,  AND  HIS  NOBILITY 
OF  BOTH  SEXES,  IN  A  VERY  UNCOMMON  MANNER.  —  THE 
DIVERSIONS  OF  THE  COURT  OF  LILLIPUT  DESCRIBED. — 
THE  AUTHOR  HAS  HIS  LIBERTY  GRANTED  HIM  UPON 
CERTAIN  CONDITIONS. 

My  gentleness  and  good  behavior  had  gained 
so  far  on  the  emperor  and  his  court,  and  indeed 
upon  the  army  and  people  in  general,  that  I  began 
to  conceive  hopes  of  getting  my  liberty  in  a  short 
time.  I  took  all  possible  methods  to  cultivate 
this  favorable  disposition.  The  natives  came  by 
degrees  to  be  less  apprehensive  of  any  danger 
from  me.  I  would  sometimes  lie  down,  and  let 
five  or  six  of  them  dance  on  my  hand  ;  and  at 
last  the  boys  and  girls  would  venture  to  come  and 
play  at  hide-and-seek  in  my  hair.  I  had  now 
made  a  good  progress  in  understanding  and  speak- 
ing the  language.  The  emperor  had  a  mind  one 
day  to  entertain  me  with  several  of  the  country 
shows,  wherein  they  exceeded  all  nations  I  have 
known,  both  for  dexterity  and  magnificence.  I 
was  diverted  with  none  so  much  as  that  of  the 
rope-dancers,  performed  upon  a  slender  white 
thread,  extended  about  two  feet,  and  twelve  inches 
from  the  ground.  Upon  which  I  shall  desire  lib- 
erty, with  the  reader's  patience,  to  enlarge  a  lit- 
tle. 

This  diversion  is  only  practiced  by  those  persons 
who  are  candidates  for  great  employments  and 
high  favor  at  court.  They  are  trained  in  this  art 
from  their  youth,  and  are  not  always  of  noble 
birth,  or  liberal  education.  When  a  great  office 
is  vacant,  either  by  death  or  disgrace  (which  often 
happens),  five  or  six  of  these  candidates  petition 
the  emperor  to  entertain  his  majesty  and  the  court 
with  a  dance  on  the  rope;  and  whoever  jumps 
the  highest  without  falling,  succeeds  in  the  office. 
Very  often  the  chief  ministers  themselves  are  com- 
manded to  show  their  skill,  and  to  convince  the 
emperor  that  they  have  not  lost  their  faculty. 
Flimnap,  the  treasurer,  is  allowed  to  cut  a  caper 
on  the  straight  rope,  at  least  an  inch  higher  than 
any  other  lord  in  the  whole  empire.  I  have  seen 
him  do  the  summerset  several  times  together  upon 


a  trencher  fixed  on  a  rope  which  is  no  thicker  than 
a  common  packthread  in  England.  My  friend 
Reldresal,  principal  secretary  for  private  affairs,  is 
in  my  opinion,  if  I  am  not  partial,  the  second  after 
the  treasurer  ;  the  rest  of  the  great  officers  are 
much  upon  a  par. 

These  diversions  are  often  attended  with  fatal 
accidents,  whereof  great  numbers  are  on  record. 
I  myself  have  seen  two  or  three  candidates  break 
a  limb.  But  the  danger  is  much  greater  when 
the  ministers  themselves  are  commanded  to  show 
their  dexterity  !  for,  by  contending  to  excel  them- 
selves and  their  fellows,  they  strain  so  far  that 
there  is  hardly  one  of  them  who  has  not  received 
a  fall,  and  some  of  them  two  or  three.  I  was  as- 
sured that,  a  year  or  two  before  my  arrival,  Flim- 
nap would  infallibly  have  broke  his  neck,  if  one 
of  the  king's  cushions,  that  accidentally  lay  on 
the  ground,  had  not  weakened  the  force  of  his 
fall. 

There  is  likewise  another  diversion,  which  is 
only  shown  before  the  emperor  and  empress,  and 
the  first  minister,  upon  particular  occasions.  The 
emperor  lays  on  the  table  three  fine  silken  threads 
of  six  inches  long ;  one  is  blue,  the  other  red,  and 
the  third  green.  These  threads  are  proposed  as 
prizes  for  those  persons  whom  the  emperor  has  a 
mind  to  distinguish  by  a  peculiar  mark  of  his  fa- 
vor. The  ceremony  is  performed  in  his  majesty's 
great  chamber  of  state,  where  the  candidates  are 
to  undergo  a  trial  of  dexterity,  very  different  from 
the  former,  and  such  as  I  have  not  observed  the 
least  resemblance  of  in  any  other  country  of  the 
new  or  old  world.  The  emperor  holds  a  stick  in 
his  hands,  both  ends  parallel  to  the  horizon,  while 
the  candidates  advancing,  one  by  one,  sometimes 
leap  over  the  stick,  sometimes  creep  under  it,  back- 
ward and  forward,  several  times,  according  as  the 
stick  is  advanced  or  depressed.  Sometimes  the 
emperor  holds  one  end  of  the  stick,  and  the  first 
minister  the  other;  sometimes  the  minister  has  it 
entirely  to  himself.  Whoever  performs  his  part 
with  the  most  agility,  and  holds  out  the  longest  in 
leaping  and  creeping,  is  rewarded  with  the  blue- 
colored  silk  ;  the  red  is  given  to  the  next,  and  the 


374 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


green  to  the  third,  which  they  all  wear  girt  twice 
round  about  the  middle;  and  you  see  few  great 
persons  about  this  court  who  are  not  adorned  with 
one  of  these  girdles. 

The  horses  of  the  army,  and  those  of  the  royal 
stables,  having  been  daily  led  before  me,  were  no 
longer  shy,  but  would  come  up  to  my  very  feet 
without  starting.  The  riders  would  leap  them 
over  my  hand,  as  I  held  it  on  the  ground  ;  and  one 
of  the  emperor's  huntsmen,  upon  a  large  courser, 
took  my  foot,  shoe  and  all ;  which  was  indeed  a 
prodigious  leap.  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  divert 
the  emperor  one  day  after  a  very  extraordinary 
manner.  I  desired  he  would  order  several  sticks 
of  two  feet  high,  and  the  thickness  of  an  ordinary 
cane,  to  be  brought  me  ;  whereupon  his  majesty 
commanded  the  master  of  his  woods  to  give  direc- 
tions accordingly  ;  and  the  next  morning  six  wood- 
men arrived  with  as  many  carriages,  drawn  by 
eight  horses  to  each.  I  took  nine  of  these  sticks, 
and  fixing  them  firmly  in  the  gr-ound  in  a  quad- 
rangular figure,  two  feet  and  a  half  square,  I  took 
four  other  sticks  and  tied  them  parallel  at  each  cor- 
ner, about  two  feet  from  the  ground ;  then  I  fast- 
ened my  handkerchief  to  the  nine  sticks  that  stood 
erect ;  and  extended  it  on  all  sides,  till  it  was  tight 
as  the  top  of  a  drum  ;  and  the  four  parallel  sticks, 
rising  about  five  inches  higher  than  the  handker- 
chief, served  as  ledges  on  each  side.  When  I  had 
finished  my  work,  I  desired  the  emperor  to  let  a 
troop  of  the  best  horse,  twenty-four  in  number, 
come  and  exercise  upon  this  plain.  His  majesty 
approved  of  the  proposal,  and  I  took  them  up  one 
by  one,  in  my  hands,  ready  mounted  and  armed, 
with  the  proper  officers  to  exercise  them.  As  soon 
as  they  got  into  order,  they  divided  into  two  par- 
ties, performed  mock  skirmishes,  discharged  blunt 
arrows,  drew  their  swords,  fled  and  pursued,  at- 
tacked and  retired,  and,  in  short,  discovered  the 
best  military  discipline  I  ever  beheld.  The  par- 
allel sticks  secured  them  and  their  horses  from 
falling  over  the  stage  ;  and  the  emperor  was  so 
much  delighted,  that  he  ordered  this  entertainment 
to  be  repeated  several  days,  and  once  was  pleased 
to  be  lifted  up,  and  give  the  word  of  command ; 


and,  with  great  difficulty,  persuaded  even  the  em- 
press herself  to  let  me  hold  her  in  her  close  chair 
within  two  yards  of  the  stage,  when  she  was  able 
to  take  a  full  view  of  the  whole  performance.  It 
was  my  good  fortune,  that  no  ill  accident  hap- 
pened in  these  entertainments  ;  only  once  a  fiery 
horse,  that  belonged  to  one  of  the  captains,  paw- 
ing with  his  hoof,  struck  a  hole  in  my  handker- 
chief, and  his  foot  slipping,  he  overthrew  his  rider 
and  himself ;  but  I  immediately  relieved  them 
both,  and  covering  the  hole  with  one  hand,  I  set 
down  the  troop  with  the  other,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  I  took  them  up.  The  horse  that  fell  was 
strained  in  the  left  shoulder,  but  the  rider  got 
no  hurt ;  and  I  repaired  my  handkerchief  as  well 
as  I  could :  however,  I  would  not  trust  to  the 
strength  of  it  any  more,  in  such  dangerous  enter- 
prises. 

About  two  or  three  days  before  I  was  set  at  lib- 
erty, as  I  was  entertaining  the  court  with  this 
kind  of  feats,  there  arrived  an  express  to  inform 
his  majesty  that  some  of  his  subjects,  riding  near 
the  place  where  I  was  first  taken  up,  had  seen  a 
great  black  substance  lying  on  the  ground,  very 
oddly  shaped,  extending  its  edges  round,  as  wide 
as  his  majesty's  bed-chamber,  and  rising  up  in  the 
middle  as  high  as  a  man  ;  that  it  was  no  living 
creature,  as  they  at  first  apprehended,  for  it  lay  on 
the  grass  without  motion,  and  some  of  them  had 
walked  round  it  several  times ;  that,  by  mounting 
upon  each  other's  shoulders,  they  had  got  to  the 
top,  which  was  flat  and  even,  and  stamping  upon 
it,  they  found  that  it  was  hollow  within  ;  that 
they  humbly  conceived  it  might  be  something  be- 
longing to  the  Man-mountain  ;  and  if  his  majesty 
pleased,  they  would  undertake  to  bring  it  with 
only  five  horses.  I  presently  knew  what  they 
meant,  and  was  glad  at  heart  to  receive  this  intel- 
ligence. It  seems,  upon  my  first  reaching  the 
shore  after  our  shipwreck,  I  was  in  such  confusion, 
that  before  I  came  to  the  place  where  I  went  to 
sleep,  my  hat,  which  I  had  fastened  with  a  string 
to  my  head  while  I  was  rowing,  and  had  stuck  on 
all  the  time  I  was  swimming,  fell  off  after  I  came 
to  land ;  the  string,  as  I  conjecture,  breaking  by 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


375 


some  accident,  which  I  had  never  observed,  but 
thought  my  hat  had  been  lost  at  sea.  I  entreated 
his  imperial  majesty  to  give  orders  it  might  be 
brought  to  me  as  soon  as  possible,  describing  to 
him  the  use  and  the  nature  of  it ;  and  the  next  day 
the  wagoners  arrived  with  it,  but  not  in  a  very 
good  condition ;  they  had  bored  two  holes  in  the 
brim,  within  an  inch  and  a  half  of  the  edge,  and 
fastened  two  hooks  iu  the  holes,  these  hooks  were 
tied  by  a  long  cord  to  the  harness,  and  thus  my 
hat  was  dragged  along  for  above  half  an  English 
mile ;  but  the  ground  in  that  country  being  ex- 
tremely smooth  and  level,  it  received  less  damage 
than  I  expected. 

Two  days  after  this  adventure,  the  emperor, 
having  ordered  that  part  of  his  army  which  quar- 
ters in  and  about  his  metropolis,  to  be  in  readi- 
ness, took  a  fancy  of  diverting  himself  in  a  singu- 
lar manner.  He  desired  that  I  would  stand  like  a 
colossus,  with  my  legs  as  far  asunder  as  I  conven- 
iently could.  He  then  commanded  his  general 
(who  was  an  old  experienced  leader,  and  a  great 
patron  of  mine)  to  draw  up  the  troops  in  close 
order,  and  inarch  them  under  me  ;  the  foot  by 
twenty-four  in  a  breast,  and  the  horse  by  sixteen, 
with  drums  beating,  colors  flying,  and  pikes  ad- 
vanced. This  body  consisted  of  three  thousand 
foot,  and  a  thousand  horse. 

I  had  sent  so  many  memorials  and  petitions  for 
my  liberty  that  his  majesty  at  length  mentioned 
the  matter,  first  in  the  cabinet,  and  then  in  a  full 
council;  where  it  was  opposed  by  none,  except 
Skyresh  Bolgolam,  who  was  pleased,  without  any 
provocation,  to  be  my  mortal  enemy.  But  it  was 
carried  against  him  by  the  whole  board,  and  con- 
firmed by  the  emperor.  That  minister  was  galbet, 
or  admiral  of  the  realm,  very  much  in  his  master's 
confidence,  and  a  person  well  versed  in  affairs,  but 
of  a  morose  and  sour  complexion.  However,  he 
was  at  length  persuaded  to  comply,  but  prevailed 
that  the  articles  and  conditions  upon  which  I 
should  be  set  free,  and  to  which  I  must  swear, 
should  be  drawn  up  by  himself.  These  articles 
were  brought  to  me  by  Skyresh  Bolgolam  in 
person,    attended   by    two    under-secretaries    and 


several  persons  of  distinction.  After  they  were 
read,  I  was  demanded  to  swear  to  the  performance 
of  them,  first,  in  the  manner  of  my  own  country, 
and  afterward  in  the  method  prescribed  by  their 
laws,  which  was,  to  hold  my  right  foot  in  my  left 
hand,  and  to  place  the  middle  finger  of  my  right 
hand  on  the  crown  of  my  head,  and  my  thumb  on 
the  tip  of  my  right  ear.  But  because  the  reader 
may  be  curious  to  have  some  idea  of  the  style  and 
manner  of  expression  peculiar  to  that  people,  as 
well  as  to  know  the  articles  upon  which  I  recov- 
ered my  liberty,  I  have  made  a  translation  of  the 
whole  instrument,  word  for  word,  as  near  as  I  was 
able,  which  I  here  offer  to  the  jmblic. 

GOLBASTO       MOMAEEM       EVLAME       GUEDILO 

Shefin  Mully  Ully  Gue,  most  mighty  em- 
peror of  Lilliput,  delight  and  terror  of  the  uni- 
verse, whose  dominions  extend  five  thousand  blus- 
trugs  (about  twelve  miles  in  circumference)  to  the 
extremities  of  the  globe  ;  monarch  of  all  mon- 
archs,  taller  than  the  sons  of  men  ;  whose  feet 
press  down  to  the  centre,  and  whose  head  strikes 
against  the  sun  ;  at  whose  nod  the  princes  of  the 
earth  shake  their  knees  ;  pleasant  as  the  spring, 
comfortable  as  the  summer,  fruitful  as  autumn, 
dreadful  as  winter.  His  most  sublime  Majesty 
proposes  to  the  Man-mountain,  lately  arrived  at 
our  celestial  dominions,  the  following  articles, 
which,  by  a  solemn  oath,  he  shall  be  obliged  to 
perform :  — 

I.  The  Man-mountain  shall  not  depart  from  our 
dominions,  without  our  license  under  our  great 
seal. 

II.  He  shall  not  presume  to  come  into  our  me- 
tropolis without  our  express  order ;  at  which  time, 
the  inhabitants  shall  have  two  hours'  warning  to 
keep  within  doors. 

III.  The  said  Man-mountain  shall  confine  his 
walks  to  our  principal  high-roads,  and  not  offer 
to  walk  or  lie  down  in  a  meadow  or  field  of 
corn. 

IV.  As  he  walks  the  said  roads,  he  shall  take 
the  utmost  care  not  to  trample  upon  the  bodies  of 
any  of  our  loving  subjects,  their  horses  or  carriages, 


376 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPVT. 


nor  take  any  of  our  subjects  into  his  hands  with- 
out their  own  consent. 

V.  If  an  express  requires  extraordinary  dis- 
patch, the  Man-mountain  shall  be  obliged  to  carry, 
in  his  pocket,  the  messenger  and  horse  a  six  days' 
journey  once  in  every  moon,  and  return  the  said 
messenger  back  (if  so  required)  safe  to  our  im- 
perial presence. 

VI.  He  shall  be  our  ally  against  our  enemies  in 
the  island  of  Blefuscu,  and  do  hie  utmost  to  de- 
stroy their  fleet,  which  is  now  preparing  to  in- 
vade us. 

VII.  That  the  same  Man-mountain  shall,  at  his 
time  of  leisure,  be  aiding  and  assisting  to  our 
workmen,  in  helping  to  raise  certain  great  stones, 
towards  covering  the  wall  of  the  principal  park, 
and  other  royal  buildings. 

VIII.  That  the  said  Man-mountain  shall  in  two 
moons'  time,  deliver  in  an  exact  survey  of  the 
circumference  of  our  dominions,  by  a  computation 
of  his  own  paces  round  the  coast. 

Lastly,  That,  upon  his  solemn  oath  to  observe 
the  above  articles,  the  said  Man-mountain  shall 
have  a  daily  allowance  of  meat  and  drink  sufficient 
for  the  support  of  1724  of  our  subjects,  with  free 
access  to  our  royal  person,  and  other  marks  of  our 
favor.  Given  at  our  palace  at  Belfaborac,  the 
twelfth  day  of  the  ninety-first  moon  of  our  reign. 

I  swore  and  subscribed  to  these  articles  with 
great  cheerfulness  and  content,  although  some  of 
them  were  not  so  honorable  as  I  could  have 
wished  ;  which  proceeded  wholly  from  the  malice 
of  Skyresh  Bolgolam,  the  high-admiral;  where- 
upon my  chains  were  immediately  unlocked,  and  I 
was  at  full  liberty.  The  emperor  himself,  in 
person,  did  me  the  honor  to  be  by  at  the  whole 
ceremony.  I  made  my  acknowledgments  by 
prostrating  myself  at  his  majesty's  feet ;  but  he 
commanded  me  to  rise  ;  and  after  many  gracious 
expressions,  which  to  avoid  the  censure  of  vanity 
I  shall  not  repeat,  he  added,  "  that  he  hoped  I 
should  prove  a  useful  servant,  and  well  deserve  all 
the  favors  he  had  already  conferred  upon  me,  or 
might  do  for  the  future." 


The  reader  may  please  to  observe,  that  in  the 
last  article  of  the  recovery  of  my  liberty,  the  em- 
peror stipulates  to  allow  me  a  quantity  of  meat 
and  drink  sufficient  for  the  support  of  1724  Lilli- 
putians. Some  time  after,  asking  a  friend  at 
court  how  they  came  to  fix  on  that  determined 
number,  he  told  me  that  his  Majesty's  mathe- 
maticians, having  taken  the  height  of  my  body 
by  the  help  of  a  quadrant,  and  finding  it  to  ex- 
ceed theirs  in  the  proportion  of  twelve  to  one, 
they  concluded  from  the  similarity  of  their  bodies, 
that  mine  must  contain  at  least  1724  of  theirs, 
and  consequently  would  require  as  much  food  as 
was  necessary  to  support  that  number  of  Lillipu- 
tians. By  which  the  reader  may  conceive  an 
idea  of  the  ingenuity  of  that  people,  as  well  as 
the  prudent  and  exact  economy  of  so  great  a 
prince. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MILDENDO,  THE  METROPOLIS  OF  LILLIPUT,  DESCRIBED, 
TOGETHER  WITH  THE  EMPEROR'S  PALACE. — A  CONVER- 
SATION BETWEEN  THE  AUTHOR  AND  A  PRINCIPAL  SEC- 
RETARY, CONCERNING  THE  AFFAIRS  OF  THAT  EMPIRE. 
—  THE  AUTHOR  OFFERS  TO  SERVE  THE  EMPEROR  IN  HIS 
WARS. 

The  first  request  I  made  after  I  had  obtained 
my  liberty  was,  that  I  might  have  license  to  see 
Mildendo,  the  metropolis  ;  which  the  emperor 
easily  granted  me,  but  with  a  special  charge  to  do 
no  hurt  either  to  the  inhabitants  or  their  houses. 
The  people  had  notice,  by  proclamation,  of  my 
design  to  visit  the  town.  The  wall,  which  com- 
passed it,  is  two  feet  and  a  half  high,  and  at  least 
eleven  inches  broad,  so  that  a  coach  and  horses 
may  be  driven  very  safely  round  it ;  and  it  is 
flanked  with  strong  towers  at  ten  feet  distance. 
I  stepped  over  the  great  western  gate,  and  passed 
very  gently  and  sidling  through  the  two  princi- 
pal streets,  only  in  my  short  waistcoat,  for  fear 
of  damaging  the  roofs  and  eaves  of  the  houses  with 
the  skirts  of  my  coat.  I  walked  with  the  utmost 
circumspection,  to  avoid  treading  on  any  strag- 
glers who  might  remain  on  the  streets ;  although 
the  orders  were  very  strict,  that  all  the  people 
should   keep   in  their  houses  at  their  own  peril 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


377 


The  garret  windows  and  tops  of  houses  were  so 
crowded  with  spectators,  that  I  thought  in  all  my 
travels  I  had  not  seen  a  more  populous  place. 
The  city  is  an  exact  square,  each  side  of  the  wall 
being  five  hundred  feet  long.  The  two  great 
streets,  which  run  across  and  divide  it  into  four 
quarters,  are  five  feet  wide.  The  lanes  and  alleys, 
■which  I  could  not  enter,  but  viewed  them  as  I 
passed,  are  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches.  The 
town  is  capable  of  holding  five  hundred  thousand 
souls  :  the  houses  are  from  three  to  five  stories  : 
the  shops  and  markets  well  provided. 

The  emperor's  palace  is  in  the  centre  of  the 
city,  where  the  two  great  streets  meet.  It  is  in- 
closed by  a  wall  of  two  feet  high,  and  twenty  feet 
distance  from  the  buildings.  I  had  his  majesty's 
permission  to  step  over  this  wall ;  and  the  space 
being  so  wide  between  that  and  the  palace,  I 
could  easily  view  it  on  every  side.  The  outward 
court  is  a  square  of  forty  feet,  and  includes  two 
other  courts  ;  in  the  inmost  are  the  royal  apart- 
ments, which  I  was  very  desirous  to  see,  but  found 
it  extremely  difficult ;  for  the  great  gates,  from 
one  square  into  another,  were  but  eighteen  inches 
high  and  seven  inches  wide.  Now  the  buildings 
of  the  outer  court  were  at  least  five  feet  high,  and 
it  was  impossible  for  me  to  stride  over  them  with- 
out infinite  damage  to  the  pile,  though  the  walls 
were  strongly  built  of  hewn  stone,  and  four  inches 
thick.  At  the  same  time  the  emperor  had  a  great 
desire  that  I  should  see  the  magnificence  of  his  pal- 
ace ;  but  this  I  was  not  able  to  do  till  three  days 
after,  which  I  spent  in  cutting  down  with  my 
knife  some  of  the  largest  trees  in  the  royal  park, 
about  a  hundred  yards  distance  from  the  city. 
Of  these  trees  I  made  two  stools,  each  about  three 
feet  high,  and  strong  enough  to  bear  my  weight. 
The  people  having  received  notice  a  second  time, 
I  went  again  through  the  city  to  the  palace  with 
my  two  stools  in  my  hands.  When  I  came  to  the 
side  of  the  outer  court,  I  stood  upon  one  stool  and 
took  the  other  in  my  hand  ;  this  I  lifted  over  the 
roof,  and  gently  set  it  down  on  the  space  between 
the  first  and  second  court,  which  was  eight  feet 
wide,     I  then  stepped  over  the  building  very  con- 

48 


veniently  from  one  stool  to  the  other,  and  drew 
up  the  first  after  me  with  a  hooked  stick.  By 
this  contrivance  I  got  into  the  inmost  court  j 
and,  lying  down  upon  my  side,  I  applied  my  face* 
to  the  windows  of  the  middle  stories,  which  wera 
left  open  on  purpose,  and  discovered  the  most 
splendid  apartments  that  can  be  imagined. 

There  I  saw  the  empress  and  the  young  princes, 
in  their  several  lodgings,  with  their  chief  attend- 
ants about  them.  Her  imperial  majesty  was 
pleased  to  smile  very  graciously  upon  me,  and  gave 
me  out  of  the  window  her  hand  to  kiss. 

But  I  shall  not  anticipate  the  reader  with  further 
descriptions  of  this  kind,  because  I  reserve  them 
for  a  greater  work,  which  is  now  almost  ready  for 
the  press  ;  containing  a  general  description  of  this 
empire,  from  its  first  erection,  through  a  long  se- 
ries of  princes  ;  with  a  particular  account  of  their 
wars  and  politics,  laws,  learning  and  religion ; 
their  plants  and  animals  ;  their  peculiar  manners 
and  customs,  with  other  matters  very  curious  and 
useful ;  my  chief  design  at  present  being  only  to 
relate  such  events  and  transactions  as  happened 
to  the  public  or  to  myself  during  a  residence  of 
about  nine  months  in  that  empire. 

One  morning,  about  a  fortnight  after  I  had  ob- 
tained my  liberty,  Reldresal,  principal  secretary 
(as  they  style  him)  for  private  affairs,  came  to 
my  house  attended  only  by  one  servant.  He  or- 
dered his  coach  to  wait  at  a  distance,  and  desired 
I  would  give  him  an  hour's  audience  ;  which  I 
readily  consented  to,  on  account  of  his  quality 
and  personal  merits,  as  well  as  of  the  many  good 
offices  he  had  done  me  during  my  solicitations  at 
court.  I  offered  to  lie  down  that  he  might  the 
more  conveniently  reach  my  ear  ;  but  he  chose 
rather  to  let  me  hold  him  in  my  band  during  our 
conversation.  He  began  with  compliments  on  my 
liberty ;  said  "  he  might  pretend  to  some  merit 
in  it;  "  but  however  added,  "that  if  it  had  not 
been  for  the  present  situation  of  things  at  court, 
perhaps  I  might  not  have  obtained  it  so  soon. 
For,"  said  he,  "  as  flourishing  a  condition  as  we 
may  appear  to  be  in  to  foreigners,  we  labor  under 
two  mighty  evils ;  a  violent  faction   at  home,  and 


378 


A    VOYAGE  TO  LILLIPUT. 


the  danger  of  an  invasion,  by  a  most  potent 
enemy,  from  abroad.  As  to  the  first,  you  are  to 
understand,  that  for  above  seventy  moons  past 
there  have  been  two  struggling  parties  in  this  em- 
pire, under  the  names  of  Tramecksan  and  Slameck- 
$an,  from  the  high  and  low  heels  of  their  shoes, 
by  which  they  distinguish  themselves.  It  is  al- 
leged, indeed,  that  the  high-heels  are  most  agree- 
able to  our  ancient  constitution  ;  but,  however  this 
be,  his  majesty  has  determined  to  make  use  only 
of  low  heels  in  the  administration  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  all  offices  in  the  gift  of  the  crown,  as 
you  cannot  but  observe  :  and  particularly  that  his 
majesty's  imperial  heels  are  lower  at  least  by  a 
drurr  than  any  of  his  court  (drurr  is  a  measure 
about  the  fourteenth  part  of  an  inch).  The  ani- 
mosities between  these  two  parties  run  so  high, 
that  they  will  neither  eat  nor  drink  nor  talk  with 
each  other.  We  compute  the  Tramecksan,  or 
high  heels,  to  exceed  us  in  number ;  but  the  power 
is  wholly  on  our  side.  We  apprehend  his  impe- 
rial highness,  the  heir  to  the  crown,  to  have  some 
tendency  towards  the  high  heels  ;  at  least,  we  can 
plainly  discover  that  one  of  his  heels  is  higher 
than  the  other,  which  gives  him  a  hobble  in  his 
gait.  Now,  in  the  midst  of  these  intestine  dis- 
quiets, we  are  threatened  with  an  invasion  from 
the  island  of  Blefuscu,  which  is  the  other  great 
empire  of  the  universe,  almost  as  large  and  power- 
ful as  this  of  his  majesty.  For  as  to  what  we  have 
heard  you  affirm,  that  there  are  other  kingdoms 
and  states  in  the  world  inhabited  by  human  creat- 
ures as  large  as  yourself,  our  philosophers  are  in 
much  doubt,  and  would  rather  conjecture  that  you 
dropped  from  the  moon,  or  one  of  the  stars  ;  be- 
cause it  is  certain  that  a  hundred  mortals  of  your 
bulk  would  in  a  short  time  destroy  all  the  fruits 
and  cattle  of  his  majesty's  dominions  :  besides,  our 
histories  of  six  thousand  moons  make  no  mention 
of  any  other  regions  than  the  two  great  empires 
of  Lilliput  and  Blefuscu.  Which  two  mighty 
powers  have,  as  I  was  going  to  tell  you,  been  en- 
gaged in  a  most  obstinate  war  for  six-and-thirty 
moons  past.  It  began  upon  the  following  occa- 
sion :  it  is  allowed  on  all  hands,  that  the  primi- 


tive way  of  breaking  eggs,  before  we  eat  them, 
was  upon  the  larger  end ;  but  his  present  maj- 
esty's grandfather,  while  he  was  a  boy,  going  to 
eat  an  egg,  and  breaking  it  according  to  the  an- 
cient practice,  happened  to  cut  one  of  his  fingers , 
whereupon  the  emperor,  his  father,  published  an 
edict,  commanding  all  his  subjects,  upon  great 
penalties,  to  break  the  smaller  ends  of  their  eggs. 
The  people  so  highly  resented  this  law,  that  our 
histories  tell  us  there  have  been  six  rebellions 
raised  on  that  account ;  wherein  one  emperor  lost 
his  life,  and  another  his  crown.  These  civil  com- 
motions were  constantly  fomented  by  the  mon- 
archs  of  Blefuscu  ;  and  when  they  were  quelled, 
the  exiles  alwa}*s  fled  for  refuge  to  that  empire. 
It  is  computed  that  eleven  thousand  persons  have 
at  several  times  suffered  death  rather  than  sub- 
mit to  break  their  eggs  at  the  smaller  end.  Many 
hundred  large  volumes  have  been  published  upon 
this  controversy  ;  but  the  books  of  the  Big-endians 
have  been  long  forbidden,  and  the  whole  party 
rendered  incapable  by  law  of  holding  employ- 
ments. During  the  course  of  these  troubles,  the 
emperors  of  Blefuscu  did  frequently  expostulate 
by  their  ambassadors,  accusing  us  of  making  a 
schism  in  religion  by  offending  against  a  funda- 
mental doctrine  of  our  great  prophet  Lustrog,  in 
the  fifty-fourth  chapter  of  the  Blundecral,  which 
is  their  Alcoran.  This,  however,  is  thought  to 
be  a  mere  strain  upon  the  text ;  for  the  words  are 
these :  that  all  true  believers  break  their  eggs  at 
the  convenient  end  ;  and  which  is  the  convenient 
end  seems,  in  my  humble  opinion,  to  be  left  to 
every  man's  conscience,  or  at  least  in  the  power 
of  the  chief  magistrate  to  determine. 

"  Now,  the  Big-endian  exiles  have  found  so 
much  credit  in  the  emperor  of  Blefuscu's  court, 
and  so  much  private  assistance  and  encouragement 
from  their  party  here  at  home,  that  a  bloody  war 
has  been  carried  on  between  the  two  empires  for 
six-and-thirty  moons,  with  various  success  ;  dur- 
ing which  time  we  have  lost  forty  capital  ships, 
and  a  much  greater  number  of  smaller  vessels, 
together  with  thirty  thousand  of  our  best  seamen 
and   soldiers  ;  and   the   damage   received   by  the 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


379 


enemy  is  reckoned  to  be  somewhat  greater  than 
ours.  However,  they  have  now  equipped  a  nu- 
merous fleet,  and  are  just  preparing  to  make  a  de- 
scent upon  us ;  and  his  imperial  majesty,  placing 
great  confidence  in  your  valor  and  strength,  has 
commanded  me  to  lay  this  account  of  his  affairs 
before  you." 

I  desired  the  secretary  to  present  my  humble 
duty  to  the  emperor  ;  and  to  let  him  know  "  that 
I  thought  it  would  not  become  me,  who  was  a 
foreigner,  to  interfere  with  parties ;  but  I  was 
ready,  with  the  hazard  of  my  life,  to  defend  his 
person  and  state  against  all  invaders." 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  AUTHOR,  BY  AN  EXTRAORDINARY  STRATAGEM,  PRE- 
VENTS AN  INVASION.  —  A  HIGH  TITLE  OF  HONOR  IS 
CONFERRED  UPON  IIIM. — AMBASSADORS  ARRIVE  FROM 
THE    EMPEROR    OF    BLEFUSCU,   AND    SUE    FOR    PEACE. 

The  empire  of  Blefuscu  is  an  island  situated  to 
the  northeast  of  Lilliput,  from  which  it  is  parted 
only  by  a  channel  of  eight  hundred  yards  wide. 
I  had  not  yet  seen  it,  and  upon  this  notice  of  an 
intended  invasion,  I  avoided  appearing  on  that 
side  of  the  coast,  for  fear  of  being  discovered  by 
some  of  the  enemy's  ships,  who  had  received  no  in- 
telligence of  me ;  all  intercourse  between  the  two 
empires  having  been  strictly  forbidden  during  the 
war,  upon  pain  of  death,  and  an  embargo  laid  by 
our  emperor  upon  all  vessels  whatsoever.  I  com- 
municated to  his  majesty  a  project  I  had  formed 
of  seizing  the  enemy's  whole  fleet ;  which,  as  our 
scouts  assured  us,  lay  at  anchor  in  the  harbor, 
ready  to  sail  with  the  first  fair  wind.  I  consulted 
the  most  experienced  seamen  upon  the  depth  of 
the  channel,  which  they  had  often  plumbed  ;  who 
told  me,  that  in  the  middle,  at  high  water,  it  was 
seventy  glumgluffs  deep,  which  is  about  six  feet  of 
European  measure  ;  and  the  rest  of  it  fifty  glum- 
gluffs at  most.  I  walked  towards  the  northeast 
coast,  over  against  Blefuscu  ;  where,  tying  down 
behind  a  hillock,  I  took  out  my  small  perspective 
glass,  and  viewed  the  enemy's  fleet  at  anchor,  con- 
sisting of  about  fifty  men-of-war,  and  a  great  num- 


ber of  transports :  I  then  came  back  to  my  house, 
and  gave  orders  (for  which  I  had  a  warrant)  for 
a  great  quantity  of  the  strongest  cable  and  bars  of 
iron.  The  cable  was  about  as  thick  as  packthread, 
and  the  bars  of  the  length  and  size  of  a  knitting- 
needle.  I  trebled  the  cable  to  make  it  stronger, 
and  for  the  same  reason,  I  twisted  three  of  the  iron 
bars  together,  bending  the  extremities  into  a  hook. 
Having  thus  fixed  fifty  hooks  to  as  many  cables,  I 
went  back  to  the  northeast  coast,  and  putting  off 
my  coat,  shoes,  and  stockings,  walked  into  the  sea 
in  my  leathern  jerkin,  about  half  an  hour  before 
high  water.  I  waded  with  what  haste  I  could, 
and  swam  in  the  middle  about  thirty  yards,  till  I 
felt  ground.  I  arrived  at  the  fleet  in  less  than  half 
an  hour.  The  enemy  were  so  frighted  when  they 
saw  me,  that  they  leaped  out  of  their  ships,  and 
swam  to  shore,  where  there  could  not  be  fewer 
than  thirty  thousand  souls :  I  then  took  my  tack- 
ling, and  fastening  a  hook  to  the  hole  at  the  prow 
of  each,  I  tied  all  the  cords  together  at  the  end. 
While  I  was  thus  employed,  the  enemy  discharged 
several  thousand  arrows,  many  of  which  stuck  in 
my  hands  and  face ;  and,  besides  the  excessive 
smart,  gave  me  much  disturbance  in  my  work. 
My  greatest  apprehension  was  for  mine  eyes, 
which  I  should  have  infallibly  lost,  if  I  had  not 
suddenly  thought  of  an  expedient.  I  kept,  among 
other  little  necessaries,  a  pair  of  spectacles  in  a 
private  pocket,  which,  as  I  observed  before,  had 
escaped  the  emperor's  searchers.  These  I  took 
out  and  fastened  as  strongly  as  I  could  upon  my 
nose,  and  thus  armed,  went  on  boldly  with  my 
work,  in  spite  of  the  enemy's  arrows,  many  of 
which  struck  against  the  glasses  of  my  spectacles, 
but  without  any  other  effect,  farther  than  a  little 
to  discompose  them.  I  had  now  fastened  all  the 
hooks,  and  taking  the  knot  in  my  hand,  began  to 
pull ;  but  not  a  ship  would  stir,  for  they  were  all 
too  fast  held  by  their  anchors,  so  that  the  boldest 
part  of  my  enterprise  remained.  I  therefore  let  go 
the  cord,  and  leaving  the  hooks  fixed  to  the  ships, 
I  resolutely  cut  with  my  knife  the  cables  that  fast- 
ened the  anchors,  receiving  about  two  hundred 
arrows  in  my  face  and  hands  :  then  I  took  up  the 


380 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


knotted  end  of  the  cables,  to  which  my  hooks  were 
tied,  and  with  great  ease  drew  fifty  of  the  enemy's 
largest  men-of-war  after  me. 

The  Blefuscudians,  who  had  not  the  least  imag- 
ination of  what  I  intended,  were  at  first  con- 
founded with  aston- 
ishment. They  had 
seen  me  cut  the  ca- 
bles, and  thought 
my  design  was  only 
to  let  the  ships  run 
adrift,  or  fall  foul 
on  each  other  ;  but 
when  they  perceived 
the  whole  fleet  mov- 
ing in  order,  and 
saw  me  pulling  at 
the  end,  they  set  up 
such  a  scream  of 
grief  and  despair  as 
it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  describe  or 
conceive.  When  I 
had  got  out  of  dan- 
ger,  I  stopped 
a  while  to  pick  out 
the  arrows  that 
stuck  in  my  hands 
and  face;  and 
rubbed  on  some  of 
the  same  ointment 
that  was  given  me 
at  my  first  arrival, 
as  I  have  formerly 
mentioned.  I  then 
took  off  my  specta- 
cles,  and  waiting 
about  an  hour  till 
the  tide  was  a  little 
fallen,  I  waded 
through  the  middle  with  my  cargo,  and  arrived 
safe  at  the  royal  port  of  Lilliput. 

The  emperor  and  his  whole  court  stood  on  the 
shore,  expecting  the  issue  of  this  great  adventure. 
They  saw  the  ships  move  forward  in  a  large  half- 


moon,  but  could  not  discern  me,  who  was  up  to 
my  breast  in  water.  When  I  advanced  to  the 
middle  of  the  channel,  they  were  yet  more  in  pain, 
because  I  was  under  water  to  my  neck.  The  em- 
peror concluded  me  to  be  drowned,  and  that  the 

enemy's  fleet  was 
approaching  in  a 
hostile  manner :  but 
he  was  soon  eased 
of  his  fears  ;  for  the 
channel  growing 
shallower  every  step 
I  made,  I  came  in 
a  short  time  within 
hearing,  and  hold- 
ing up  the  end  of 
the  cable,  by  which 
the  fleet  was  fast- 
ened, I  cried  in  a 
loud  voice,  "  Long 
live  the  most  puis- 
sant king  of  Lilli- 
put !  "  This  great 
prince  received  me 
at  my  landing  with 
all  possible  encomi- 
ums, and  created  me 
a  nardac  upon  the 
spot,  which  is  the 
highest  title  of  hon- 
or among  them. 

His  majesty  de- 
sired I  would  take 
some  other  oppor- 
tunity of  bringing 
all  the  rest  of  his 
enemy's  ships  into 
his  ports.  And  so 
unmeasurable  is  the 
ambition  of  princes, 
that  he  seemed  to  think  of  nothing  less  than  re- 
ducing the  whole  empire  of  Blefuscu  into  a  prov- 
ince, and  governing  it  by  a  viceroy ;  of  destroying 
the  Big-endian  exiles,  and  compelling  that  people 
to  break  the  smaller  end  of  their  eggs,  by  which  he 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


381 


would  remain  the  sole  monarch  of  the  whole  world. 
But  I  endeavored  to  divert  him  from  this  design, 
by  many  arguments  drawn  from  the  topics  of 
policy  as  well  as  justice  ;  and  I  plainly  protested 
"  that  I  would  never  be  an  instrument  of  bringing 
a  free  and  brave  people  into  slavery^ ;  "  and  when 
the  matter  was  debated  in  council,  the  wisest  part 
of  the  ministry  were  of  my  opinion. 

This  open,  bold  declaration  of  mine  was  so  op- 
posite to  the  schemes  and  politics  of  his  imperial 
majesty,  that  he  could  never  forgive  me.  He 
mentioned  it  in  a  very  artful  manner  at  council, 
where  I  was  told  that  some  of  the  wisest  appeared 
at  least,  by  their  silence,  to  be  of  my  opinion  ;  but 
others,  who  were  my  secret  enemies,  could  not 
forbear  some  expressions  which  by  a  side  wind  re- 
flected on  me ;  and  from  this  time  began  an  in- 
trigue between  his  majesty,  and  a  junto  of  minis- 
ters, maliciously  bent  against  me,  which  broke  out 
in  less  than  two  months,  and  had  like  to  have 
ended  in  my  utter  destimction.  Of  so  little  weight 
are  the  greatest  services  to  princes,  when  put  into 
the  balance  with  a  refusal  to  gratify  their  pas- 
sions. 

About  three  weeks  after  this  exploit  there  ar- 
rived a  solemn  embassy  from  Blefuscu,  with  hum- 
ble offei-s  of  a  peace  ;  which  was  soon  concluded, 
upon  conditions  very  advantageous  to  our  emperor, 
wherewith  I  shall  not  trouble  the  reader.  There 
were  six  ambassadors  with  a  train  of  about  five 
hundred  persons  ;  and  their  entry  was  very  mag- 
nificent, suitable  to  the  grandeur  of  their  master 
and  the  importance  of  their  business.  When  their 
treaty  was  finished,  wherein  I  did  them  several 
good  offices  by  the  credit  I  now  had,  or  at  least 
appeared  to  have,  at  court,  their  excellencies,  who 
were  privately  told  how  much  I  had  been  their 
friend,  made  me  a  visit  in  form.  They  began 
with  many  compliments  upon  my  valor  and  gen- 
erosity, invited  me  to  that  kingdom  in  the  em- 
peror their  master's  name,  and  desired  me  to  show 
them  some  proof  of  my  prodigious  strength,  of 
which  they  had  heard  so  many  wonders  ;  wherein 
I  readily  obliged  them,  but  shall  not  trouble  the 
reader  with  the  particulars. 


When  I  had  for  some  time  entertained  their 
excellencies,  to  their  infinite  satisfaction  and  sur- 
prise, I  desired  they  would  do  me  the  honor  to 
present  my  most  humble  respects  to  the  emperor 
their  master,  the  renown  of  whose  virtues  had  so 
justly  filled  the  whole  world  with  admiration, 
and  whose  royal  person  I  resolved  to  attend  before 
I  returned  to  my  own  country.  Accordingly,  the 
next  time  I  had  the  honor  to  see  our  emperor,  I 
desired  his  general  license  to  wait  on  the  Blefus- 
cudian  monarch,  which  he  was  pleased  to  grant 
me,  as  I  could  perceive,  in  a  very  cold  manner; 
but  could  not  guess  the  reason,  till  I  had  a  whisper 
from  a  certain  person,  "  that  Flimnap  and  Bolgo- 
lam  had  represented  my  intercourse  with  those 
ambassadors  as  a  mark  of  disaffection ;  "  from 
which  I  am  sure  my  heart  was  wholly  free.  And 
this  was  the  first  time  I  began  to  conceive  some 
imperfect  idea  of  courts  and  ministers. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  that  these  ambassadors 
spoke  to  me  by  an  interpreter,  the  languages  of 
both  empires  differing  as  much  from  each  other 
as  any  two  in  Europe,  and  each  nation  priding 
itself  upon  the  antiquity,  beauty,  and  energy  of 
their  own  tongues,  with  an  avowed  contempt  for 
that  of  their  neighbor  :  yet  our  emperor,  standing 
upon  the  advantage  he  had  got  by  the  seizure  of 
their  fleet,  obliged  them  to  deliver  their  creden- 
tials, and  make  their  speech,  in  the  Lilliputian 
tongue.  And  it  must  be  confessed,  that  from  the 
great  intercourse  of  trade  and  commerce  between 
both  realms,  from  the  continual  reception  of  exiles 
which  is  mutual  among  them,  and  from  the  cus- 
tom, in  each  empire,  to  send  their  young  nobility 
and  richer  gentry  to  the  other,  in  order  to  polish 
themselves  by  seeing  the  world,  and  understand- 
ing men  and  manners ;  there  are  few  persons  of 
distinction,  or  merchants,  or  seamen,  who  dwell 
in  the  maritime  parts,  but  what  can  hold  conver- 
sation in  both  tongues  ;  as  I  found  some  weeks 
after,  when  I  went  to  pay  my  respects  to  the  em- 
peror of  Blefuscu,  which,  in  the  midst  of  great 
misfortunes,  through  the  malice  of  my  enemies, 
proved  a  very  happy  adventui-e  to  me,  as  I  shall 
relate  in  its  proper  place. 


382 


A    VOYAGE   TO  L1LLIPUT. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OF  THE  INHABITANTS  OF  LILLIPUT  ;  THEIR  LEARNING, 
LAWS,  AND  CUSTOMS;  THE  MANNER  OF  EDUCATING 
THEIR  CHILDREN.  —  THE  AUTHOR'S  WAY  OF  LIVING 
IN    THAT    COUNTRY. 

Although  I  intend  to  leave  the  description  of 
this  empire  to  a  particular  treatise,  yet,  in  the 
mean  time,  I  am  content  to  gratify  the  curious 
reader  with  some  general  ideas.  As  the  common 
size  of  the  natives  is  somewhat  under  six  inches 
high,  so  there  is  an  exact  proportion  in  all  other 
animals,  as  well  as  plants  and  trees  :  for  instance, 
the  tallest  horses  and  oxen  are  between  four  and 
five  inches  in  height,  the  sheep  an  inch  and  a  half, 
more  or  less  ;  their  geese  about  the  bigness  of  a 
sparrow,  and  so  the  several  gradations  downwards, 
till  you  come  to  the  smallest,  which  to  my  sight 
were  almost  invisible ;  but  nature  has  adapted 
the  eyes  of  the  Lilliputians  to  all  objects  proper 
for  their  view;  they  see  with  great  exactness, 
but  at  no  great  distance.  And  to  show  the  sharp- 
ness of  their  sight  towards  objects  that  are  near, 
I  have  been  much  pleased  with  observing  a  cook 
pulling  a  lark,  which  was  not  so  large  as  a  com- 
mon fly  ;  and  a  young  girl  threading  an  invisible 
needle  with  invisible  silk. 

Their  tallest  trees  are  about  seven  feet  high  :  I 
mean  some  of  those  in  the  great  royal  park,  the 
tops  whereof  I  could  but  just  reach  with  my  fist 
clinched.  The  other  vegetables  are  in  the  same 
proportion  ;  but  this  I  leave  to  the  reader's  imag- 
ination. 

I  shall  say  but  little  at  present  of  their  learning, 
which  for  many  ages  has  flourished  in  all  its 
branches  among  them  ;  but  their  manner  of  writ- 
ing is  very  peculiar,  being  neither  from  the  left  to 
the  right,  like  the  Europeans  ;  nor  from  the  right 
to  the  left,  like  the  Arabians  ;  nor  from  up  to 
down,  like  the  Chinese  ;  but  aslant,  from  one  cor- 
ner of  the  paper  to  the  other,  like  ladies  in  Eng- 
land. 

They  bury  their  dead  with  their  heads  directly 
downward,  because  they  hold  an  opinion  that  in 
eleven  thousand  moons  they  are  all  to  rise  again  ; 
in  which  period  the  earth  (which  they  conceive  to 


be  flat)  will  turn  upside  down,  and  by  this  means 
they  shall,  at  their  resurrection,  be  found  ready 
standing  on  their  feet.  The  learned  among  them 
confess  the  absurdity  of  this  doctrine ;  but  the 
practice  still  continues,  in  compliance  to  the  vul- 
gar. 

There  are  some  laws  and  customs  in  this  empire 
very  peculiar ;  and  if  they  were  not  so  directly 
contrary  to  those  of  my  own  dear  country,  I  should 
be  tempted  to  say  a  little  in  their  justification.  It 
is  only  to  be  wished  they  were  as  well  executed. 
The  first  I  shall  mention,  relates  to  informers. 
All  crimes  against  the  state  are  punished  here 
with  the  utmost  severity  ;  but  if  the  person  ac- 
cused makes  his  innocence  plainly  to  appear  upon 
bis  trial,  the  accuser  is  immediately  put  to  an 
ignominious  death  ;  and  out  of  his  goods  or  lands 
the  innocent  person  is  quadruply  recompensed  for 
the  loss  of  his  time,  for  the  danger  he  underwent, 
for  the  hardship  of  his  imprisonment,  and  for  all 
the  charges  he  has  been  at  of  making  his  defense  ; 
or,  if  that  fund  be  deficient,  it  is  largely  supplied 
by  the  crown.  The  emperor  also  confers  on  him 
some  public  mark  of  his  favor,  and  proclamation  is 
made  of  his  innocence  through  the  whole  city. 

They  look  upon  fraud  as  a  greater  crime  than 
theft,  and  therefore  seldom  fail  to  punish  it  with 
death  ;  for  they  allege  that  care  and  vigilance, 
with  a  very  common  understanding,  may  preserve 
a  man's  goods  from  thieves,  but  honesty  has  no 
fence  against  superior  cunning ;  and  since  it  is 
necessary  that  there  should  be  a  perpetual  inter- 
course of  buying  and  selling,  and  dealing  upon 
credit,  where  fraud  is  permitted  and  connived  at, 
or  has  no  law  to  punish  it,  the  honest  dealer  is  al- 
ways undone,  and  the  knave  gets  the  advantage.  I 
remember,  when  I  was  once  interceding  with  the 
king  for  a  criminal  who  had  wronged  his  master 
of  a  great  sum  of  money,  which  he  had  received 
by  order,  and  ran  away  with  ;  and  happening  to 
tell  his  majesty  by  way  of  extenuation,  that  it  was 
only  a  breach  of  trust,  the  emperor  thought  it- 
monstrous  in  me  to  offer  as  a  defense  the  greatest 
aggravation  of  the  crime  ;  and  truly  I  had  little 
to  say  in  return,  further  than  the  common  answer, 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILL1PUT. 


383 


that  different  nations  had  different  customs ;  for, 
I  confess  I  was  heartily  ashamed. 

Although  we  usually  call  reward  and  punish- 
ment the  two  hinges  upon  which  all  government 
turns,  yet  I  could  never  observe  this  maxim  to  be 
put  in  practice  by  any  nation,  except  that  of 
Lilliput.  Whoever  can  there  bring  sufficient  proof 
that  he  has  strictly  observed  the  laws  of  his  coun- 
try for  seventy-three  moons,  has  a  claim  to  certain 
privileges,  according  to  his  quality  and  condition 
of  life,  with  a  proportionable  sum  of  money  out  of 
a  fund  appropriated  for  that  use :  he  likewise  ac- 
quires the  title  of  snilpall,  or  legal,  which  is  added 
to  his  name,  but  does  not  descend  to  his  posterity. 
And  these  people  thought  it  a  prodigious  defect  of 
policy  among  us,  when  I  told  them  that  our  laws 
were  enforced  only  by  penalties,  without  any  men- 
tion of  reward.  It  is  upon  this  account  that  the 
image  of  Justice,  in  their  courts  of  judicature,  is 
formed  with  six  eyes,  two  before,  as  many  behind, 
and  on  each  side  one,  to  signify  circumspection  ; 
with  a  bag  of  gold  open  in  her  right  hand,  and  a 
sword  sheathed  in  her  left,  to  show  she  is  more 
disposed  to  reward  than  to  punish. 

In  choosing  persons  for  all  employments,  they 
have  more  regard  to  good  morals  than  to  great 
abilities ;  for,  since  government  is  necessary  to 
mankind,  they  believe  that  the  common  size  of 
human  understanding  is  fitted  to  some  station  or 
other ;  and  that  Providence  never  intended  to  make 
the  management  of  public  affairs  a  mystery  to  be 
comprehended  only  by  a  few  persons  of  sublime 
genius,  of  which  there  seldom  are  three  born  in  an 
age  :  but  they  suppose  truth,  justice,  temperance, 
and  the  like,  to  be  in  every  man's  power  ;  the 
practice  of  which  virtues,  assisted  by  experience 
and  a  good  intention,  would  qualify  any  man  for 
the  service  of  his  country,  except  where  a  course 
of  study  is  required.  But  they  thought  the  want 
of  moral  virtues  was  so  far  from  being  supplied  by 
superior  endowments  of  the  mind,  that  employ- 
ments could  never  be  put  into  such  dangerous 
hands  as  those  of  persons  so  qualified ;  and  at 
least,  that  the  mistakes  committed  by  ignorance, 
in  a  virtuous  disposition,  would  never  be  of  such. 


fatal  consequence  to  the  public  weal  as  the  prac- 
tice of  a  man  whose  inclinations  led  him  to  be  cor- 
rupt, and  who  had  great  abilities  to  manage,  to 
multiply,  and  defend  his  corruptions. 

In  like  manner,  the  disbelief  of  a  Divine  Prov- 
idence renders  a  man  incapable  of  holding  any 
public  station  ;  for  since  kings  avow  themselves 
to  be  the  deputies  of  Providence,  the  Lilliputians 
think  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  for  a 
prince  to  employ  such  men  as  disown  the  author- 
ity under  which  he  acts. 

In  relating  these  and  the  following  laws,  I  would 
only  be  understood  to  mean  the  original  institu- 
tions, and  not  the  most  scandalous  corruptions 
into  which  these  people  are  fallen  by  the  degen- 
erate nature  of  man.  For,  as  to  that  infamous 
practice  of  acquiring  great  employments  by  danc- 
ing on  the  ropes,  or  badges  of  favor  and  distinc- 
tion by  leaping  over  sticks  and  creeping  under 
them,  the  reader  is  to  observe  that  they  were  first 
introduced  by  the  grandfather  of  the  emperor  now 
reigning,  and  grew  to  the  present  height  by  the 
gradual  increase  of  party  and  faction. 

Ingratitude  is  among  them  a  capital  crime,  as 
we  read  it  to  have  been  in  some  other  countries  ; 
for  they  reason  thus:  that  whoever  makes  ill  re- 
turns to  his  benefactor  must  needs  be  a  common 
enemy  to  the  rest  of  mankind,  from  whom  he  has 
received  no  obligation,  and  therefore  such  a  man 
is  not  fit  to  live. 

Their  notions  relating  to  the  duties  of  parents 
and  children  differ  extremely  from  ours.  For  since 
the  conjunction  of  male  and  female  is  founded 
upon  the  great  law  of  nature,  in  order  to  propa- 
gate and  continue  the  species,  the  Lilliputians  will 
needs  have  it,  that  men  and  women  are  joined 
together  like  other  animals,  by  the  motives  of 
natural  instincts ;  and  that  their  tenderness  to- 
wards their  young  proceeds  from  the  like  natural 
principle  :  for  which  reason,  they  will  never  allow 
that  a  child  is  under  any  obligation  to  his  father 
for  begetting  him,  or  to  his  mother  for  bringing 
him  into  the  world :  which,  considering  the  mis- 
eries of  human  life,  was  neither  a  benefit  in  itself 
nor  intended  so  by  his  parents,  whose  thoughts, 


384 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


in  their  love  encounters,  were  otherwise  employed. 
Upon  these,  and  the  like  reasonings,  their  opinion 
is,  that  parents  are  the  last  of  all  others  to  be 
trusted  with  the  education  of  their  own  children ; 
and  therefore  they  have  in  every  town  public  nur- 
series, where  all  parents,  except  cottagers  and  la- 
borers, are  obliged  to  send  their  infants  of  both 
sexes  to  be  reared  and  educated,  when  they  come 
to  the  age  of  twenty  moons,  at  which  time  they 
are  supposed  to  have  some  rudiments  of  docility. 
These  schools  are  of  several  kinds,  suited  to  dif- 
ferent qualities  and  to  both  sexes.  They  have 
certain  professors  well  skilled  in  preparing  chil- 
dren for  such  a  condition  of  life  as  befits  the  rank 
of  their  parents,  and  their  own  capacities  as  well 
as  inclinations.  I  shall  first  say  something  of  the 
male  nurseries,  and  then  of  the  female. 

The  nurseries  for  males  of  noble  or  eminent 
birth  are  provided  with  grave  and  learned  pro- 
fessors and  their  several  deputies.  The  clothes 
and  food  of  the  children  are  plain  and  simple. 
They  are  bred  up  in  the  principles  of  honor,  jus- 
tice, courage,  modesty,  clemency,  religion,  and 
love  of  their  country ;  they  are  always  employed 
in  some  business,  except  in  the  times  of  eating 
and  sleeping,  which  are  very  short,  and  two  hours 
for  diversions,  consisting  of  bodily  exercises.  They 
are  dressed  by  men  till  four  years  of  age,  and 
then  are  obliged  to  dress  themselves,  although 
their  quality  be  ever  so  great;  and  the  women 
attendants,  who  are  aged  proportionably  to  ours 
at  fifty,  perform  only  the  most  menial  offices. 
They  are  never  suffered  to  converse  with  servants, 
but  go  together,  in  smaller  or  greater  numbers,  to 
take  their  diversions,  and  always  in  the  presence 
of  a  professor  or  one  of  his  deputies ;  whereby 
they  avoid  those  early  bad  impressions  of  folly 
and  vice  to  which  our  children  are  subject.  Their 
parents  are  suffered  to  see  them  only  twice  a 
year  ;  the  visit  is  to  last  but  an  hour  ;  they  are  al- 
lowed to  kiss  the  child  at  meeting  and  parting ; 
but  a  professor,  who  always  stands  by  on  those 
occasions,  will  not  suffer  them  to  whisper,  or  use 
any  fondling  expressions,  or  bring  any  presents 
of  toys,  sweetmeats,  and  the  like. 


The  pension  from  each  family  for  the  education 
and  entertainment  of  a  child,  upon  failure  of  due 
payment,  is  levied  by  the  emperor's  officers. 

The  nurseries  for  children  of  ordinary  gen- 
tlemen, merchants,  traders,  and  handicrafts  are 
managed  proportionably  after  the  same  manner ; 
only  those  designed  for  trades  are  put  out  appren- 
tices at  eleven  years  old  :  whereas  those  of  per- 
sons of  quality  continue  in  their  exercises  till  fif- 
teen, which  answers  to  twenty-one  with  us ;  but 
the  confinement  is  gradually  lessened  for  the  last 
three  years. 

In  the  female  nurseries,  the  young  girls  of  qual- 
ity are  educated  much  like  the  males,  only  they 
are  dressed  by  orderly  servants  of  their  own  sex ; 
but  always  in  the  presence  of  a  professor  or  dep- 
uty, till  they  come  to  dress  themselves,  which  is 
at  five  years  old.  And  if  it  be  found  that  these 
nurses  ever  presume  to  entertain  the  girls  with 
frightful  or  foolish  stories,  or  the  common  follies 
practiced  by  chambermaids  among  us,  they  are 
publicly  whipped  thrice  about  the  city,  imprisoned 
for  a  year,  and  banished  for  a  life  to  the  most 
desolate  part  of  the  country.  Thus  the  young 
ladies  there  are  as  much  ashamed  of  being  cowards 
and  fools  as  the  men,  and  despise  all  personal  or- 
naments, beyond  decency  and  cleanliness  :  neither 
did  I  perceive  any  difference  in  their  education 
made  by  their  difference  of  sex,  only  that  the  ex- 
ercises of  the  females  were  not  altogether  so  ro- 
bust ;  and  that  some  rules  were  given  them  relat- 
ing to  domestic  life,  and  a  smaller  compass  of 
learning  was  enjoined  them  :  for  their  maxim  is, 
that  among  people  of  quality  a  wife  should  be 
always  a  reasonable  and  agreeable  companion, 
because  she  cannot  always  be  young.  When  the 
girls  are  twelve  years  old,  which  among  them  is 
the  marriageable  age,  their  parents  or  guardians 
take  them  home,  with  great  expressions  of  grat- 
itude to  the  professors,  and  seldom  without  the 
tears  of  the  jroung  lady  and  her  companions. 

In  the  nurseries  of  the  females  of  the  meaner 
sort,  the  children  are  instructed  in  all  kinds  of 
work  proper  for  their  sex,  and  their  several  de- 
grees ;   those  intended  for   apprentices    are   dis- 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


385 


missed  at  seven  years  old,  the  rest  are  kept  till 
eleven. 

The  meaner  families  who  have  children  at  these 
nurseries  are  obliged,  beside  their  annual  pension, 
■which  is  as  low  as  possible,  to  return  to  the  stew- 
ard of  the  nursery  a  small  monthly  share  of  their 
gettings,  to  be  a  portion  for  the  child  ;  and  there- 
fore all  parents  are  limited  in  their  expenses  by 
the  law.  For  the  Lilliputians  think  nothing  can 
be  more  unjust  than  for  people,  in  subservience 
to  their  own  appetites,  to  bring  children  into  the 
world  and  leave  the  burden  of  supporting  them 
on  the  public.  As  to  persons  of  quality,  they 
give  security  to  appropriate  a  certain  sum  for  each 
child,  suitable  to  their  condition  :  and  these  funds 
are  always  managed  with  good  husbandry  and  the 
most  exact  justice. 

The  cottagers  and  laborers  keep  their  children 
at  home,  their  business  being  only  to  till  and  cul- 
tivate the  earth,  and  therefore  their  education  is 
of  little  consequence  to  the  public :  but  the  old 
and  diseased  among  them  are  supported  by  hospi- 
tals ;  for  begging  is  a  trade  unknown  in  this  em- 
pire. 

And  here  it  may,  perhaps,  divert  the  curious 
reader,  to  give  some  account  of  my  domestics, 
and  my  manner  of  living  in  this  country,  during 
a  residence  of  nine  months  and  thirteen  days. 
Having  a  head  mechanically  turned,  and  being 
likewise  forced  by  necessity,  I  had  made  for  my- 
self a  table  and  chair  convenient  enough,  out  of 
the  largest  trees  in  the  royal  park.  Two  hundred 
seamstresses  were  employed  to  make  me  shirts 
and  linen  for  my  bed  and  table,  all  of  the  strong- 
est and  coarsest  kind  they  could  get,  which,  how- 
ever, they  were  forced  to  quilt  together  in  several 
folds,  for  the  thickest  was  some  degrees  finer  than 
lawn.  Their  linen  is  usually  thi'ee  inches  wide, 
and  three  feet  make  a  piece.  The  seamstresses 
took  my  measure  as  I  lay  on  the  ground,  one 
standing  at  my  neck,  and  another  at  my  midleg, 
with  a  strong  cord  extended,  that  each  held  by 
the  end,  while  a  third  measured  the  length  of  the 
cord  with  a  rule  an  inch  long.  Then  they  meas- 
ured my  right  thumb,  and  desired  no  more  ;  for  by 

49 


a  mathematical  computation,  that  twice  round  the 
thumb  is  once  round  the  wrist,  and  so  on  to  the 
neck  and  the  waist,  and  by  the  help  of  my  old 
shirt,  which  I  displayed  on  the  ground  before  them 
for  a  pattern,  they  fitted  me  exactly.  Three  hun- 
dred tailors  were  employed  in  the  same  manner 
to  make  me  clothes  ;  but  the}'  had  another  con- 
trivance for  taking  my  measure.  I  kneeled  down, 
and  they  raised  a  ladder  from  the  ground  to  my 
neck ;  upon  this  ladder  one  of  them  mounted,  and 
let  fall  a  plumb-line  from  my  collar  to  the  floor, 
which  just  answered  the  length  of  my  coat ;  but 
my  waist  and  arms  I  measured  myself.  When 
my  clothes  were  finished,  which  was  done  in  my 
house  (for  the  largest  of  theirs  would  not  have 
been  able  to  hold  them),  they  looked  like  the 
patchwork  made  by  the  ladies  in  England,  only 
that  mine  were  all  of  a  color. 

I  had  three  hundred  cooks  to  dress  my  victuals, 
in  little  convenient  huts  built  about  my  house, 
where  they  and  their  families  lived,  and  prepared 
me  two  dishes  apiece.  I  took  up  twenty  waiters 
in  my  hand,  and  placed  them  on  the  table  ;  a 
hundred  more  attended  below  on  the  ground,  some 
with  dishes  of  meat,  and  some  with  barrels  of  wine 
and  other  liquors  slung  on  their  shoulders,  all 
which  the  waiters  above  drew  up,  as  I  wanted,  in 
a  very  ingenious  manner  by  certain  cords,  as  we 
draw  a  bucket  up  a  well  in  Eurojje.  A  dish  of 
their  meat  was  a  good  mouthful,  and  a  barrel  of 
their  liquor  a  reasonable  draught.  Their  mutton 
yields  to  ours,  but  their  beef  is  excellent.  I  have 
had  a  sirloin  so  large,  that  I  have  been  forced  to 
make  three  bites  of  it ;  but  this  is  rare.  My  serv- 
ants were  astonished  to  see  me  eat  it,  bones  and 
all,  as  in  our  country  we  do  the  leg  of  a  lark. 
Their  geese  and  turkeys  I  usually  ate  at  a  mouth- 
ful, and  I  confess  they  far  exceed  ours.  Of  their 
smaller  fowl,  I  could  take  up  twenty  or  thirty  at 
the  end  of  my  knife. 

One  day  his  imperial  majesty,  being  informed 
of  my  way  of  living,  desired  "  that  himself  and  his 
royal  consort,  with  the  young  princes  of  the  blood 
of  both  sexes,  might  have  the  happiness,"'  as  he 
was  pleased  to  call  it,  "  of  dining  with  me."    They 


386 


A    VOYAGE  TO  LILLIPUT. 


came  accordingly,  and  I  placed  them  in  chairs  of 
state,  upon  my  table,  just  over  against  me,  with 
their  guards  about  them.  Flimnap,  the  lord  high- 
treasurer,  attended  there  likewise,  with  his  white 
staff  ;  and  I  observed  he  often  looked  on  me  with 
a  sour  countenance,  which  I  would  not  seem  to 
regard,  but  ate  more  than  usual,  in  honor  to  my 
dear  country,  as  well  as  to  fill  the  court  with  ad- 
miration. I  have  some  private  reasons  to  believe 
that  this  visit  from  his  majesty  gave  Flimnap  an 
opportunity  of  doing  me  ill  offices  to  his  master. 
That  minister  had  always  been  my  secret  enemy, 
though  he  outwardly  caressed  me  more  than  was 
usual  to  the  moroseness  of  his  nature.  He  repre- 
sented to  the  emperor  "the  low  condition  of  his 
treasury  ;  that  he  was  forced  to  take  up  money  at 
a  great  discount ;  that  exchequer  bills  would  not 
circulate  under  nine  per  cent,  below  par  ;  that  I 
had  cost  his  majesty  above  a  million  and  a  half  of 
spruffs  (their  greatest  gold  coin,  about  the  bigness 
of  a  spangle)  ;  and,  upon  the  whole,  that  it  would 
be  advisable  in  the  emperor  to  take  the  first  fair 
occasion  of  dismissing  nie." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  AUTHOR,  BEING  INFORMED  OF  A  DESIGN  TO  ACCUSE 
HIM  OF  HIGH  TREASON,  MAKES  HIS  ESCAPE  TO  BLE- 
FUSCU.  —  HIS    RECEPTION  THERE. 

Before  I  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  my 
leaving  this  kingdom  it  may  be  proper  to  inform 
the  reader  of  a  private  intrigue  which  had  been 
for  two  months  forming  against  me.  I  had  been 
hitherto,  all  my  life,  a  stranger  to  courts,  for  which 
I  was  unqualified  by  the  meanness  of  my  condition. 
I  had  indeed  heard  and  read  enough  of  the  dispo- 
sitions of  great  princes  and  ministers,  but  never 
expected  to  have  found  such  terrible  effects  of 
them  in  so  remote  a  country,  governed,  as  I 
thought,  by  very  different  maxims  from  those  in 
Europe. 

When  I  was  just  preparing  to  pay  my  attend- 
ance on  the  Emperor  of  Blefuscu,  a  considerable 
person  at  court  (to  whom  I  had  been  very  service- 
able, at  a  time  when  he  lay  under  the  highest 


displeasure  of  his  imperial  majesty)  came  to  my 
house  very  privately  at  night,  in  a  close  chair,  and, 
without  sending  his  name,  desired  admittance. 
The  chairmen  were  dismissed  :  I  put  the  chair, 
with  his  lordship  in  it,  into  my  coat  pocket ;  and 
giving  orders  to  a  trusty  servant  to  say  I  was  in- 
disposed and  gone  to  sleep,  I  fastened  the  door  of 
my  house,  placed  the  chair  on  the  table,  according 
to  my  usual  custom,  and  sat  down  by  it.  After 
the  common  salutations  were  over,  observing  his 
lordship's  countenance  full  of  concern,  and  inquir- 
ing into  the  reason,  he  desired  "  I  would  hear  him 
with  patience,  in  a  matter  that  highly  concerned 
my  honor  and  life."  His  speech  was  to  the  fol- 
lowing effect,  for  I  took  notes  of  it  as  soon  as  he 
left  me  :  — 

"  You  are  to  know,"  said  he,  "  that  several  com- 
mittees of  council  have  been  lately  called,  in  the 
most  private  manner,  on  your  account ;  and  it  is 
but  two  days  since  his  majesty  came  to  a  full  res- 
olution. 

"  You  are  very  sensible  that  Skyresh  Bolgolam 
(galbet,  or  high-admiral)  has  been  your  mortal 
enemy,  almost  ever  since  your  arrival.  His  origi- 
nal reasons  I  know  not;  but  his  hatred  is  increased 
since  your  great  success  against  Blefuscu,  by  which 
his  glorjr  as  admiral  is  much  obscured.  This  lord,. 
in  conjunction  with  Flimnap,  the  high-treasurer, 
whose  enmity  against  you  is  notorious  on  account 
of  his  lady,  Limtoc  the  general,  Lalcon  the  cham- 
berlain, and  Balmuff  the  grand  justiciary,  have 
prepared  articles  of  impeachment  against  you,  for 
treason  and  other  capital  crimes." 

This  preface  made  me  so  impatient,  being  con- 
scious of  my  own  merits  and  innocence,  that  I  was 
going  to  interrupt  him  ;  when  he  entreated  me  to 
be  silent,  and  thus  proceeded  :  — 

"  Out  of  gratitude  for  the  favors  you  have  done 
me,  I  procured  information  of  the  whole  proceed- 
ings, and  a  copy  of  the  articles  ;  wherein  I  venture 
my  head  for  your  service." 

[The  articles  recited  various  grounds  of  suspi- 
cion, especially  Quinbus  Flestrin's  humanity  toward 
Blefuscu  after  he  had  brought  the  imperial  fleet 


A    VOYAGE   TO   LILLIPUT. 


387 


into  port,  and  his  friendly  intercourse  with  the 
ambassadors  from  Blefuscu.J 

"  In  the  several  debates  upon  this  impeachment, 
it  must  be  confessed  that  his  majesty  gave  many 
marks  of  his  great  lenity  ;  often  urging  the  serv- 
ices you  had  done  him,  and  endeavoring  to  ex- 
tenuate your  crimes.  The  treasurer  and  admiral 
insisted  that  you  should  be  put  to  the  most  pain- 
ful and  ignominious  death,  by  setting  fire  to  your 
house  at  night ;  and  the  general  was  to  attend  with 
twenty  thousand  men,  armed  with  poisoned  ar- 
rows, to  shoot  you  on  the  face  and  hands.  Some 
of  your  servants  were  to  have  private  orders  to 
strew  a  poisonous  juice  on  your  shirts  and  sheets, 
which  would  soon  make  you  tear  your  own  flesh, 
and  die  in  the  utmost  torture.  The  general  came 
into  the  same  opinion,  so  that  for  a  long  time  there 
was  a  majority  against  you ;  but  his  majesty,  re- 
solving, if  possible,  to  spare  your  life,  at  last 
brought  off  the  chamberlain. 

"  Upon  this  incident,  Reldresal,  principal  secre- 
tary for  private  affairs,  who  always  approved  him- 
self your  true  friend,  was  commanded  by  the  em- 
peror to  deliver  his  opinion,  which  he  accordingly 
did,  and  therein  justified  the  good  thoughts  you 
have  of  him.  He  allowed  your  crimes  to  be  great, 
but  that  still  there  was  room  for  mercy,  the  most 
commendable  virtue  in  a  prince,  and  for  which  his 
majesty  was  so  justly  celebrated.  He  said  the 
friendship  between  you  and  him  was  so  well 
known  to  the  world  that  perhaps  the  most  honor- 
able board  might  think  him  partial ;  however,  in 
obt-dience  to  the  command  he  had  received,  he 
would  freely  offer  his  sentiments.  That  if  his 
majesty,  in  consideration  of  your  services,  and 
pursuant  to  his  own  merciful  disposition,  would 
please  to  spare  your  life,  and  only  give  oi-ders  to 
put  out  both  your  eyes,  he  humbly  conceived  that, 
by  this  expedient,  justice  might  in  some  measure 
be  satisfied,  and  all  the  world  would  applaud  the 
lenity  of  the  emperor,  as  well  as  the  fair  and  gen- 
erous proceedings  of  those  who  have  the  honor  to 
be  his  counselors.  That  the  loss  of  your  eyes 
would  be  no  impediment  to  your  bodily  strength, 


by  which  you  might  still  be  useful  to  his  maj- 
esty; that  blindness  is  an  addition  to  courage, 
by  concealing  dangers  from  us  ;  that  the  fear  you 
had  for  your  eyes  was  the  greatest  difficulty  in 
bringing  over  the  enemy's  fleet ;  and  it  would  be 
sufficient  for  you  to  see  by  the  eyes  of  the  minis- 
ters, since  the  greatest  princes  do  no  more. 

"  This  proposal  was  received  with  the  utmost 
disapprobation  by  the  whole  board.  Bolgolam, 
the  admiral,  could  not  preserve  his  temper ;  but, 
rising  up  in  a  fury,  said  he  wondered  how  the  sec- 
retary durst  presume  to  give  his  opinion  for  pre- 
serving the  life  of  a  traitor :  that  the  services  you 
had  performed  were,  by  all  true  reasons  of  state, 
the  great  aggravation  of  your  crimes ;  that  the 
same  strength  which  enabled  you  to  bring  over 
the  enemy's  fleet  might  serve,  upon  the  first  dis- 
content, to  carry  it  back :  that  he  had  good  rea- 
sons to  think  you  were  a  Big-endian  in  your  heart; 
and,  as  treason  begins  in  the  heart  before  it  ap- 
pears in  overt  acts,  so  he  accused  you  as  a  traitor 
on  that  account,  and  therefore  insisted  you  should 
be  put  to  death. 

"  The  treasurer  was  of  the  same  opinion  :  he 
showed  to  what  straits  his  majesty's  revenue  was 
reduced  by  the  charge  of  maintaining  you,  which 
would  soon  grow  insupportable :  that  the  secre- 
tary's expedient  of  putting  out  your  eyes  was  so 
far  from  being  a  remedy  against  this  evil,  that  it 
would  probably  increase  it,  as  is  manifest  from  the 
common  practice  of  blinding  some  kind  of  fowls, 
after  which  they  fed  the  faster  and  grew  fat  sooner ; 
that  his  sacred  majesty  and  the  council,  who  are 
your  judges,  were,  in  their  own  consciences,  fully 
convinced  of  your  guilt,  which  was  a  sufficient 
argument  to  condemn  you  to  death,  without  the 
formal  proofs  required  by  the  strict  letter  of  the 
law. 

"  But  his  imperial  majesty,  fully  determined 
against  capital  punishment,  was  graciously  pleased 
to  say  that  since  the  council  thought  the  loss  of 
your  eyes  too  easy  a  censure,  some  other  may  be 
inflicted  hereafter.  And  your  friend  the  secre- 
tary, humbly  desiring  to  be  heard  again,  in  an- 
swer  to    what   the    treasurer   had  objected,  con- 


388 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


cerning  the  great  charge  his  majesty  was  at  in 
maintaining  you,  said  that  his  excellency,  who 
had  the  sole  disposal  of  the  emperor's  revenue, 
might  easily  provide  against  that  evil  by  grad- 
ually lessening  your  establishment ;  by  which,  for 
want  of  sufficient  food,  you  will  grow  weak  and 
faint,  and  lose  your  appetite,  and  consume  in  a 
few  months;  neither  would  the  stench  of  your 
carcass  be  then  so  dangerous,  when  it  should  be- 
come more  than  half  diminished  ;  and  immediately 
upon  your  death  five  or  six  thousand  of  his  maj- 
esty's subjects  might,  in  two  or  three  days,  cut 
your  flesh  from  your  bones,  take  it  away  by  cart- 
loads, and  bury  it  in  distant  parts  to  prevent  in- 
fection, leaving  the  skeleton  as  a  monument  of  ad- 
miration to  posterity. 

"  Thus  by  the  great  friendship  of  the  secretary 
the  whole  affair  was  compromised.  It  was  strictly 
enjoined  that  the  project  of  starving  you  by  de- 
grees should  be  kept  a  secret ;  but  the  sentence  of 
putting  out  your  eyes  was  entered  on  the  books; 
none  dissenting  except  Bolgolam,  the  admiral. 

"  In  three  days  your  friend  the  secretary  will  be 
directed  to  come  to  your  house  and  read  before 
you  the  articles  of  impeachment ;  and  then  to  sig- 
nify the  great  lenity  and  favor  of  his  majesty  and 
council,  whereby  you  are  only  condemned  to  the 
loss  of  your  eyes,  which  his  majesty  does  not  ques- 
tion j-ou  will  gratefully  and  humbly  submit  to  ; 
and  twenty  of  his  majesty's  surgeons  will  attend, 
in  order  to  see  the  operation  well  performed,  by 
discharging  very  sharp-pointed  arrows  into  the 
balls  of  your  eyes,  as  you  lie  on  the  ground. 

"  I  leave  to  your  prudence  what  measures  you 
will  take ;  and  to  avoid  suspicion  I  must  imme- 
diately return  in  as  private  a  manner  as  I  came." 

His  lordship  did  so  ;  and  I  remained  alone,  un- 
der many  doubts  and  perplexities  of  mind. 

It  was  a  custom  introduced  by  this  prince  and 
his  ministry  (very  different,  as  I  have  been  as- 
sured, from  the  practice  of  former  times),  that 
after  the  court  had  decreed  any  cruel  execution, 
either  to  gratify  the  monarch's  resentment,  or  the 
malice  of  a  favorite,  the  emperor  always  made  a 
speech   to  his  whole  council,  expressing  his  great 


lenity  and  tenderness  as  qualities  known  and  con- 
fessed by  all  the  world.  This  speech  was  imme- 
diately published  throughout  the  kingdom  ;  nor 
did  anything  terrify  the  people  so  much  as  those 
encomiums  on  his  majesty's  mercy ;  because  it 
was  observed  that  the  more  these  praises  were  en- 
larged and  insisted  on,  the  more  inhuman  was  the 
punishment,  and  the  sufferer  more  innocent.  Yet 
as  to  myself,  I  must  confess,  having  never  been  de- 
signed for  a  courtier,  either  by  ray  birth  or  educa- 
tion, I  was  so  ill  a  judge  of  things  that  I  could  not 
discover  the  lenity  and  favor  of  this  sentence,  but 
conceived  it  (perhaps  erroneously)  rather  to  be  rig- 
orous than  gentle.  I  sometimes  thought  of  standing 
my  trial ;  for,  although  I  could  not  deny  the  facts 
alleged  in  the  several  articles,  yet  I  hoped  they 
would  admit  of  some  extenuation.  But  having  in 
my  life  perused  many  state  trials,  which  I  ever  ob- 
served to  terminate  as  the  judges  thought  fit  to 
direct,  I  durst  not  rely  on  so  dangerous  a  decision, 
in  so  critical  a  juncture,  and  against  such  powerful 
enemies.  Once  I  was  strongly  bent  upon  resist- 
ance; for,  while  I  had  liberty,  the  whole  strength 
of  that  empire  could  hardly  subdue  me,  and  I 
might  easily  with  stones  pelt  the  metropolis  to 
pieces ;  but  I  soon  rejected  that  project  with 
horror,  by  remembering  the  oath  I  had  made  to 
the  emperor,  the  favors  I  received  from  him,  and 
the  high  title  of  nardac  he  conferred  upon  me. 
Neither  had  I  so  soon  learned  the  gratitude  of  cour- 
tiers to  persuade  myself  that  his  majesty's  present 
severities  acquitted  me  of  all  past  obligations. 

At  last  I  fixed  upon  a  resolution  for  which  it  is 
probable  I  may  incur  some  censure,  and  not  un- 
justly, for  I  confess  I  owe  the  preserving  of  my 
eyes,  and  consequently  my  liberty,  to  my  own 
great  rashness  and  want  of  experience  ;  because, 
if  I  had  then  known  the  nature  of  princes  and 
ministers,  which  I  have  since  observed  in  many 
other  courts,  and  their  methods  of  treating  crim- 
inals less  obnoxious  than  myself,  I  should,  with 
great  alacrity  and  readiness,  have  submitted  to  so 
easy  a  punishment.  But  hurried  on  by  the  pre- 
cipitancy of  youth,  and  having  his  imperial  maj- 
esty's  license    to    pay  my  attendance  upon    the 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


389 


emperor  of  Blefuscu,  I  tooK  mis  opportunity,  be- 
fore the  three  days  were  elapsed,  to  send  a  letter 
to  my  friend,  the  secretary,  signifying  my  resolu- 
tion of  setting  out  that  morning  for  Blefuscu,  pur- 
suant to  the  leave  I  had  got;  and,  without  waiting 
for  an  answer,  I  went  to  that  side  of  the  island 
where  our  fleet  lay.  I  seized  a  large  man-of-war, 
tied  a  cable  to  the  prow,  and  lifting  up  the  an- 
chors, I  stripped  myself,  put  my  clothes  (together 
with  my  coverlet  which  I  carried  under  my  arm) 
into  the  vessel,  and  drawing  it  after  me,  between 
wading  and  swimming,  arrived  at  the  royal  port 
of  Blefuscu,  where  the  people  had  long  expected 
me  ;  they  lent  me  two  guides  to  direct  me  to  the 
capital  city,  which  is  of  the  same  name.  I  held 
them  in  my  hands  till  I  came  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  gate,  and  desired  them  "  to  signify 
my  arrival  to  one  of  the  secretaries,  and  let  him 
know  I  there  waited  his  majesty's  command."  I 
had  an  answer  in  about  an  hour,  "that  his  maj- 
esty, attended  by  the  royal  family,  and  great  offi- 
cers of  the  court,  was  coming  out  to  receive  me." 
I  advanced  a  hundred  yards.  The  emperor  and 
his  train  alighted  from  their  horses,  the  empress 
and  ladies  from  their  coaches,  and  I  did  not  per- 
ceive they  were  in  any  fright  or  concern.  I  lay 
on  the  ground  to  kiss  his  majesty's  and  the  em- 
press's hands.  I  told  his  majesty  "  that  I  was 
come  according  to  my  promise,  and  with  the  license 
of  the  emperor  my  master,  to  have  the  honor  of 
seeing  so  mighty  a  monarch,  and  to  offer  him  any 
service  in  my  power,  consistent  with  my  duty  to 
my  own  prince ;  "  not  mentioning  a  word  of  my 
disgrace,  because  I  had  hitherto  no  regular  infor- 
mation of  it,  and  might  suppose  myself  wholly 
ignorant  of  any  such  design  ;  neither  could  I  rea- 
sonably conceive  that  the  emperor  would  discover 
the  secret,  while  I  was  out  of  his  power  ;  wherein, 
however,  it  soon  appeared  I  was  deceived. 

I  shall  not  trouble  the  reader  with  the  particu- 
lar account  of  my  reception  at  this  court,  which  was 
suitable  to  the  generosity  of  so  great  a  prince ;  nor 
of  the  difficulties  I  was  in  for  want  of  a  house  and 
bed,  being  forced  to  lie  on  the  ground,  wrapped 
up  in  my  coverlet. 


CHAPTER  Tin. 

THE  AUTHOR,  BY  A  LUCKY  ACCIDENT,  FINDS  MEANS  TO 
LEAVE  BLEFUSCU  ;  AND,  AFTER  SOME  DIFFICULTIES, 
RETURNS    SAFE    TO    HIS   NATIVE   COUNTY. 

Three  days  after  my  arrival,  walking  out  of 
curiosity  to  the  northeast  coast  of  the  island,  I  ob- 
served, about  half  a  league  off  in  the  sea,  some- 
what that  looked  like  a  boat  overturned.  I  pulled 
off  my  shoes  and  stockings,  and  wading  two  or 
three  hundred  yards,  I  found  the  object  to  ap- 
proach nearer  by  force  of  the  tide  ;  and  then 
plainly  saw  it  to  be  a  real  boat,  which  I  supposed 
might  by  some  tempest  have  been  driven  from  a 
ship:  whereupon  I  returned  immediately  towards 
the  city,  and  desired  his  imperial  majesty  to  lend 
me  twenty  of  the  tallest  vessels  he  had  left,  after 
the  loss  of  his  fleet,  and  three  thousand  seamen, 
under  the  command  of  his  vice-admiral.  This 
fleet  sailed  round,  while  I  went  back  the  shortest 
way  to  the  coast,  where  I  first  discovered  the  boat. 
I  found  the  tide  had  driven  it  still  nearer.  The 
seamen  were  all  provided  with  cordage,  which  I 
had  beforehand  twisted  to  a  sufficient  strength. 
When  the  ships  came  up,  I  stripped  myself,  and 
waded  till  I  came  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
boat,  after  which  I  was  forced  to  swim  till  I  got 
up  to  it.  The  seamen  threw  me  the  end  of  the 
cord,  which  I  fastened  to  a  hole  in  the  forepart  of 
the  boat,  and  the  other  end  to  a  man-of-war ;  but 
I  found  all  my  labor  to  little  purpose  ;  for,  being 
out  of  my  depth,  I  was  not  able  to  work.  In  this 
necessity  I  was  forced  to  swim  behind,  and  push 
the  boat  forward  as  often  as  I  could  with  one  of 
my  hands  ;  and  the  tide  favoring  me,  I  advanced 
so  far  that  I  could  just  hold  up  my  chin  and  feel 
the  ground.  I  rested  two  or  three  minutes,  and 
then  gave  the  boat  another  shove,  and  so  on,  till 
the  sea  was  no  higher  than  my  armpits  ;  and  now 
the  most  laborious  part  being  over,  I  took  out  my 
other  cables,  which  were  stowed  in  one  of  the 
ships,  and  fastened  them  first  to  the  boat  and  then 
to  nine  of  the  vessels  which  attended  me  ;  the 
wind  being  favorable,  the  seamen  towed,  and  I 
shoved,  until  we  arrived  within  forty  yards  of  the 
shore,  and  waiting  till  the  tide  was  out,  I  got  dry 


390 


A    VOYAGE   TO   LILLIPUT. 


to  the  boat,  and  by  the  assistance  of  two  thousand 
men  with  ropes  and  engines,  I  made  a  shift  to  turn 
it  on  its  bottom,  and  found  it  was  but  little  dam- 
aged. 

I  shall  not  trouble  the  reader  with  the  difficul- 
ties I  was  under,  by  the  help  of  certain  paddles, 
which  cost  me  ten  days  making,  to  get  my  boat  to 
the  royal  port  of  Blefuscu,  where  a  mighty  con- 
course of  people  appeared  upon  my  arrival,  full  of 
wonder  at  the  sight  of  so  prodigious  a  vessel.  I 
told  the  emperor  "  that  my  good  fortune  had 
thrown  this  boat  in  my  way,  to  carry  me  to  some 
place  whence  I  might  return  into  my  native 
country  ;  and  begged  his  majesty's  orders  for  get- 
ting materials  to  fit  it  up ;  together  with  his 
license  to  depart ;  "  which,  after  some  kind  expos- 
tulations, he  was  pleased  to  grant. 

I  did  very  much  wonder,  in  all  this  time,  not  to 
have  heard  of  any  express  relating  to  me  from  our 
emperor  to  the  court  of  Blefuscu.  But  I  was  aft- 
erwards given  privately  to  understand,  that  his 
imperial  majesty,  never  imagining  I  had  the  least 
notice  of  his  designs,  believed  I  was  only  gone  to 
Blefuscu  in  performance  of  my  promise,  according 
to  the  license  he  had  given  me,  which  was  well 
known  at  our  court,  and  would  return  in  a  few 
days,  when  the  ceremony  was  ended.  But  he  was 
at  last  in  pain  at  my  long  absence ;  and  after  con- 
sulting with  the  treasurer  and  the  rest  of  that  ca- 
bal, a  person  of  quality  was  dispatched  with  the 
copy  of  the  articles  against  me.  This  envoy  had 
instructions  to  represent  to  the  monarch  of  Ble- 
fuscu "  the  great  lenity  of  his  master,  who  was 
content  to  punish  me  no  further  than  with  the  loss 
of  mine  eyes  ;  that  I  had  fled  from  justice  ;  and  if 
I  did  not  return  in  two  hours  I  should  be  deprived 
of  my  title  of  nardac,  and  declared  a  traitor." 
The  envoy  further  added,  "  that  in  order  to  main- 
tain the  peace  and  amity  between  both  empires, 
his  master  expected  that  his  brother  of  Blefuscu 
would  give  orders  to  have  me  sent  back  to  Lilli- 
put,  bound  hand  and  foot,  to  be  punished  as  a 
traitor." 

The  emperor  of  Blefuscu,  having  taken  three 
days  to  consult,  returned  an  answer  consisting  of 


many  civilities  and  excuses.  He  said,  "  that  as 
for  sending  me  bound,  his  brother  knew  it  was  im- 
possible; that  although  I  had  deprived  him  of  his 
fleet,  yet  he  owed  great  obligations  to  me  for  many 
good  offices  I  had  done  him  in  making  the  peace. 
That,  however,  both  their  majesties  would  soon  be 
made  easy  ;  for  I  had  found  a  prodigious  vessel  on 
the  shore,  able  to  carry  me  on  the  sea,  which  he 
had  given  orders  to  fit  up,  with  my  own  assistance 
and  direction  ;  and  he  hoped,  in  a  few  weeks,  both 
empires  would  be  freed  from  so  insupportable  an 
incumbrance." 

With  this  answer  the  envoy  returned  to  Lilli- 
put,  and  the  monarch  of  Blefuscu  related  to  me  all 
that  had  passed ;  offering  me  at  the  same  time 
(but  under  the  strictest  confidence)  his  gracious 
protection  if  I  would  continue  in  his  service ; 
wherein  although  I  believed  him  sincere,  yet  I  re- 
solved never  more  to  put  any  confidence  in  princes 
or  ministers,  where  I  could  possibly  avoid  it;  and 
therefore,  with  all  due  acknowledgments  for  hia 
favorable  intentions,  I  humbly  begged  to  be  ex- 
cused. I  told  him,  that  "  since  fortune,  whether 
good  or  evil,  had  thrown  a  vessel  in  my  way,  I 
was  resolved  to  venture  myself  on  the  ocean, 
rather  than  be  an  occasion  of  difference  between 
two  such  mighty  monarchs."  Neither  did  I  find 
the  emperor  at  all  displeased ;  and  I  discovered, 
by  a  certain  accident,  that  he  was  very  glad 
of  my  resolution,  and  so  were  most  of  his  min- 
isters. 

These  considerations  moved  me  to  hasten  my 
departure  somewhat  sooner  than  I  intended  ;  to 
which  the  court,  impatient  to  have  me  gone,  very 
readily  contributed.  Five  hundred  workmen  were 
employed  to  make  two  sails  to  my  boat,  according 
to  my  directions,  by  quilting  thirteen  folds  of  their 
strongest  linen  together.  I  was  at  the  pains  of 
making  ropes  and  cables,  by  twisting  ten,  twenty, 
or  thirty  of  the  thickest  and  strongest  of  theirs. 
A  great  stone  that  I  happened  to  find,  after  a  long 
search,  by  the  seashore,  served  me  for  an  anchor. 
I  had  the  tallow  of  three  hundred  cows,  for  greas- 
ing my  boat,  and  other  uses.  I  was  at  incredible 
pains  in  cutting  down  some  of  the  largest  timber 


A    VOYAGE   TO  LILLIPUT. 


391 


trees  for  oars  and  masts,  wherein  I  was,  however, 
much  assisted  by  his  majesty's  ship-carpenters, 
who  helped  me  in  smoothing  them,  after  I  had 
done  the  rough  work. 

In  about  a  month,  when  all  was  prepared,  I  sent 
to  receive  his  majesty's  commands,  and  to  take 
my  leave.  The  emperor  and  royal  family  came 
out  of  the  palace  ;  I  lay  down  on  my  face  to  kiss 
his  hand,  which  he  very  graciously  gave  me  ;  so 
did  the  empress  and  young  princes  of  the  blood. 
His  majesty  presented  me  with  fifty  purses  of  two 
hundred  spruys  apiece,  together  with  his  picture 
at  full  length,  which  I  put  immediately  into  one  of 
my  gloves,  to  keep  it  from  being  hurt.  The  cere- 
monies at  my  departure  were  too  many  to  trouble 
the  reader  with  at  this  time. 

I  stored  the  boat  with  the  carcasses  of  a  hun- 
dred oxen  and  three  hundred  sheep,  with  bread 
and  drink  proportionable,  and  as  much  meat  ready- 
dressed  as  four  hundred  cooks  could  provide. 
I  took  with  me  six  cows  and  two  bulls  alive,  with 
as  many  ewes  and  rams,  intending  to  carry  them 
into  my  own  country  and  propagate  the  breed  ; 
and  to  feed  them  on  board  I  had  a  good  bundle  of 
hay,  and  a  bag  of  corn.  I  would  gladly  have  taken 
a  dozen  of  the  natives,  but  this  was  a  thing  the 
emperor  would  by  no  means  permit;  and,  besides 
a  diligent  search  into  my  pockets,  his  majesty 
engaged  my  honor  "  not  to  carry  away  any  of  his 
subjects,  although  with  their  own  consent  and  de- 
sire." 

Having  thus  prepared  all  things  as  well  as  I  was 
able,  I  set  sail,  on  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1701,  at  six  in  the  morning ;  and  when  I  had 
gone  about  four  leagues  to  the  northward,  the  wind 
being  at  southeast,  at  six  in  the  evening,  I  descried 
a  small  island  about  half  a  league  to  the  north- 
west. I  advanced  forward,  and  cast  anchor  on  the 
lee  side  of  the  island,  which  seemed  to  be  uninhab- 
ited. I  then  took  some  refreshment  and  went  to 
my  rest.  I  slept  well,  and  as  I  conjecture,  at  least 
six  hours,  for  I  found  the  day  broke  in  two  hours 
after  I  awaked.  It  was  a  clear  night.  I  ate  my 
breakfast  before  the  sun  was  up  ;  and  heaving 
anchor,  the  wind  being  favorable,  I  steered    the 


same  course  that  I  had  done  the  day  before,  wherein 
I  was  directed  by  my  pocket-compass.     My  inten- 
tion was  to  reach,  if  possible,  one  of  those  islands 
which  I  had  reason  to  believe  lay  to  the  northeast 
of  Van  Diemen's  Land.     I  discovered  nothing  all 
that  day  ;  but  upon  the  next,  about  three  in  the 
afternoon,  when  I  had,  by  my  computation,  made 
twenty-four   leagues   from   Blefuscu,  I   descried   a 
sail  steering  to  the  southeast  ;  my  course  was  due 
east.     I  hailed  her,  but  could  get  no  answer  ;  vet 
I   found   I   gained    upon  her,   for  the  wind  slack- 
ened.    I  made  all  the  sail  I  could,  and  in  half  an 
hour  she  spied  me,  then  hung  out  her  ancient,  and 
dischai-ged  a  gun.     It  is  not  easy  to  express  the 
joy  I  was  in,  upon  the  unexpected  hope  of  once 
more  seeing  my  beloved    country,  and    the    dear 
pledges  I  left  in  it.     The  ship  slackened  her  sails, 
and  I  came  up  with  her  between  five  and  six  in 
the    evening,    September    twenty-sixth  ;    but    my 
heart  leaped  within  me  to  see  her  English  colors. 
I  put  my  cows  and  sheep  into    my  coat-pockets, 
and  got  on  board  with  all  my  little  cargo  of  pro- 
visions.    The  vessel  was  an  English  merchantman, 
returning  from    Japan,  by  the  North  and  South 
seas;  the  captain,  Mr.  John  Biddel,  of  Deptford, 
a  very  civil  man    and  an    excellent   sailor.     We 
were    now  in  the  latitude   of    30  degrees  south  ; 
there  were  about  fifty  men  in  the  ship  ;  and  here 
I  met  an  old  comrade  of  mine,  one  Peter  Williams* 
who   gave   me  a  good    character    to    the    captain. 
This  gentleman    treated   me  with    kindness,  and 
desired  I  would  let  him  know  what  place  I  came 
from  last,  and  whither  I  was  bound  ;   which  I  did 
in  a  few  words,  but  he  thought  I  was  raving,  and 
that  the  dangers  I  had  undergone  had  disturbed 
my  head;  whereupon  I  took  my  black  cattle  and 
sheep  out  of  my  pocket,  which,  after  great  aston- 
ishment, clearly  convinced  him  of  my  veracity.     I 
then  showed  him  the  gold  given  me  by  the  em- 
peror   of    Blefuscu,    together    with    his    majesty's 
picture  at  full  length,  and  some  other  rarities  of 
that  country.     I  gave  him  two  purses  of  two  hun- 
dred sprugs  each,  and  promised  when  we  arrived 
in  England,  to  make  him  a  present  of  a  cow,  and 
a  sheep  big  with  young. 


392 


A    VOYAGE  TO  LILLIPUT. 


I  shall  not  trouble  the  reader  with  a  particular 
account  of  this  voyage,  which  was  very  prosper- 
ous for  the  most  part.  We  arrived  in  the  Downs 
on  the  13th  of  April,  1702.  I  had  only  one  mis- 
fortune, that  the  rats  on  board  carried  away  one 
of  my  sheep  :  I  found  her  bones  in  a  hole,  picked 
clean  from  the  flesh.  The  rest  of  my  cattle  I  got 
safe  ashore,  and  set  them  a-grazing  on  a  bowling- 
green  at  Greenwich,  where  the  fineness  of  the 
grass  made  them  feed  very  heartily,  though  I 
had  always  feared  the  contrary  :  neither  could  I 
possibly  have  preserved  them  in  so  long  a  voyage, 
if  the  captain  had  not  allowed  me  some  of  his  best 
biscuit,  which,  rubbed  to  powder,  and  mingled 
with  water,  was  their  constant  food.  The  short 
time  I  continued  in  England  I  made  a  consider- 
able profit  by  showing  my  cattle  to  many  persons 
of  quality  and  others ;  and  before  I  began  my  sec- 
ond voyage  I  sold  them  for  six  hundred  pounds. 
Since  my  last  return  I  find  the  breed  is  consider- 
ably increased,  especially  the  sheep,  which  I  hope 
will  prove  much  to  the  advantage  of  the  woolen 
manufacture,  by  the  fineness  of  the  fleeces. 


I  stayed  but  two  months  with  my  wife  and 
family,  for  my  insatiable  desire  of  seeing  foreign 
countries  would  suffer  me  to  continue  no  longer. 
I  left  fifteen  hundred  pounds  with  my  wife,  and 
fixed  her  in  a  good  house  at  Redriff.  My  remain- 
ing stock  I  carried  with  me,  part  in  money  and 
part  in  goods,  in  hopes  to  improve  my  fortunes. 
My  eldest  uncle  John  had  left  me  an  estate  in 
land  near  Epping  of  about  thirty  pounds  a  year, 
and  I  had  a  long  lease  of  the  Black  Bull  in  Fetter 
Lane,  which  yielded  me  as  much  more  ;  so  that  I 
was  not  in  any  danger  of  leaving  my  family  upon 
the  parish.  My  son  Johnny,  named  so  after  his 
uncle,  was  at  the  grammar-school,  and  a  towardly 
child.  My  daughter  Betty  (who  is  now  well 
married,  and  has  children)  was  then  at  her  needle- 
work. I  took  leave  of  my  wife  and  boy  and  girl, 
with  tears  on  both  sides,  and  went  on  board  the 
Adventure,  a  merchant  ship  of  three  hundred 
tons,  bound  for  Surat,  Captain  John  Nicholas,  of 
Liverpool,  commander.  But  my  account  of  this 
voyage  must  be  referred  to  the  Second  Part  of  my 
Travels. 


TRAVELS    OF   BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

[The   Baron  is  supposed   to   relate  these  adventures  to 
his  friends  over  a  bottle.'] 

THE  BARON  RELATES  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  FIRST  TRAV- 
ELS.—  THE  ASTONISHING  EFFECTS  OF  A  STORM. —  AR- 
RIVES AT  CEYLON  ;  COMBATS  AND  CONQUERS  TWO 
EXTRAORDINARY  OPPONENTS.  —  RETURNS    TO  HOLLAND. 

Some  years  before  my  beard  announced  ap- 
proacbing  manbood,  or,  in  other  words,  when  I 
was  neither  man  nor  boy,  but  between  both,  I 
expressed  in  repeated  conversations  a  strong  de- 
sire of  seeing  the  world,  from  which  I  was  dis- 
couraged by  my  parents,  though  my  father  had 
been  no  inconsiderable,  traveler  himself,  as  will 
appear  before  I  have  reached  the  end  of  my  sin- 
gular and,  I  may  add,  interesting  adventures.  A 
cousin,  by  my  mother's  side,  took  a  liking  to  me, 
often  said  I  was  a  fine  forward  youth,  and  was 
much  inclined  to  gratify  my  curiosity.  His  elo- 
quence had  more  effect  than  mine,  for  my  father 
consented  to  my  accompanying  him  in  a  voyage 
to  the  island  of  Ceylon,  where  his  uncle  had  re- 
sided as  governor  many  years. 

We  sailed  from  Amsterdam  with  dispatches 
from  their  High  Mightinesses  the  States  of  Hol- 
land. The  only  circumstance  which  happened  on 
our  voyage  worth  relating  was  the  wonderful  ef- 
fects of  a  storm,  which  had  torn  up  by  the  roots 
a  great  number  of  trees  of  enormous  bulk  and 
height,  in  an  island  where  we  lay  at  anchor  to 
take  in  wood  and  water ;  some  of  these  trees 
weighed  many  tons,  yet  they  were  carried  by  the 
wind  so  amazingly  high,  that  they  appeared  like 
the  feathers  of  small  birds  floating  in  the  air,  for 
they  were  at  least  five  miles  above  the  earth  : 
however,  as  soon  as  the  storm  subsided  they  all 

50 


fell  perpendicularly  into  their  respective  places, 
and  took  root  again,  except  the  largest,  which  hap- 
pened, when  it  was  blown  into  the  air,  to  have  a 
man  and  his  wife,  a  very  honest  old  couple,  upon 
its  branches,  gathering  cucumbers  (in  this  part  of 
the  globe  that  useful  vegetable  grows  upon  trees)  : 
the  weight  of  this  couple,  as  the  tree  descended, 
overbalanced  the  trunk,  and  brought  it  down  in 
a  horizontal  position  :  it  fell  upon  the  chief  man 
of  the  island,  and  killed  him  on  the  spot ;  he  had 
quitted  his  house  in  the  storm,  under  an  appre- 
hension of  its  falling  upon  him,  and  was  returning 
through  his  own  garden  when  this  fortunate  acci- 
dent happened.  The  word  fortunate,  here,  re- 
quires some  explanation.  This  chief  was  a  man 
of  a  very  avaricious  and  oppressive  disposition, 
and  though  he  had  no  family,  the  natives  of  the 
island  were  half-starved  by  his  oppressive  and  in- 
famous impositions. 

The  very  goods  which  he  had  thus  taken  from 
them  were  spoiling  in  his  stores,  while  the  poor 
wretches  from  whom  they  were  plundered  were 
pining  in  poverty.  Though  the  destruction  of 
this  tyrant  was  accidental,  the  people  chose  the 
cucumber-gatherers  for  their  governors,  as  a  mark 
of  their  gratitude  for  destroying,  though  accident- 
ally, their  late  tyrant. 

After  we  had  repaired  the  damages  we  sustained 
in  this  remarkable  storm,  and  taken  leave  of  the 
new  governor  and  his  lady,  we  sailed  with  a  fair 
wind  for  the  object  of  our  voyage. 

In  about  six  weeks  we  arrived  at  Ceylon,  where 
we  were  received  with  great  marks  of  friendship 
and  true  politeness.  The  following  singular  ad- 
ventures may  not  prove  unentertaining. 

After   we  had  resided  at  Ceylon   about  a  fort- 


394 


TRAVELS    OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


night  I  accompanied  one  of  the  governor's  broth- 
ers upon  a  shooting  party.  He  was  a  strong, 
athletic  man,  and  being  used  to  that  climate 
(for  he  had  resided  there  some  years),  he  bore 
the  violent  heat  of  the  sun  much  better  than  I 
could ;  in  our  excursion  he  had  made  a  consider- 
able progress  through  a  thick  wood  when  I  was 
only  at  the  entrance. 
Near  the  banks 
of  a  large  piece  of 
water,  which  had 
engaged  my  atten- 
tion, I  thought  I 
heard  a  rustling 
noise  behind ;  on 
turning  about  I  was 
almost  petrified  (as 
who  would  not  be  ?) 
at  the  sight  of  a  lion, 
which  was  evidently 
approaching  with  the 
intention  of  satisfy- 
ing his  appetite  with 
my  poor  carcass,  and 
that  without  asking 
my  consent.  What 
was  to  be  done  in 
this  horrible  dilem- 
ma? I  had  not  even 
a  moment  for  reflec- 
tion ;  my  piece  was 
only  charged  with 
swan-shot,  and  I  had 
no  other  about  me ; 
however,  though  I 
could  have  no  idea  of  killing  such  an  animal  with 
that  weak  kind  of  ammunition,  yet  I  had  some 
hopes  of  frightening  him  by  the  report,  and  per- 
haps of  wounding  him  also.  I  immediately  let  fly, 
without  waiting  till  he  was  within  reach,  and  the 
report  did  but  enrage  him,  for  he  now  quickened 
his  pace,  and  seemed  to  approach  me  full  speed  : 
I  attempted  to  escape,  but  that  only  added  (if 
an  addition  could  be  made)  to  my  distress;  for 
the  moment  I  turned  about  I  found  a  large  croco- 


dile, with  his  mouth  extended  almost  ready  to  re- 
ceive me.  On  my  right  hand  was  the  piece  of 
water  before  mentioned,  and  on  my  left  a  deep 
precipice,  said  to  have,  as  I  have  since  learned,  a 
receptacle  at  the  bottom  for  venomous  creatures ; 
in  short,  I  gave  myself  up  as  lost,  for  the  lion  was 
now  upon  his  hind  legs,  just  in  the  act  of  seizing 
me;  I  fell  involuntarily  to  the  ground  with  fear, 

and,  as  it  afterwards 
appeared,  he  sprang 
over  me.  I  lay  some 
time  in  a  situation 
which  no  language 
can  describe,  expect- 
ing to  feel  his  teeth 
or  talons  in  some 
part  of  me  every  mo- 
ment :  after  waiting 
in  this  prostrate  situ- 
ation a  few  seconds 
I  heard  a  violent  but 
unusual  noise,  differ- 
ent from  any  sound 
that  had  ever  before 
assailed  my  ears ; 
nor  is  it  at  all  to  be 
wondered  at,  when 
I  inform  you  from 
whence  it  proceed- 
ed: after  listening 
for  some  time,  I  ven- 
tured to  raise  my 
head  and  look  round, 
when,  to  my  un- 
speakable joy,  I  per- 
ceived the  lion  had,  by  the  eagerness  with  which 
he  sprung  at  me,  jumped  forward,  as  I  fell,  into 
the  crocodile's  mouth  !  which,  as  before  observed, 
was  wide  open  ;  the  head  of  the  one  stuck  in  the 
throat  of  the  other  !  and  they  were  struggling  to 
extricate  themselves !  I  fortunately  recollected 
my  couteau  de  chasse,  which  was  by  my  side; 
with  this  instrument  I  severed  the  lion's  head  at 
one  blow,  and  the  body  fell  at  my  feet !  I  then, 
with  the  butt-end  of  my  fowling  piece,  rammed  the 


TRAVELS   OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


395 


head  farther  into  the  throat  of  the  crocodile,  and 
destroyed  him  by  suffocation,  for  he  could  neither 
gorge  nor  eject  it. 

Soon  after  I  had  thus  gained  a  complete  victory 
over  my  two  powerful  adversaries  my  companion 
arrived  in  search  of  me;  for  finding  I  did  not  fol- 
low him  into  the  wood,  lie  returned,  apprehending 
I  had  lost  my  way,  or  met  with  some  accident. 

After  mutual  congratulations,  we  measured  the 
crocodile,  which  was  just  forty  feet  in  length. 

As  soon  as  we  had  related  this  extraordinary 
adventure  to  the  governor,  he  sent  a  wagon  and 
servants,  who  brought  home  the  two  carcasses. 
The  lion's  skin  was  properly  preserved,  with  its 
hair  on,  after  which  it  was  made  into  tobacco- 
pouches,  and  presented  by  me,  upon  our  return  to 
Holland,  to  the  burgomasters,  who,  in  return,  re- 
quested my  acceptance  of  a  thousand  ducats. 

The  skin  of  the  crocodile  was  stuffed  in  the 
usual  manner,  and  makes  a  capital  article  in  their 
public  museum  at  Amsterdam,  where  the  exhib- 
itor relates  the  whole  story  to  each  spectator,  with 
such  additions  as  he  thinks  proper.  Some  of  his 
variations  are  rather  extravagant ;  one  of  them  is, 
that  the  lion  jumped  quite  through  the  crocodile, 
and  was  making  his  escape  at  the  back  door,  when, 
as  soon  as  his  head  appeared,  Monsieur  the  Great 
Baron  (as  he  is  pleased  to  call  me)  cut  it  off,  and 
three  feet  of  the  crocodile's  tail  along  with  it ;  naj', 
so  little  attention  has  this  fellow  to  the  truth,  that 
he  sometimes  adds,  as  soon  as  the  crocodile  missed 
his  tail,  he  turned  about,  snatched  the  couteau  de 
cJiasse  out  of  Monsieur's  hand,  and  swallowed  it 
with  such  eagerness  that  it  pierced  his  heart  and 
killed  him  immediately  ! 

The  little  regard  which  this  impudent  knave  has 
to  veracity  makes  me  sometimes  apprehensive  that 
my  real  facts  may  fall  under  suspicion,  by  being 
found  in  company  with  his  confounded  inven- 
tions. 

CHAPTER  II. 

IN  WHICH  THE  BAEOX  PROVES  HIMSELF  A  GOOD  SHOT. 
—  HE  LOSES  HIS  HORSE,  AND  FINDS  A  WOLF.  —  MAKES 
HIM     DRAW    HIS     SLEDGE.  —  PROMISES     TO     ENTERTAIN 


HIS    COMPANY    WITH    A    RELATION    OF     SUCH    FACTS    AS 
ARE    WELL    DESERVING    THEIR    NOTICE. 

I  set  off  from  Rome  on  a  journey  to  Russia,  in 
the  midst  of  winter,  from  a  just  notion  that  frost 
and  snow  must  of  course  mend  the  roads,  which 
every  traveler  had  described  as  uncommonly  bad 
through  the  northern  parts  of  Germany,  Poland, 
Courland,  and  Livonia.  I  went  on  horseback,  as 
the  most  convenient  manner  of  traveling ;  I  was 
but  lightly  clothed,  and  of  this  I  felt  the  inconven- 
ience the  more  I  advanced  northeast.  What  must 
not  a  poor  old  man  have  suffered  in  that  severe 
weather  and  climate,  whom  I  saw  on  a  bleak  com- 
mon in  Poland,  lying  on  the  road,  helpless,  shiver- 
ing, and  hardly  having  wherewithal  to  cover  his 
nakedness  ?  I  pitied  the  poor  soul :  though  I  felt 
the  severity  of  the  air  myself,  I  threw  my  mantle 
over  him,  and  immediately  I  heard  a  voice  from 
the  heavens,  blessing  me  for  that  piece  of  charity, 
saying,  — 

"  You  will  be  rewarded,  my  son,  for  this  in 
time." 

I  went  on  :  night  and  darkness  overtook  me. 
No  village  was  to  be  seen.  The  country  was  cov- 
ered with  snow,  and  I  was  unacquainted  with  the 
road. 

Tired,  I  alighted,  and  fastened  my  horse  to 
something  like  a  pointed  stump  of  a  tree,  which 
appeared  above  the  snow ;  for  the  sake  of  safety 
I  placed  my  pistols  under  my  arm,  and  laid  down 
on  the  snow,  where  I  slept  so  soundly  that  I  did 
not  open  my  eyes  till  full  daylight.  It  is  not  easy 
to  conceive  my  astonishment  to  find  myself  in  the 
midst  of  a  village,  lying  in  a  churchyard ;  nor  was 
my  horse  to  be  seen,  but  I  heard  him  soon  after 
neigh  somewhere  above  me.  On  looking  upwards 
I  beheld  him  hanging  by  his  bridle  to  the  weather- 
cock of  the  steeple.  Matters  were  not  very  plain 
to  me  :  the  village  had  been  covered  with  snow 
overnight;  a  sudden  change  of  weather  had  taken 
place  ;  I  had  sunk  down  to  the  churchyard  whilst 
asleep,  gently,  and  in  the  same  proportion  as  the 
snow  had  melted  away ;  and  what  in  the  dark  I 
had  taken  to  be  a  stump  of  a  little  tree  appearing 
above  the  snow,  to  which  I  had   tied  my  horse, 


396 


TRAVELS   OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


proved  to  have  been  the  cross  or  weather-cock  of 
the  steeple  ! 

Without  long  consideration  I  took  one  of  my 
pistols,  shot  the  bridle  in  two,  brought  down  the 
horse,  and  proceeded  on  my  journey.  [Here  the 
Baron  seems  to  have  forgotten  his  feelings ;  he 
should  certainly  have  ordered  his  horse  a  feed  of 
corn,  after  fasting  so  long.] 

He  carried  me  well  —  advancing  into  the  inte- 
rior parts  of  Russia.  I  found  traveling  on  horse- 
back rather  unfashionable  in  winter,  therefore  I 
submitted,  as  I  always  do,  to  the  custom  of  the 
country,  took  a  single  horse  sledge,  and  drove 
briskly  towards  St.  Petersburg.  I  do  not  exactly 
recollect  whether  it  was  in  Eastland  or  Jugeman- 
land,  but  I  remember  that  in  the  midst  of  a  dreary 
forest  I  spied  a  terrible  wolf  making  after  me,  with 
all  the  speed  of  ravenous  winter  hunger.  He  soon 
overtook  me.  There  was  no  possibility  of  escape. 
Mechanically  I  laid  myself  down  flat  in  the  sledge, 
and  let  my  horse  run  for  our  safety.  What  I 
wished,  but  hardly  hoped  or  expected,  happened 
immediately  after.  The  wolf  did  not  mind  me  in 
the  least,  but  took  a  leap  over  me,  and  falling  fu- 
riously on  the  horse,  began  instantly  to  tear  and 
devour  the  hind-part  of  the  poor  animal,  which 
ran  the  faster  for  his  pain  and  terror.  Thus  un- 
noticed and  safe  myself,  I  lifted  my  head  slyly  up, 
and  with  horror  I  beheld  that  the  wolf  had  ate  his 
way  into  the  horse's  body  ;  it  was  not  long  before 
he  had  fairly  forced  himself  into  it,  when  I  took 
my  advantage,  and  fell  upon  him  with  the  butt- 
end  of  my  whip.  This  unexpected  attack  in  his 
rear  frightened  him  so  much,  that  he  leaped  for- 
ward with  all  his  might :  the  horse's  carcass 
dropped  on  the  ground,  but  in  his  place  the  wolf 
was  in  the  harness,  and  I  on  my  part  whipping 
him  continually  :  we  both  arrived  in  full  career 
safe  at  St.  Petersburg,  contrary  to  our  respective 
expectations,  and  very  much  to  the  astonishment 
of  the  spectators. 

I  shall  not  tire  you,  gentlemen,  with  the  poli- 
tics, arts,  sciences,  and  history  of  this  magnificent 
metropolis  of  Russia,  nor  trouble  you  with  the 
various   intrigues  and   pleasant  adventures  I  had 


in  the  politer  circles  of  that  country,  where  the 
lady  of  the  house  always  receives  the  visitor  with 
a  dram  and  a  salute.  I  shall  confine  myself  rather 
to  the  greater  and  nobler  objects  of  your  atten- 
tion, horses  and  dogs,  my  favorites  in  the  brute 
creation  ;  also  to  foxes,  wolves,  and  bears,  with 
which,  and  game  in  general,  Russia  abounds  more 
than  any  other  part  of  the  world  :  and  to  such 
sports,  manly  exercises,  and  feats  of  gallantry 
and  activity,  as  show  the  gentleman  better  than 
musty  Greek  or  Latin,  or  all  the  perfume,  finery, 
and  capers  of  French  wits  or  petit-maitres. 

CHAPTER   III. 

AN     ENCOUNTER     BETWEEN    THE     BARON'S     NOSE    AND     A 

DOOR-POST,    WITH     ITS     WONDERFUL     EFFECT. FIFTY 

BRACE    OF    DUCKS     AND     OTHER     FOWL     DESTROYED    BY 

ONE    SHOT. FLOGS    A    FOX  OUT  OF    HIS  SKIN. LEADS 

AN    OLD    SOW   HOME    IN    A   NEW  WAY,  AND    VANQUISHES 
A    WILD    BOAR. 

Foe  several  months  (as  it  was  some  time  before 
I  could  obtain  a  commission  in  the  army)  I  was 
perfectly  at  liberty  to  sport  away  my  time  and 
money  in  the  most  gentleman-like  manner.  You 
may  easily  imagine  that  I  spent  much  of  both 
out  of  town  with  such  gallant  fellows  as  knew 
how  to  make  the  most  of  an  open  forest  country. 
The  very  recollection  of  those  amusements  gives 
me  fresh  spirits,  and  creates  a  warm  wish  for  a 
repetition  of  them.  One  morning  I  saw,  through 
the  windows  of  my  bedroom,  that  a  large  pond 
not  far  off  was  covered  with  wild  ducks.  In  an 
instant  I  took  my  gun  from  the  corner,  ran  down- 
stairs and  out  of  the  house  in  such  a  hurry  that  I 
imprudently  struck  my  face  against  the  door-post. 
Fire  flew  out  of  my  eyes,  but  it  did  not  prevent 
my  intention  ;  I  soon  came  within  shot,  when, 
leveling  my  piece,  I  observed  to  my  sorrow  that 
even  the  flint  had  sprung  from  the  cock  by  the 
violence  of  the  shock  I  had  just  received.  There 
was  no  time  to  be  lost.  I  presently  remembered 
the  effect  it  had  on  my  eyes,  therefore  opened  the 
pan,  leveled  my  piece  against  the  wild  fowls,  and 
my  fist  against  one  of  my  eyres.  [The  Baron's 
eyes  have  retained  fire  ever  since,  and  appear  par- 


TRAVELS    OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


397 


ticularly  illuminated  when  he  relates  this  anec- 
dote.] A  hearty  blow  drew  sparks  again  ;  the 
shot  went  off,  and  I  killed  fifty  brace  of  ducks, 
twenty  widgeons,  and  three  couple  of  teals. 

Presence  of  mind  is  the  soul  of  manly  exercises. 
If  soldiers  and  sailors  owe  to  it  many  of  their 
lucky  escapes,  hunters  and  sportsmen  are  not  less 
beholden  to  it  for  many  of  their  successes.  In  a 
noble  forest  in  Russia  I  met  a  fine  black  fox,  whose 
valuable  skin  it  would  have  been  a  pity  to  tear 
by  ball  or  shot.  Reynard  stood  close  to  a  tree. 
In  a  twinkling  I  took  out  my  ball,  and  placed  a 
good  spike-nail  in  its  room,  fired,  and  hit  him  so 
cleverly  that  I  nailed  his  brush  fast  to  the  tree. 
I  now  went  up  to  him,  took  out  my  hanger,  gave 
him  a  cross-cut  over  the  face,  laid  hold  of  my 
whip,  and  fairly  flogged  him  out  of  his  fine  skin. 

Chance  and  good  luck  often  correct  our  mis- 
takes ;  of  this  I  had  a  singular  instance  soon  after, 
when,  in  the  depth  of  a  forest,  I  saw  a  wild  pig 
and  sow  running  close  behind  each  other.  My 
ball  had  missed  them,  yet  the  foremost  pig  only 
ran  away,  and  the  sow  stood  motionless,  as  fixed 
to  the  ground.  On  examining  into  the  matter,  I 
found  the  latter  one  to  be  an  old  sow,  blind  with 
age,  which  had  taken  hold  of  her  pig's  tail,  in  or- 
der to  be  led  along  \>y  filial  duty.  My  ball,  hav- 
ing passed  between  the  two,  had  cut  his  leading- 
string,  which  the  old  sow  continued  to  hold  in  her 
mouth  ;  and  as  her  former  guide  did  not  draw  her 
on  any  longer,  she  had  stopped  of  course  ;  I  there- 
fore laid  hold  of  the  remaining  end  of  the  pig's 
tail,  and  led  the  old  beast  home  without  any  fur- 
ther trouble  on  my  part,  and  without  any  reluct- 
ance or  apprehension  on  the  part  of  the  helpless 
old  animal. 

Terrible  as  these  wild  sows  are,  yet  more  fierce 
and  dangerous  are  the  boars,  one  of  which  I  had 
once  the  misfortune  to  meet  in  the  forest,  unpre- 
pared for  attack  or  defense.  I  retired  behind  an 
oak-tree  just  when  the.  furious  animal  leveled  a  side- 
blow  at  me,  with  such  force  that  his  tusks  pierced 
through  the  tree,  by  which  means  he  could  nei- 
ther repeat  the  blow  nor  retire.  Ho,  ho !  thought 
I,  I  shall  soon  have  you  now !  and  immediately  I 


laid  hold  of  a  stone,  wherewith  I  hammered  and 
bent  his  tusks  in  such  a  manner  that  he  could  not 
retreat  by  any  means,  and  must  wait  my  return 
from  the  next  village,  whither  I  went  for  ropes 
and  a  cart,  to  secure  him  properly,  and  to  carry 
him  off  safe  and  alive,  in  which  I  perfectly  suc- 
ceeded. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

REFLECTIONS  ON  SAINT  HUBERT'S  STAG. —  SHOOTS  A  STAG 
WITH  CHERRY-STONES  ;  THE  WONDERFUL  EFFECTS  OF 
IT. — KILLS  A  BEAR  BY  EXTRAORDINARY  DEXTERITY; 
HIS  DANGER  PATHETICALLY'  DESCRIBED.  —  ATTACKED 
BY  A  WOLF,  WHICH  HE  TURNS  INSIDE  OUT.  —  IS  AS- 
SAILED BY  A  MAD  DOG,  FROM  WHICH  HE  ESCAPES.  — 
THE  BARON'S  CLOAK  SEIZED  WITH  MADNESS,  BY" 
WHICH  HIS  WHOLE  WARDROBE  IS  THROWN  INTO  CON- 
FUSION. 

I  DAEE  say  you  have  heard  of  the  hunter  and 
sportsman's  saint  and  protector,  St.  Hubert,  and 
of  the  noble  stag  which  appeared  to  him  in  the 
forest,  with  the  holy  cross  between  his  antlers.  I 
have  paid  my  homage  to  that  saint  every  year  in 
good  fellowship,  and  seen  this  stag  a  thousand 
times  either  painted  in  churches,  or  embroidered  in 
the  stars  of  his  knights  ;  so  that,  upon  the  honor 
and  conscience  of  a  good  sportsman,  I  hardly  know 
whether  there  may  not  have  been  formerly,  or 
whether  there,  are  not  such  crossed  stags  even  at 
this  present  day.  But  let  me  rather  tell  what  I 
have  seen  myself.  Having  one  day  spent  all  my 
shot,  I  found  myself  unexpectedly  in  presence  of 
a  stately  stag,  looking  at  me  as  unconcernedly  as 
if  he  had  known  of  my  empty  pouches.  I  charged 
immediately  with  powder,  and  upon  it  a  good 
handful  of  cherry-stones,  for  I  had  sucked  the  fruit 
as  far  as  the  hurry  would  permit.  Thus  I  let  fly  at 
him,  and  hit  him  just  on  the  middle  of  the  forehead 
between  his  antlers;  it  stunned  him  —  he  stag- 
gered —  yet  he  made  off.  A  year  or  two  after, 
being  with  a  party  in  the  same  forest,  I  beheld  a 
noble  stag  with  a  fine  full-grown  cherry-tree  above 
ten  feet  high  between  his  antlers.  I  immediately 
recollected  my  former  adventure,  looked  upon  him 
as  my  property,  and  brought  him  to  the  ground 
by  one   shot,  which  at  once  gave  me  the  haunch 


393 


TRAVELS   OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


and  cherry-sauce ;  for  the  tree  was  covered  with 
the  richest  fruit,  the  like  I  had  never  tasted  be- 
fore. Who  knows  but  some  passionate,  holy 
sportsman,  or  sporting  abbot  ot  bishop,  may  have 
shot,  planted,  and  fixed  the  cross  between  the  ant- 
lers of  St.  Hubert's  stag,  in  a  manner  similar  to 
this  ?  They  always  have  been,  and  still  are,  fa- 
mous for  plantations  of  crosses  and  antlers  ;  and 
in  a  case  of  distress  or  dilemma,  which  too  often 
happens  to  keen  sportsmen,  one  is  apt  to  grasp  at 
anything  for  safety,  and  to  try  any  expedient 
rather  than  miss  the  favorable  opportunity.  I  have 
many  times  found  myself  in  that  trying  situation. 

What  do  you  say  of  this,  for  example?  Day- 
light and  powder  were  spent  one  day  in  a  Polish 
forest.  When  I  was  going  home  a  terrible  bear 
made  up  to  me  in  great  speed,  with  open  mouth, 
ready  to  fall  upon  me ;  all  my  pockets  were 
searched  in  an  instant  for  powder  and  ball,  but  in 
vain  ;  I  found  nothing  but  two  spare  flints  :  one 
I  flung  with  all  my  might  into  the  monster's  open 
jaws,  down  his  throat.  It  gave  him  pain  and 
made  him  turn  about,  so  that  I  could  level  the 
second  at  his  back-door,  which,  indeed,  I  did  with 
wonderful  success  ;  for  it  flew  in,  met  the  first 
flint  in  the  stomach,  struck  fire,  and  blew  up  the 
bear  with  a  terrible  explosion.  Though  I  came 
safe  off  that  time,  yet  I  should  not  wish  to  try  it 
again,  or  venture  against  bears  with  no  other  am- 
munition. 

There  is  a  kind  of  fatality  in  it.  The  fiercest 
and  most  dangerous  animals  generally  came  upon 
me  when  defenseless,  as  if  they  had  a  notion  or  an 
instinctive  intimation  of  it.  Thus  a  frightful  wolf 
rushed  upon  me  so  suddenly,  and  so  close,  that  I 
could  do  nothing  but  follow  mechanical  instinct, 
and  thrust  my  fist  into  his  open  mouth.  For 
safety's  sake  I  pushed  on  and  on,  till  my  arm  was 
fairly  in  up  to  the  shoulder.  How  should  I  dis- 
engage myself  ?  I  was  not  much  pleased  with  my 
awkward  situation  —  with  a  wolf  face  to  face  ;  our 
ogling  was  not  of  the  most  pleasant  kind.  If  I 
withdrew  my  arm,  then  the  animal  would  fly  the 
more  furiously  upon  me ;  that  I  saw  in  his  flam- 
ing eyes.     In  short,  I  laid  hold  of  his  tail,  turned 


him  inside  out  like  a  glove,  and  flung  him  to  the 
ground,  where  I  left  him. 

The  same  expedient  would  not  have  answered 
against  a  mad  dog,  which  soon  after  came  running 
against  me  in  a  narrow  street  at  St.  Petersburg. 
Run  who  can,  I  thought ;  and  to  do  this  the  bet- 
ter, I  threw  off  my  fur  cloak,  and  was  safe  within 
doors  in  an  instant.  I  sent  my  servant  for  the 
cloak,  and  he  put  it  in  the  wardrobe  with  my 
other  clothes.  The  day  after  I  was  amazed  and 
frightened  by  Jack's  bawling,  "  For  God's  sake, 
sir,  your  fur  cloak  is  mad  !  "  I  hastened  up  to  him, 
and  found  almost  all  my  clothes  tossed  about  and 
torn  to  pieces.  The  fellow  was  perfectly  right  in 
his  apprehensions  about  the  fur  cloak's  madness. 
I  saw  him  myself  just  then  falling  upon  a  fine 
full-dress  suit,  which  he  shook  and  tossed  in  an 
unmerciful  manner. 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  EFFECTS  OF  GREAT  ACTIVITY  AND  PRESENCE  OF 
MIND.  —  A  FAVORITE  HOUND  DESCRIBED,  WHICH  PUPS 
WHILE  PURSUING  A  HARE  ;  THE  HARE  ALSO  LITTERS 
WHILE  PURSUED  BY  THE  HOUND. —  PRESENTED  WITH 
A  FAMOUS  HORSE  BY  COUNT  PRZOBOSSKY,  WITH  WHICH 
HE   PERFORMS    MANY   EXTRAORDINARY   FEATS. 

All  these  narrow  and  lucky  escapes,  gentlemen, 
were  chances  turned  to  advantage  by  presence  of 
mind  and  vigorous  exertions,  which,  taken  to- 
gether, as  everybody  knows,  make  the  fortunate 
sportsman,  sailor,  and  soldier  ;  but  he  would  be 
a  very  blamable  and  imprudent  sportsman,  ad- 
miral, or  general,  who  would  always  depend  upon 
chance  and  his  stars,  without  troubling  himself 
about  those  arts  which  are  their  particular  pur- 
suits, and  without  providing  the  veryr  best  imple- 
ments which  insure  success.  I  was  not  blamable 
either  way  ;  for  I  have  always  been  as  remarkable 
for  the  excellency7  of  my  horses,  dogs,  guns,  and 
swords,  as  for  the  proper  manner  of  using  and 
managing  them,  so  that  upon  the  whole  I  may 
hope  to  be  remembered  in  the  forest,  upon  the 
turf,  and  in  the  field.  I  shall  not  enter  here  into 
any  detail  of  my  stables,  kennel,  or  armory  ;  but 
a  favorite  bitch  of  mine  I  cannot  help  mentioning 


TRAVELS   OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


399 


to  you ;  she  was  a  greyhound,  and  I  never  had  or 
saw  a  better.  She  grew  old  in  my  service,  and 
was  not  remarkable  for  her  size,  but  rather  for 
her  uncommon  swiftness.  I  always  coursed  with 
her.  Had  you  seen  her  you  must  have  admired 
her,  and  would  not  have  wondered  at  my  predi- 
lection, and  at  my  coursing  her  so  much.  She 
ran  so  fast,  so  much,  and  so  long  in  my  service, 
that  she  actually  ran  off  her  legs ;  so  that,  in  the 
latter  part  of  her  life,  I  was  under  the  necessity 
of  working  and  using  her  only  as  a  terrier,  in 
which  quality  she  still  served  me  many  years. 

Coursing  one  day  a  hare  which  appeared  to  me 
uncommonly  big,  I  pitied  my  poor  bitch,  being 
big  with  pups,  yet  she  would  course  as  fast  as 
ever.  I  could  follow  her  on  horseback  only  at  a 
great  distance.  At  once  I  heard  a  cry  as  it  were 
of  a  pack  of  hounds  —  but  so  weak  and  faint  that 
I  hardly  knew  what  to  make  of  it.  Coming  up  to 
them,  I  was  greatly  surprised.  The  hare  had  lit- 
tered in  running  ;  the  same  had  happened  to  my 
bitch  in  coursing,  and  there  were  just  as  many 
leverets  as  pups.  By  instinct  the  former  ran,  the 
latter  coursed  :  and  thus  I  found  myself  in  posses- 
sion at  once  of  six  hares,  and  as  many  dogs,  at 
the  end  of  a  course  which  had  only  begun  with 
one. 

I  remember  this,  my  wonderful  bitch,  with  the 
same  pleasure  and  tenderness  as  a  superb  Lithu- 
anian horse,  which  no  money  could  have  bought. 
He  became  mine  by  an  accident,  which  gave  me 
an  opportunity  of  showing  my  horsemanship  to 
a  great  advantage.  I  was  at  Count  Przobossky's 
noble  country-seat  in  Lithuania,  and  remained 
with  the  ladies  at  tea  in  the  drawing-room,  while 
the  gentlemen  were  down  in  the  yai'd  to  see  a 
young  horse  of  blood  which  had  just  arrived  from 
the  stud.  We  suddenly  heard  a  noise  of  distress ; 
I  hastened  down-stairs,  and  found  the  horse  so  un- 
ruly that  nobody  durst  approach  or  mount  him. 
The  most  resolute  horsemen  stood  dismayed  and 
aghast ;  despondency  was  expressed  in  every  coun- 
tenance, when,  in  one  leap,  I  was  on  his  back,  took 
him  by  surprise,  and  worked  him  quite  into  gen- 
tleness and  obedience,  with  the  best  display  of 


horsemanship  I  was  master  of.  Fully  to  show  this 
to  the  ladies,  and  save  them  unnecessary  trouble, 
I  forced  him  to  leap  in  at  one  of  the  open  windows 
of  the  tea-room,  walked  round  several  times,  pace, 
trot,  and  gallop,  and  at  last  made  him  mount  the 
tea-table,  there  to  repeat  his  lessons  in  a  pretty 
style  of  miniature  which  was  exceedingly  pleasing 
to  the  ladies,  for  he  performed  them  amazingly 
well,  and  did  not  break  either  cup  or  saucer.  It 
placed  me  so  high  in  their  opinion,  and  so  well 
in  that  of  the  noble  lord,  that,  with  his  usual  po- 
liteness, he  begged  I  would  accept  of  this  young 
horse,  and  ride  him  full  career  to  conquest  and 
honor  in  the  campaign  against  the  Turks,  which 
was  soon  to  be  opened,  under  the  command  of 
Count  Munich. 

I  could  not  indeed  have  received  a  more  agree- 
able present,  nor  a  more  ominous  one  at  the  open- 
ing of  that  campaign,  in  which  I  made  my  appren- 
ticeship as  a  soldier.  A  horse  so  gentle,  so  spirited, 
and  so  fierce  —  at  once  a  lamb  and  a  Bucepha- 
lus—  put  me  always  in  mind  of  the  soldier's  and 
the  gentleman's  duty  !  of  young  Alexander,  and 
of  the  astonishing  things  he  performed  in  the 
field. 

We  took  the  field,  among  several  other  reasons, 
it  seems,  with  an  intention  to  retrieve  the  char- 
acter of  the  Russian  arms,  which  had  been  blem- 
ished a  little  by  Czar  Peter's  last  campaign  on  the 
Pruth  ;  and  this  we  fully  accomplished  by  several 
very  fatiguing  and  glorious  campaigns  under  the 
command  of  that  great  general  I  mentioned  be- 
fore. 

Modesty  forbids  individuals  to  arrogate  to  them- 
selves great  successes  or  victories,  the  glory  of 
which  is  generally  engrossed  by  the  commander 
—  nay,  which  is  rather  awkward,  by  kings  and 
queens  who  never  smelled  gunpowder  but  at  the 
field-days  and  reviews  of  their  troops ;  never  saw 
a  field  of  battle,  or  an  enemy  in  battle  array. 

Nor  do  I  claim  any  particular  share  of  glory  in 
the  great  engagements  with  the  enemy.  We  all 
did  our  duty,  which,  in  the  patriot's,  soldier's,  and 
gentleman's  language,  is  a  very  comprehensive 
word,  of  great  honor,  meaning,  and  import,  and  of 


400 


TRAVELS   OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


which  the  generality  of  idle  quidnuncs  and  coffee- 
house politicians  can  hardly  form  any  but  a  very 
mean  and  contemptible  idea.  However,  having 
had  the  command  of  a  body  of  hussars,  I  went 
upon  several  expeditions,  with  discretionary  pow- 
ers ;  and  the  success  I  then  met  with  is,  I  think, 
fairly  and  only  to  be  placed  to  my  account,  and  to 
that  of  the  brave  fellows  whom  I  led  on  to  con- 
quest and  to  victory.  We  had  very  hot  work 
once  in  the  van  of  the  army,  when  we  drove  the 
Turks  into  Oczakow.  My  spirited  Lithuanian  had 
almost  brought  me  into  a  scrape :  I  had  an  ad- 
vanced fore-post,  and  saw  the  enemy  coming 
against  me  in  a  cloud  of  dust,  which  left  me 
rather  uncertain  about  their  actual  numbers  and 
real  intentions  :  to  wrap  myself  up  in  a  similar 
cloud  was  common  prudence,  but  would  not  have 
much  advanced  my  knowledge,  or  answered  the 
end  for  which  I  had  been  sent  out ;  therefore  I  let 
my  flankers  on  both  wings  spread  to  the  right  and 
left,  and  make  what  dust  they  could,  and  I  myself 
led  on  straight  upon  the  enemy,  to  have  a  nearer 
sight  of  them  ;  in  this  I  was  gratified,  for  they 
stood  and  fought,  till,  for  fear  of  my  flankers,  they 
began  to  move  off  rather  disorderly.  This  was 
the  moment  to  fall  upon  them  with  spirit ;  we 
broke  them  entirely  —  made  a  terrible  havoc 
amongst  them,  and  drove  them  not  only  back  to 
a  walled  town  in  their  rear,  but  even  through  it, 
contrary  to  our  most  sanguine  expectation. 

The  swiftness  of  my  Lithuanian  enabled  me  to 
be  foremost  in  the  pursuit;  and  seeing  the  enemy 
fairly  flying  through  the  opposite  gate,  I  thought 
it  would  be  prudent  to  stop  in  the  market-place» 
to  order  the  men  to  rendezvous.  I  stopped,  gen- 
tlemen ;  but  judge  of  my  astonishment  when  in 
this  market-place  I  saw  not  one  of  my  hussars 
about  me  !  Are  they  scouring  the  other  streets  ? 
or  what  is  become  of  them  ?  They  could  not  be 
far  off,  and  must,  at  all  events,  soon  join  me.  In 
that  expectation  I  walked  my  panting  Lithuanian 
to  a  spring  in  this  market-place  and  let  him  drink. 
He  drank  uncommonly,  with  an  eagerness  not  to 
be  satisfied,  but  natural  enough  ;  for  when  I  looked 
round  for  my  men,  what  should  I  see,  gentlemen  ! 


the  hind  part  of  the  poor  creature  —  croup  and 
legs  were  missing,  as  if  he  had  been  cut  in  two, 
and  the  water  ran  out  as  it  came  in,  without  re. 
freshing  or  doing  him  any  good  !  How  it  could 
have  happened  was  quite  a  mystery  to  me,  till  I 
returned  with  him  to  the  town  gate.  There  I  saw 
that  when  I  rushed  in  pell-mell  with  the  flying 
enemy,  they  had  dropped  the  portcullis  (a,  heavy 
falling  door,  with  sharp  spikes  at  the  bottom,  let 
down  suddenly  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  an 
enemy  into  a  fortified  town)  unperceived  by  me, 
which  had  totally'  cut  off  his  hind  part,  that  still 
lay  quivering  on  the  outside  of  the  gate.  It  would 
have  been  an  irreparable  loss,  had  not  our  farrier 
contrived  to  bring  both  parts  together  while  hot. 
He  sewed  them  up  with  sprigs  and  young  shoots 
of  laurels  that  were  at  hand  ;  the  wound  healed, 
and,  what  could  not  have  happened  but  to  so 
glorious  a  horse,  the  sprigs  took  root  in  his  body, 
grew  up  and  formed  a  bower  over  me ;  so  that 
afterwards  I  could  go  upon  many  other  expe- 
ditions in  the  shade  of  my  own  and  my  horse's 
laurels. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE     BARON    IS    MADE    A    PRISONER    OF    WAR,    AND    SOLD 

FOR    A    SLAVE. KEEPS     THE     SULTAN'S     BEES,    WHICH 

ARE  ATTACKED  BY  TWO  BEARS.  —  LOSES  ONE  OF  HIS 
BEES.;  A  SILVER  HATCHET,  WHICH  HE  THROWS  AT 
THE  BEARS,  REBOUNDS  AND  FLIES  UP  TO  THE  MOON; 
BRINGS  IT  BACK  BY  AN  INGENIOUS  INVENTION;  FALLS 
TO  THE  EARTH  ON  HIS  RETURN,  AND  HELPS  HIMSELF 
OUT  OF  A  PIT.  — EXTRICATES  HIMSELF  FROM  A  CAR- 
RIAGE WHICH  MEETS  HIS  IN  A  NARROW  ROAD,  IN  A 
MANNER  NEVER  BEFORE  ATTEMPTED  NOR  PRACTICED 
SINCE.  —  THE  WONDERFUL  EFFECTS  OF  THE  FROST 
UPON    HIS    SERVANT'S    FRENCH    HORN. 

Success  was  not  always  with  me.  I  had  the 
misfortune  to  be  overpowered  by  numbers,  to  be 
made  prisoner  of  war  ;  and,  what  is  worse,  but 
always  usual  among  the  Turks,  to  be  sold  for  a 
slave.  [The  Baron  was  afterwards  in  great  favor 
with  the  Grand  Seignior,  as  will  appear  hereafter.] 
In  that  state  of  humiliation  my  daily  task  was  not 
very  hard  and  laborious,  but  rather  singular  and 
irksome.  It  was  to  drive  the  Sultan's  bees  every 
morning  to  their  pasture-grounds,  to  attend  them 


TRAVELS    OF  BAR  OK  MUNCHAUSEN. 


401 


all  the  day  long,  and  against  night  to  drive  them 
back  to  their  hives.  One  evening  I  missed  a  bee, 
and  soon  observed  that  two  bears  had  fallen  upon 
her  to  tear  her  to  pieces  for  the  honey  she  carried. 
I  had  nothing  like  an  offensive  weapon  in  my 
hands  but  the  silver  hatchet,  which  is  the  badge 
of  the  Sultan's  gardeners  and  farmers.  I  threw  it 
at  the  robbers,  with  an  intention  to  frighten  them 
away,  and  set  the 
poor  bee  at  liberty  ; 
but  by  an  unlucky 
turn  of  my  arm,  it 
flew  upwards,  and 
continued  rising  till 
it  reached  the  moon. 
How  should  I  re- 
cover it  ?  how  fetch 
it  down  again  ?  I 
recollected  that  Tur- 
key-beans grow  very 
quick,  and  run  up 
to  an  astonishing 
height.  I  planted 
one  immediately  ;  it 
grew,  and  actually 
fastened  itself  to  one 
of  the  moon's  horns. 
I  had  no  more  to  do 
now  but  to  climb  up 
by  it  into  the  moon, 
where  I  safely  ar- 
rived, and  had  a 
troublesome  piece  of 
business  before  I 
could  find  my  silver 
hatchet,  in  a  place  where  everything  has  the 
brightness  of  silver ;  at  last,  however,  I  found  it 
in  a  heap  of  chaff  and  chopped  straw.  I  was 
now  for  returning  :  but,  alas  !  the  heat  of  the 
sun  had  dried  up  my  bean  ;  it  was  totally  useless 
for  my  descent ;  so  I  fell  to  work,  and  twisted  me 
a  rope  of  that  chopped  straw,  as  long  and  as  well 
as  I  could  make  it.  This  I  fastened  to  one  of  the 
moon's  horns,  and  slid  down  to  the  end  of  it. 
Here  I  held  myself  fast  with  the  left  hand,  and 

51 


with  the  hatchet  in  my  right,  I  cut  the  long,  now 
useless,  end  of  the  upper  part,  which,  when  tied  to 
the  lower  end,  brought  me  a  good  deal  lower : 
this  repeated  splicing  and  tying  of  the  rope  did 
not  improve  its  quality,  or  bring  me  down  to  the 
Sultan's  farm.  I  was  four  or  five  miles  from  the 
earth  at  least  when  it  broke  ;  I  fell  to  the  ground 
with  such  amazing  violence  that  I  found  myself 

stunned,  and  in  a 
hole  nine  fathoms 
deep  at  least,  made 
by  the  weight  of  my 
body  falling  from  so 
great  a  height :  I  re- 
covered, but  knew 
not  how  to  get  out 
again  ;  however,  I 
dug  slopes  or  steps 
with  my  finger-nails 
(the  Baron's  nails 
■were  then  of  forty 
years'  growth),  and 
easily  accomplished 
it. 

Peace  was  soon 
after  concluded  with 
the  Turks,  and  gain- 
ing my  liberty,  I  left 
St.  Petersburg  at 
the  time  of  that  sin- 
gular  revolution, 
when  the  emperor  in 
his  cradle,  his  moth- 
er, the  Duke  of 
Brunswick,  her 
father,  Field-marshal  Munich,  and  many  others 
were  sent  to  Siberia.  The  winter  was  then  so  un- 
commonly severe  all  over  Europe,  that  ever  since 
the  sun  seems  to  be  frost-bitten.  At  my  return 
to  this  place,  I  felt  on  the  road  greater  inconven- 
iences than  those  I  had  experienced  on  my  setting 
out. 

I  traveled  post,  and  finding  myself  in  a  narrow 
lane,  bid  the  postilion  give  a  signal  with  his  horn, 
that  other  travelers  might  not  meet  us  in  the  nar- 


402 


TRAVELS    OF  BARON  MUNCHAUSEN. 


row  passage.  He  blew  with  all  his  might ;  but 
his  endeavors  were  in  vain,  he  could  not  make  the 
horn  sound,  which  was  unaccountable  and  rather 
unfortunate,  for  soon  after  we  found  ourselves  in 
the  presence  of  another  coach  coming  the  other 
way  :  there  was  no  proceeding ;  however,  I  got 
out  of  my  carriage,  and  being  pretty  strong,  placed 
it,  wheels  and  all,  upon  my  head  :  I  then  jumped 
over  a  hedge  about  nine  feet  high  (which,  consid- 
ering the  weight  of  the  coach,  was  rather  difficult) 
into  a  field,  and  came  out  again  by  another  jump 
into  the  road  beyond  the  other  carriage :  I  then 
went  back  for  the  horses,  and  placing  one  upon 
my  head,  and  the  other  under  my  left  arm,  by  the 
same  means  brought  them  to  my  coach,  put  to, 
and  proceeded  to  an  inn  at  the  end  of  our  stage. 
I  should  have  told  you  that  the  horse  under  my 
arm  was  very  spirited,  and  not  above  four  years 
old  ;  in  making  my  second  spring  over  the  hedge 


he  expressed  great  dislike  to  that  violent  kind  of 
motion  by  kicking  and  snorting ;  however,  I  con- 
fined his  hind  legs  by  putting  them  into  my  coat- 
pocket.  After  we  arrived  at  the  inn  my  postilion 
and  I  refreshed  ourselves :  he  hung  his  horn  on  a 
peg  near  the  kitchen  fire  ;  I  sat  on  the  other  side. 
Suddenly  we  heard  a  tereng !  tereng !  teng ! 
teng  !  We  looked  round,  and  now  found  the  rea- 
son why  the  postilion  had  not  been  able  to  sound 
his  horn  ;  his  tunes  were  frozen  up  in  the  horn, 
and  came  out  now  by  thawing,  plain  enough,  and 
much  to  the  credit  of  the  driver ;  so  that  the  hon- 
est fellow  entertained  us  for  some  time  with  a  va. 
riety  of  tunes,  without  putting  his  mouth  to  the 
horn  —  The  King  of  Prussia's  March  —  Over  the 
Hill  and  over  the  Dale  —  with  many  other  favor- 
ite tunes;  at  length  the  thawing  entertainment 
concluded,  as  I  shall  this  short  account  of  my  Rus- 
sian travels. 


THE   BOOK   OF  POETBY, 


THE   PET   LAMB. 

The  dew  was  falling  fast,  the  stars  began  to  blink ; 
I    heard    a    voice  :  it    said,    "  Drink,    pretty    creature 

drink  ! " 
And,  looking  o'er  the  hedge,  before  me  I  espied 
A  snow-white  mountain  lamb,  with    a   maiden  at  its 

side. 

No  other  sheep  were  near,  the  lamb  was  all  alone, 
And  by  a  slender  cord  was  tethered  to  a  stone  ; 
"With  one  knee  on  the  grass  did  the  little  maiden  kneel, 
While  to  that  mountain  lamb   she   gave  its   evening 
meal. 

The  lamb,  while  from  her  hand  he   thus  his  supper 

took, 
Seemed  to  feast  with  head  and  ears  ;  and  his  tail  with 

pleasure  shook, 
"  Drink,  pretty  creature,  drink,"  she  said  in  such  a  tone, 
That  I  almost  received  her  heart  into  my  own. 

'T  was  little  Barbara  Lewthwaite,  a  child  of  beauty 

rare ! 
I  watched  them  with  delight :  they  were  a  lovely  pair. 
Now  with  her  empty  can  the  maiden  turned  away  ; 
But,  ere  ten  yards  were  gone,  her  footsteps  did  she 

stay. 

Towards  the  lamb  she  looked ;  and  from  that  shady 

place 
I,  unobserved,  could  see  the  workings  of  her  face  : 
If  Nature    to    her    tongue    could    measured   numbers 

bring, 
Thus,  thought  I,  to  her  lamb  that  little  maid  might 

sing :  — 

"  What  ails  thee,  young  one  ?     What  ?     Why  pull  so 
at  thy  cord  ? 


Is  it  not  well  with  thee?  well  both  for  bed  and  board? 
Thy  plot  of  grass  is  soft,  and  green  as  grass  can  be  ; 
Rest,  little   young   one,    rest :  what   is 't   that   aileth 
thee? 

"  Rest,  little  young  one,  rest ;  thou  hast  forgot  the  day 
When  my  father  found  thee  first  in  places  far  away  : 
Many  flocks  were  on   the  hills,  but  thou  wert  owned 

by  none, 
And  thy  mother  from  thy  side  for  evermore  was  gone. 

"  He  took  thee  in  his  arms,  and  in  pity  brought  thee 

home  : 
A  blessed  day  for  thee  !     Then  whither  wouldst  thou 

roam? 
A  faithful   nurse   thou   hast :   the   dam    that  did   thee 

yean 
Upon  the  mountain-tops  no  kinder  could  have  been. 

"  Thou  knowest  that  twice  a  day  I  have  brought  thee  in 

this  can 
Fresh  water  from  the  brook,  as  clear  as  ever  ran  ; 
And  twice  in  the  day,  when  the  ground  is  wet  with 

dew, 
I  bring  thee  draughts  of  milk,  —  warm  milk  it  is  and 

new. 

"  It  will  not,  will  not  rest !  —  poor  creature,  can  it  be 
That  't  is  thy  mother's  heart  which  is  working  so  in 

thee? 
Things  that  I  know  not  of  belike  to  thee  are  dear, 
And  dreams  of    things  which  thou  canst  neither  see 

nor  hear." 

As  homeward  through  the  lane  I  went  with  lazy  feet, 
This  song  to  myself  did  I  oftentimes  repeat ; 
And  it  seemed,  as  I  retraced  the  ballad  line  by  line, 
That  but  half  of  it  was  hers,  and  one  half  of  it  was 


404 


THE  BOOK  OF  POETRY. 


Again,  and  once  again,  did  I  repeat  the  song ; 
"  Nay,"  said  I,  "  more  than  half  to  the  damsel  must  be- 
long. 
For  she  looked  with  such  a  look,  and  she  spake  with 

such  a  tone, 
That  I  almost  received  her  heart  into  mine  own." 

William  Wordsworth. 


POOR   SUSAN. 

At  the  corner  of  Wood  Street,  when  daylight  appears, 
There  's  a  thrush  that  sings  loud,  —  it  has  sung  for  three 

years ; 
Poor  Susan  has  passed  by  the  spot,  and  has  heard 
In  the  silence  of  morning  the  song  of  the  bird. 

'T  is  a  note  of  enchantment :  what  ails  her  ?     She  sees 
A  mountain  ascending,  a  vision  of  trees  ; 
Bright  volumes  of  vapor  through  Lothbury  glide, 
And  a  river  flows  on  through  the  vale  of  Cheapside. 

Green  pastures  she  views  in  the  midst  of  the  dale, 
Down  which  she  so  often  has  tripped  with  her  pail ; 
And  a  single  small  cottage,  a  nest  like  a  dove's, 
The  one  only  dwelling  on  earth  that  she  loves. 

She  looks,  and  her  heart  is  in  heaven  ;  but  they  fade,  — 
The  mist  and  the  river,  the  hill  and  the  shade : 
The  stream  will  not  flow,  and  the  hill  will  not  rise, 
And  the  colors  have  all  passed  away  from  her  eyes. 
William  Wordsworth. 


EPITAPH   ON   A    HARE.- 

Here  lies,  whom  hound  did  ne'er  pursue, 
Nor  swifter  greyhound  follow, 

Whose  foot  ne'er  tainted  morning  dew, 
Nor  ear  heard  huntsman's  hallo  ! 

Old  Tiney,  surliest  of  his  kind, 
Who,  nursed  with  tender  care, 

And  to  domestic  bounds  confined, 
Was  still  a  wild  Jack-hare. 


Though  duly  from  my  hand  he  took 

His  pittance  every  night, 
He  did  it  with  a  jealous  look, 

And,  when  he  could,  would  bite. 

His  diet  was  ot  wheaten  bread, 
And  milk,  and  oats,  and  straw  ; 

Thistles,  or  lettuces  instead, 
With  sand  to  scour  his  maw. 

On  twigs  of  hawthorn  he  regaled, 

On  pippin's  russet  peel, 
And  when  his  juicy  salads  failed, 

Sliced  carrot  pleased  him  well. 

A  Turkey  carpet  was  his  lawn, 

Whereon  he  loved  to  bound, 
To  skip  and  gambol  like  a  fawn 

And  swing  himself  around. 

His  frisking  was  at  evening  hours, 

For  then  he  lost  his  fear, 
But  most  before  approaching  showers, 

Or  when  a  storm  drew  near. 

Eight  years  and  five  round-rolling  moons 

He  thus  saw  steal  away, 
Dozing  out  all  his  idle  noons. 

And  every  night  at  play. 

I  kept  him  for  his  humors'  sake, 

For  he  would  oft  beguile 
My  heart  of  thoughts  that  made  it  ache, 

And  force  me  to  a  smile. 

But  now,  beneath  this  walnut  shade, 

He  finds  his  long  last  home, 
And  waits,  in  snug  concealment  laid, 

Till  gentler  Puss  shall  come. 

He,  still  more  aged,  feels  the  shocks 

From  which  no  care  can  save, 
And,  partner  once  of  Tiney's  box, 

Must  soon  partake  his  grave. 

William  Cowper. 


LLEWELLYN  AND  HIS  DOG. 


405 


LLEWELLYN   AND   HIS    DOG. 

The  spearmen  heard  the  bugle  sound, 
And  cheer'ly  smiled  the  morn  ; 

And  many  a  dog,  and  many  a  hound, 
Attend  Llewellyn's  horn. 

And  still  he  blew  a  louder  blast, 
And  gave  a  louder  cheer ; 
"  Come,  Gelert !  why  art  thou  the  last 
Llewellyn's  horn  to  hear? 

"  Oh,  where  does  faithful  Gelert  roam, 
The  flower  of  all  his  race? 
So  true,  so  brave —  a  lamb  at  home, 
A  lion  in  the  chase." 

That  day  Llewelyn  little  loved 

The  chase  of  hart  or  hare, 
And  scant  and  small  the  booty  proved, 

For  Gelert  was  not  there. 

Unpleased,  Llewellyn  homeward  hied, 

When,  near  the  portal  seat, 
His  truant  Gelert  he  espied, 

Bounding  his  lord  to  greet. 

But  when  he  gained  the  castle  door, 

Aghast  the  chieftain  stood  ; 
The  hound  was  smeared  with  gouts  of  gore, 

His  lips  and  fangs  ran  blood  ! 

Llewellyn  gazed  with  wild  surprise ; 

Unused  such  looks  to  meet, 
His  fav'rite  checked  his  joyful  guise, 

And  crouched,  and  licked  his  feet. 

Onward  in  haste  Llewellyn  passed 

(And  en  went  Gelert  too), 
And  still,  where'er  his  eyes  were  cast, 

Fresh  blood-gouts  shocked  his  view! 

O'erturned  his  infant's  bed  he  found, 

The  blood-stained  cover  rent ; 
And  all  around  the  walls  and  ground 
With  recent  blood  besprent. 


He  called  his  child  —  no  voice  replied; 

He  searched  with  terror  wild  ; 
Blood  !  blood  !  he  found  on  every  side, 

But  nowhere  found  his  child  ! 

"  Hell-hound  !  by  thee  my  child  's  devoured!  " 
The  frantic  father  cried  ; 
And  to  the  hilt  his  vengeful  sword 
He  plunged  in  Gelert's  side. 


His  suppliant,  as  to  earth  he  fell, 
No  pity  could  impart ; 
But  still  his  Gelert's  dying  yell 
Passed  heavy  o'er  his  heart. 

Aroused  by  Gelert's  dying  yell, 
Some  slumberer  wakened  nigh  ; 

What  words  the  parent's  joy  can  tell, 
To  hear  his  infant  cry  ! 

Concealed  beneath  a  mangled  heap, 
His  hurried  search  had  missed, 

All  glowing  from  his  rosy  sleep, 
His  cherub  boy  he  kissed ! 

Nor  scratch  had  he,  nor  harm,  nor  dread, 
But  the  same  couch  beneath 


406 


THE  BOOK  OF  POETRY. 


Lay  a  great  wolf,  all  torn  and  dead,  — 
Tremendous  still  in  death  ! 

Ah,  what  was  then  Llewellyn's  pain ! 

For  now  the  truth  was  clear  ; 
The  gallant  hound  the  wolf  had  slain, 

To  save  Llewellyn's  heir. 

Vain,  vain  was  all  Llewellyn's  woe; 

"  Best  of  thy  kind,  adieu  ! 
The  frantic  deed  which  laid  thee  low 

This  heart  shall  ever  rue  !  " 

And  now  a  gallant  tomb  they  raised, 

With  costly  sculpture  decked  ; 
And  marbles  storied  with  his  praise 

Poor  Gelert's  bones  protect. 

Here  never  could  the  spearman  pass, 

Or  forester,  unmoved, 
Here  oft  the  tear-besprinkled  grass 

Llewellyn's  sorrow  proved. 

And  here  he  hung  his  horn  and  spear, 

And  oft,  as  evening  fell, 
In  fancy's  piercing  sounds  would  hear 

Poor  Gelert's  dying  yell. 

Robert  Southey. 


PAUL    REVERE'S    RIDE. 

Listex,  my  children,  and  you  shall  hear 

Of  the  midnight  ride  of  Paul  Revere, 

On  the  eighteenth  of  April,  in  Seventy-five  ; 

Hardly  a  man  is  now  alive 

Who  remembers  that  famous  day  and  year. 

He  said  to  his  friend,  "  If  the  British  march 
By  land  or  sea  from  the  town  to-night, 
Hang  a  lantern  aloft  in  the  belfry  arch 
Of  the  North  Church  tower  as  a  signal  light,  - 
One,  if  by  land,  and  two,  if  by  sea ; 
And  I  on  the  opposite  shore  will  be, 
Ready  to  ride  and  spread  the  alarm 
Through  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm, 
For  the  country-folk  to  be  up»and  to  arm." 


Then  he  said,  "  Good-night !  "  and  with  muffled  oar 

Silently  rowed  to  the  Charlestown  shore, 

Just  as  the  moon  rose  over  the  bay, 

Where  swinging  wide  at  her  moorings  lay 

The  Somerset,  British  man-of-war  ; 

A  phantom  ship,  with  each  mast  and  spar 

Across  the  moon  like  a  prison  bar, 

And  a  huge  black  hulk,  that  was  magnified 

By  its  own  reflection  in  the  tide. 

Meanwhile,  his  friend,  through  alley  and  street, 
Wanders  and  watches  with  eager  ears, 
Till  in  the  silence  around  him  he  hears 
The  muster  of  men  at  the  barrack  door, 
The  sound  of  arms,  and  the  tramp  of  feet, 
And  the  measured  tread  of  the  grenadiers, 
Marohing  down  to  their  boats  on  the  shore. 


Then  he  climbed  the  tower  of  the  Old  North  Church, 

By  the  wooden  stairs,  with  stealthy  tread, 

To  the  belfry-chamber  overhead, 

And  startled  the  pigeons  from  their  perch 


PAUL  REVERES  RIDE. 


407 


On  the  sombre  rafters,  that  round  him  made 
Masses  and  moving  shapes  of  shade,  — 
By  the  trembling  ladder  steep  and  tall. 
To  the  highest  window  in  the  wall, 
"Where  he  paused  to  listen  and  look  down 
A  moment  on  the  roofs  of  the  town, 
And  the  moonlight  flowing  over  all. 


Beneath,  in  the  church- 
yard, lay  the  dead, 

In  their  night  encamp- 
ment ou  the  hill, 

Wrapped  in  silence  so 
deep  and  still 

That  he  could  hear,  like 
a  sentinel's  tread, 

The  watchful  night- 
wind,  as  it  went 

Creeping  along  from 
tent  to  tent, 

And  seeming  to  whis- 
per, 'All  is  well!" 

A  moment  only  he 
feels  the  spell 

Of  the  place  and  the 
hour,  and  the 
secret  dread 

Of  the  lonely  belfry 
and  the  dead  ; 

For  suddenly  all  his 
thoughts  are  bent 

On  a  shadowy  some- 
thing far  away, 

Where  the  river  widens 
to  meet  the  bay, — 

A  line  of  black  that 
bends  and  floats 

On  the  rising  tide,  like 
a  bridge  of  boats. 


Meanwhile,  impatient  to  mount  and  ride, 
Booted  and  spurred,  with  a  heavy  stride 
On  the  opposite  shore  walked  Paul  Revere. 
Now  he  patted  his  horse's  side, 
Now  gazed  at  the  landscape  far  and  near, 
Then,  impetuous,  stamped  the  earth, 
And  turned  and  tightened  his  saddle-girth  ; 
But  mostly  he  watched  with  eager  search 


The  belfry-tower  of  the  Old  North  Church, 
As  it  rose  above  the  graves  on  the  hill, 
Lonely  and  spectral  and  sombre  and  still. 
And  lo  !  as  he  looks,  on  the  belfry's  height 
A  glimmer,  and  then  a  gleam  of  light ! 
He  springs  to  the  saddle,  the  bridle  he  turns, 
But  lingers  and  gazes,  till  full  on  his  sight 

A  second  lamp  in  the 
belfry  burns  ! 

A  hurry  of  hoofs  in  a 
village  street, 

A  shape  in  the  moon- 
light, a  bulk  in  the 
dark. 

And  beneath,  from  the 
pebbles,  in  pass- 
ing, a  spark 

Struck  out  by  a  steed 
flying  fearless  and 
fleet : 

That  was  all !  And 
yet,  through  the 
gloom  and  the 
light,       ' 

The  fate  of  a  nation 
was  riding  that 
night : 

And  the  spark  struck 
out  by  that  steed, 
in  his  flight, 

Kindled  the  land  into 
flame  with  its  heat. 

He  has  left  the  village 
and    mounted  the 
steep, 
And    beneath    him, 
tranquil  and  broad 
and  deep, 
Is  the  Mystic,  meeting  the  ocean  tides  ; 
And  under  the  alders,  that  skirt  its  edge, 
Now  soft  on  the  sand,  now  loud  on  the  ledge, 
Is  heard  the  tramp  of  his  steed  as  he  rides. 

It  was  twelve  by  the  village  clock 

When  he  crossed  the  bridge  into  Medford  town. 

He  heard  the  crowing  of  the  cock, 


LOGHINVAR. 


409 


And  the  barking  of  the  farmer's  dog, 
And  felt  the  damp  of  the  river  fog, 
That  rises  after  the  sun  goes  down. 

It  was  one  by  the  village  clock 

When  he  galloped  into  Lexington. 

He  saw  the  gilded  weathercock 

Swim  in  the  moonlight  as  he  passed, 

And  the  meeting-house  windows,  blank  and  bare, 

Gaze  at  him  with  a  spectral  glare, 

As  if  they  already  stood  aghast 

At  the  bloody  work  they  would  look  upon. 

It  was  two  by  the  village  clock 

When  he  came  to  the  bridge  in  Concord  town. 

He  heard  the  bleating  of  the  flock, 

And  the  twitter  of  birds  among  the  trees, 

And  felt  the  breath  of  the  morning  breeze 

Blowing  over  the  meadows  brown. 

And  one  was  safe  and  asleep  in  his  bed 

Who  at  the  bridge  would  be  first  to  fall, 

Who  that  day  would  be  lying  dead, 

Pierced  by  a  British  musket-ball. 

You  know  the  rest.     In  the  books  you  have  read, 
How  the  British  Regulars  fired  and  fled,  — 
How  the  farmers  gave  them  ball  for  ball, 
From  behind  each  fence  and  farm-yard  wall, 
Chasing  the  red-coats  down  the  lane, 
Then  crossing  the  fields  to  emerge  again 
Under  the  trees  at  the  turn  of  the  road, 
And  only  pausing  to  lire  and  load. 

So  through  the  night  rode  Paul  Revere  ; 

And  so  through  the  night  went  his  cry  of  alarm 

To  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm,  — 

A  cry  of  defiance  and  not  of  fear, 

A  voice  in  the  darkness,  a  knock  at  the  door, 

And  a  word  that  shall  echo  for  evermore  ! 

For,  borne  on  the  night-wind  of  the  Past, 

Through  all  our  history,  to  the  last, 

In  the  hour  of  darkness  and  peril  and  need, 

The  people  will  waken  and  listen  to  hear 

The  hurrying  hoof-beats  of  that  steed, 

And  the  midnight  message  of  Paul  Revere. 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow 

52 


LOCHINVAR. 


On,  young  Lochinvar  is  come  out  of  the  west ; 
Through  all  the  wide  Border  his  steed  was  the  best, 
And  save  his  good  broadsword  he  weapons   had  none  ; 
He  rode  all  unarmed,  and  he  rode  all  alone. 
So  faithful  ill  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war, 
There  never  was  knight  like  the  young  Lochinvar. 

He  stayed  not  for  brake,  and  he  stopped  not  for  stone, 

He  swam  the  Eske  river  where  ford  there  was  none  ; 

But,  ere  he  alighted  at  Netherby  gate, 

The  bride  had  consented,  the  gallant  came  late  : 

For  a  laggard  in  love  and  a  dastard  in  war 

Was  to  wed  the  fair  Ellen  of  brave  Lochinvar. 

So  boldly  he  entered  the  Netherby  hall, 
Among  bridesmen  and  kinsmen,  and  brothers  and  all 
Then  spoke  the  bride's  father,  his  hand  on  his  sword 
(For  the  poor  craven  bridegroom  said  never  a  word), 
"  Oh,  come  ye  in  peace  here,  or  come  ye  in  war, 
Or  to  dance  at  our  bridal,  young  Lord  Lochinvar?" 

"  I  long  wooed  your  daughter,  my  suit  you  denied  ;  — 
Love  swells  like  the  Solway,  but  ebbs  like  its  tide ; 


410 


THE  BOOK  OF  POETRY. 


And  now  I  am  come,  with  this  lost  love  of  mine 
To  lead  but  one  measure,  drink  one  cup  of  wine. 
There  are  maidens  in  Scotland  more  lovely  by  far 
That  would  gladly  be  bride  to  the  young  Lochinvar." 

The  bride  kissed  the  goblet ;  the  knight  took  it  up  : 
He  quaffed  off  the  wine,  and  he  threw  down  the  cup. 
She  looked  down  to  blush,  and  she  looked  up  to  sigh, 
With  a  smile  on  her  lips  and  a  tear  in  her  eye. 
He  took  her  soft  hand  ere  her  mother  could  bar,  — 
"  Now  tread  we  a  measure  !  "  said  young  Lochinvar. 

So  stately  his  form,  and  so  lovely  her  face, 
That  never  a  hall  such  a  galliard  did  grace  ; 
While  her  mother  did  fret,  and  her  father  did  fume, 
And    the  bridegroom  stood   daDgling  his  bonnet  and 

plume  ; 
And  the  bride-maidens  whispered,  "  'T  were  better  by 

far 
To  have  matched  our  fair  cousin  with  young  Lochinvar." 

One  touch  to  her  hand,  and  one  word  in  her  ear, 
When  they  reached  the  hall  door  and  the  charger  stood 

near  ; 
So  light  to  the  croup  the  fair  lady  he  swung, 
So  light  to  the  saddle  before  her  he  sprung ! 
"  She  is  won  !  we  are  gone,  over  bank,  bush,  and  scaur  ! 
They  '11  have  fleet  steeds  that  follow ! "  quoth  young 

Lochinvar. 

There  was  mounting  'mong  Grasmes  of  the  Netherby 

clan  ; 
Forsters,  Fenwicks,  and   Musgraves,    they   rode   and 

they  ran ; 
There  was  racing  and  chasing  on  Cannobie  Lee  ; 
But  the  lost  bride  of  Netherby  ne'er  did  they  see. 
So  daring  in  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war, 
Have  ye  e'er  heard  of  gallant  like  young  Lochinvar  ? 

Walter  Scott. 


Of  waistcoats  Harry  has  no  lack, 
Good  duffil  gray,  and  flannel  fine  ; 
He  has  a  blanket  on  his  back, 
And  coats  enough  to  smother  nine. 

In  March,  December,  and  in  July, 
'T  is  all  the  same  with  Harry  Gill  ; 
The  neighbors  tell,  and  tell  you  truly, 
His  teeth  they  chatter,  chatter  still. 
At  night,  at  morning,  and  at  noon, 
'T  is  all  the  same  with  Harry  Gill  ; 
Beneath  the  sun,  beneath  the  moon, 
His  teeth  they  chatter,  chatter  still. 

Young  Harry  was  a  lusty  drover, 
And  who  so  stout  of  limb  as  he  ? 
His  cheeks  were  red  as  ruddy  clover  ; 
His  voice  was  like  the  voice  of  three. 
Old  Goody  Blake  was  old  and  poor ; 
111  fed  she  was  and  thinly  clad  ; 
And  any  man  who  passed  her  door 
Might  see  how  poor  a  hut  she  had. 

All  day  she  spun  in  her  poor  dwelling : 
And  then  her  three  hours'  work  at  night, 
Alas !   't  was  hardly  worth  the  telling, 
It  would  not  pay  for  candle-light. 
Remote  from  sheltered  village  green, 
On  a  hill's  northern  side  she  dwelt, 
Where  from  sea-blasts  the  hawthorns  lean, 
And  hoary  dews  are  slow  to  melt. 

By  the  same  fire  to  boil  their  pottage, 
Two  poor  old  dames,  as  I  have  known, 
Will  often  live  in  one  small  cottage ; 
But  she,  poor  woman  !  housed  alone. 
'T  was  well  enough  when  summer  came, 
The  long,  warm,  lightsome  summer  day, 
Then  at  her  door  the  scanty  dame 
Would  sit,  as  any  linnet  gay. 


GOODY  BLAKE  AND  HARRY  GILL. 

A    TEDE    STORY. 

Oh  !  what 's  the  matter  ?  what 's  the  matter  ? 
What  is  't  that  ails  young  Harry  Gill, 
That  evermore  his  teeth  they  chatter, 
Chatter,  chatter,  chatter  still  ? 


But  when  the  ice  our  streams  did  fetter, 
Oh.  then  how  her  old  bones  would  shake  ! 
You  would  have  said,  if  you  had  met  her, 
'T  was  a  hard  time  for  Goody  Blake. 
Her  evenings  then  were  dull  and  dead: 
Sad  case  it  was,  as  you  may  think, 
For  very  cold  to  go  to  bed, 
And  then  for  cold  not  sleep  a  wink. 


GOODT  BLAKE  AND   HARRY  GILL. 


411 


O  joy  for  her  !   whene'er  in  winter 
The  winds  at  night  had  made  a  rout ; 
And  scattered  many  a  lusty  splinter, 
And  many  a  rotten  bough  about. 


Yet  never  had  she,  well  or  sick, 
As  every  man  who  knew  her  says, 
A  pile  beforehand,  turf  or  stick, 
Enough  to  warm  her  for  three  days. 


412 


THE   BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


Now,  when  the  frost  was  past  enduring, 
And  made  her  poor  old  bones  to  ache, 
Could  anything  be  more  alluring 
Than  an  old  hedge  to  Goody  Blake? 
And  now  and  then,  it  must  be  said, 
When  her  old  bones  were  cold  and  chill, 
She  left  her  fire,  or  left  her  bed, 
To  seek  the  hedge1  of  Harry  Gill. 

Now  Harry  he  had  long  suspected 
This  trespass  of  old  Goody  Blake  ; 
And  vowed  that  she  should  be  detected  — 
That  he  on  her  would  vengeance  take ; 
And  oft  from  his  warm  fire  he  'd  go, 
And  to  the  fields  his  road  would  take ; 
And  there  at  night,  in  frost  and  snow, 
He  watched  to  seize  old  Goody  Blake. 

And  once  behind  a  rick  of  barley, 
Thus  looking  out  did  Harry  stand  ; 
The  moon  was  full  and  shining  clearly, 
And  crisp  with  frost  the  stubble  land. 
—  He  hears  a  noise  —  he  's  all  awake  — 
Again  ?  —  on  tiptoe  down  the  hill 
He  softly  creeps —  't  is  Goody  Blake  ; 
She  's  at  the  hedge  of  Harry  Gill  ! 

Right  glad  was  he  when  he  beheld  her  ; 
Stick  after  stick  did  Goody  pull : 
Pie  stood  behind  a  bush  of  elder, 
Till  she  had  fill'd  her  apron  full 
When  with  her  load  she  turned  about 
The  by-way  back  again  to  take  ; 
He  started  forward  with  a  shout, 
And  sprang  upon  poor  Goody  Blake. 


"  God,  who  art  never  out  of  hearing, 
Oh  may  he  never  more  be  warm !  " 
The  cold,  cold  moon  above  her  head, 
Thus  on  her  knees  did  Goody  pray  ; 
Young  Harry  heard  what  she  had  said, 
And  icy  cold  he  turned  away. 

He  went  complaining  all  the  morrow 
That  he  was  cold  and  very  chill : 
His  face  was  gloom,  his  heart  was  sorrow, 
Alas  !  that  day  for  Harry  Gill  ! 
That  day  he  wore  a  riding-coat, 
But  not  a  whit  the  warmer  he  : 
Another  was  on  Thursday  bought  ; 
And  ere  the  Sabbath  he  had  three. 

'T  was  all  in  vain,  a  useless  matter, 
And  blankets  were  about  him  pinned  ; 
Yet  still  his  jaws  and  teeth  they  chatter, 
Like  a  loose  casement  in  the  wind. 
And  Harry's  flesh  it  fell  away  ; 
And  all  who  see  him  say  't  is  plain, 
That,  live  as  long  as  live  he  may, 
He  never  will  be  warm  again. 

No  word  to  any  man  he  utters, 
A-bed  or  up,  to  young  or  old  ; 
But  ever  to  himself  he  mutters, 
"  Poor  Harry  Gill  is  very  cold  !  " 
A-bed  or  up,  by  night  or  day, 
His  teeth  they  chatter,  chatter  still. 
Now  think,  ye  farmers  all,  I  pray, 
Of  Goody  Blake  and  Harry  Gill ! 

William  Wordsworth. 


And  fiercely  by  the  arm  he  took  her, 
And  by  the  arm  he  held  her  fast, 
And  fiercely  by  the  arm  he  shook  her, 
And  cried,  "  I  've  caught  you  then  at  last!  " 
Then  Goody,  who  had  nothing  said, 
Her  bundle  from  her  lap  let  fall, 
And  kneeling  on  the  sticks  she  prayed 
To  God  that  is  the  judge  of  all. 

She  prayed,  her  withered  hand  uprearing, 
While  Harry  held  her  by  the  arm  — 


HOW  THEY  BROUGHT  THE  GOOD  NEWS 
FROM  GHENT  TO  AIX. 

I  sprang  to  the  stirrup,  and  Joris,  and  he ; 

I  galloped,  Dirck  galloped,  we  galloped  all  three  ; 
"  Good  speed ! "  cried  the  watch,  as  the  gate-bolts  un- 
drew ; 
"  Speed  !  "  echoed  the  wall  to  us  galloping  through  ; 

Behind  shut  the  postern,  the  lights  sank  to  rest, 

And  into  the  midnight  we  galloped  abreast. 


LUCY  GRAY. 


413 


Not  a  word  to  each  other ;  we  kept  the  great  pace 
Neck  by  neck,   stride    by  stride,    never   changing   our 

place  ; 
I  turned  in  my  saddle  and  made  its  girths  tight, 
Then  shortened  each  stirrup,  and  set  the  pique  right, 
Rebuckled  the  check-strap,  chained  slacker  the  bit, 
Nor  galloped  less  steadily  Roland  a  whit. 

'T  was  moonset  at  starting ;  but,  while  we  drew  near 
Lokeren,  the  cocks  crew  and  twilight  dawned  clear; 
At  Boon,  a  great  yellow  star  came  out  to  see ; 
At  Diiffeld,  'twas  morning  as  plain  as  could  be; 
And  from   Mecheln   church-steeple   we  heard  the  half- 
chime, 
So  Joris  broke  silence  with,  "Yet  there  is  time!" 

At  Aerschot,  up  leaped  of  a  sudden  the  sun, 
And  against  him  the  cattle  stood  black  every  one, 
To  stare  through  the  mist  at  us  galloping  past, 
And  I  saw  my  stout  galloper,  Roland,  at  last, 
With  resolute  shoulders  each  butting  away 
The  haze,  as  some  bluff  river  headland  its  spray ; 

And  his  low  head  and  crest,  just  one  sharp  ear  bent 

back 
For  my  voice,  and  the  other  pricked  out  on  his  track ; 
And  one  eye's  black  intelligence,  —  ever  that  glance 
O'er  its  white  edge  at  me,  his  own  master,  askance ! 
And  the  thick  heavy  spume-flakes  which  aye  and  anon 
His  fierce  lips  shook  upwards  in  galloping  on. 

By   Hasselt,   Dirck   groaned ;   and  cried   Joris,  "  Stay 

spur ! 
Your  Roos  galloped  bravely,  the  fault 's  not  in  her, 
We  '11  remember   at  Aix  "  —  for   one  heard   the  quick 

wheeze 
Of  her  chest,  saw  the  stretched  neck,  and  staggering 

knees, 
And  sunk  tail,  and  horrible  heave  of  the  flank, 
As  down  on  her  haunches  she  shuddered  and  sank. 

So  we  were  left  galloping,  Joris  and  I, 

Past  Loos  and  past  Tongres,  no  cloud  in  the  sky ; 

The  broad  sun  above  laughed  a  pitiless  laugh, 

'Neath   our  feet   broke  the  brittle  bright  stubble-like 

chaff; 
Till  over  by  Dalhem  a  dome-tower  sprang  white, 
And  "  Gallop,"  cried  Joris,  "  for  Aix  is  in  sight !  " 


"  How  they  '11  greet  us  !  "  and  all  in  a  moment  his  roan 
Rolled  neck  and  croup  over,  lay  dead  as  a  stone  ; 
And  there  was  my  Rolaud  to  bear  the  whole  weight 
Of  the  news  which  alone   could  save   Aix  from  her 

fate, 
With  his  nostrils  like  pits  full  of  blood  to  the  brim, 
And  with  circles  of  red  for  his  eye-sockets'  rim. 

Then  I  cast  my  loose  buff-coat,  each  holster  let  fall, 
Shook  off  both  my  jack-boots,  let  go  belt  and  all, 
Stood  up  in  the  stirrup,  leaned,  patted  his  ear, 
Called  my   Roland  his    pet   name,  my   horse   without 

peer  ; 
Clapped  my  hands,  laughed  and  sang,  any  noise,  bad 

or  good, 
Till  at  length  into  Aix  Roland  galloped  and  stood. 

And  all  I  remember  is  friends  flocking  round 

As    I    sat    with    his    head    'twixt    my    knees    on    the 

ground, 
And  no  voice  but  was  praising  this  Roland  of  mine, 
As   I  poured  down  his  throat   our  last   measure   of 

wine, 
Which  (the  burgesses  voted  by  common  consent) 
Was  no  more  than  his  due  who  brought  good  news 

from  Ghent. 

Robert  Browning. 


LUCY    GRAY. 

OR    SOLITUDE. 

Oft  I  had  heard  of  Lucy  Gray : 
And,  when  I  crossed  the  wild, 
I  chanced  to  see  at  break  of  day 
The  solitary  child. 

No  mate,  no  comrade  Lucy  knew  ; 
She  dwelt  on  a  wide  moor,  — 
The  sweetest  thing  that  ever  grew 
Beside  a  human  door  ! 

You  yet  may  spy  the  fawn  at  play, 
The  hare  upon  the  green  ; 
But  the  sweet  face  of  Lucy  Gray 
Will  never  more  be  seen. 


414 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


■  To-night  will  be  a  stormy  night  — 
You  to  the  town  must  go  ; 
And  take  a  lantern,  child,  to  light 
Your  mother  through  the  snow." 


At  this  the  father  raised  his  hook, 

And  snapped  a  fagot-band  ; 

He  plied  his  work  ;  —  and  Lucy 

took 
The  lantern  in  her  hand. 

Not  blither  is  the  mountain  roe: 
With  many  a  wanton  stroke 
Her  feet  disperse  the  powdery  snow, 
That  rises  up  like  smoke. 

The  storm  came  on  before  its  time  : 
She  wandered  up  and  down  ; 
And  many  a  hill  did  Lucy  climb ; 
But  never  reached  the  town. 

The  wretched  parents  all  that  night 
Went  shouting  far  and  wide  ; 
But  there  was  neither  sound  nor  sight 
To  serve  them  for  a  guide. 


At  daybreak  on  a  hill  they  stood 
That  overlooked  the  moor  ; 
And  thence  they  saw  the  bridge  of  wood, 
A  furlong  from  their  door. 

They  wept,  and,  turning  homeward,  cried, 
"  In  heaven  we  all  shall  meet !  "  — 
When  in  the  snow  the  mother  spied 
The  print  of  Lucy's  feet. 

Then  downward  from  Che  steep  hill's  edge 
They  tracked  the  footmarks  small ; 
And  through  the  broken  hawthorn  hedge, 
And  by  the  long  stone  wall; 

And  then  an  open  field  they  crossed ; 
The  marks  were  still  the  same  ; 
They  tracked  them  on,  nor  ever  lost ; 
And  to  the  bridge  they  came. 

They  followed  from  the  snowy  bank 
Those  footmarks,  one  by  one, 
Into  the  middle  of  the  plank  ; 
And  further  there  were  none  ! 

Yet  some  maintain  that  to  this  day 
She  is  a  living  child  ; 
That  you  may  see  sweet  Lucy  Gray 
Upon  the  lonesome  wild. 

O'er  rough  and  smooth  she  trips  alocg, 
And  never  looks  behind; 
And  sings  a  solitary  song 
That  whistles  in  the  wind. 

William  Wordswobth. 


OLD   IRONSIDES. 

At,  tear  her  tattered  ensign  down  ! 

Long  has  it  waved  on  high. 
And  many  an  eye  has  danced  to  see 

That  banner  in  the  sky  ; 
Beneath  it  rung  the  battle  shout, 

And  burst  the  cannon's  roar  ; 
The  meteor  of  the  ocean  air 

Shall  sweep  the  clouds  no  more ! 


HORATIUS. 


415 


Her  deck,  once  red  with  heroes'  blood, 

"Where  knelt  the  vanquished  foe, 
When  winds  were  hurrying  o'er  the  flood, 

And  waves  were  white  below, 
No  more  shall  feel  the  victor's  tread, 

Or  know  the  conquered  knee  ;  — 
The  harpies  of  the  shore  shall  pluck 

The  eagle  of  the  sea ! 


T-m. 


Oh  better  that  her  shattered  hulk 
Should  sink  beneath  the  wave; 

Her  thunders  shook  the  mighty 
deep, 
And  there  should  be  her  grave ; 


Nail  to  the  mast  her  holy  flag, 

Set  every  threadbare  sail, 
And  give  her  to  the  god  of  storms, 

The  lightning  and  the  gale! 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 


That  the  great  house  of  Tarquin 
Should  suffer  wrong  no  more. 

By  the  Nine  Gods  he  swore  i; 
And  named  a  trysting  day, 

And  bade  his  messenger  ride  forth, 

East  and  west  and  south  and  north, 
To  summon  his  array. 

East  and  west  and  south  and  north 

The  messengers  ride  fast, 
And  tower  and  town  and  cottage 

Have  heard  the  trumpet's  blast. 
Shame  on  the  false  Etruscan 

Who  lingers  in  his  home, 
When  Porsena  of  Clusium 

Is  on  the  march  for  Rome. 

And  now  hath  every  city 

Sent  up  her  tale  of  men  ; 
The  foot  are  fourscore  thousand, 

The  horse  are  thousands  ten. 
Before  the  gates  of  Sutrium 

Is  met  the  great  array. 
A  proud  man  was  Lars  Porsena 

Upon  the  trysting  day. 

For  all  the  Etruscan  armies 

Were  ranged  beneath  his  eye, 
And  many  a  banished  Roman, 

And  many  a  stout  ally  ; 
And  with  a  mighty  following 

To  join  the  muster  came 
The  Tusculan  Mamilius, 

Prince  of  the  Latian  name. 

But  by  the  yellow  Tiber 

Was  tumult  and  affright : 
From  all  the  spacious  champaign 

To  Rome  men  took  their  flight. 
A  mile  around  the  city 

The  throng  stopped  up  the  ways  ; 
A  fearful  sight  it  was  to  see 

Through  two  long  nights  and  days. 


HORATIUS. 

Lars  Porsena  of  Clusium 
By  the  Nine  Gods  he  swore 


To  eastward  and  to  westward 
Have  spread  the  Tuscan  band  ; 

Nor  house,  nor  fence,  nor  dove-cote 
In  Crustumerium  stands. 


416 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


Verbenna  down  to  Ostia 
Hath  wasted  all  the  plain  ; 

Astur  hath  stormed  Janiculum, 
And  the  stout  guards  are  slain. 

I  wis,  in  all  the  Senate, 

There  was  no  heart  so  bold, 
But  sore  it  ached  and  fast  it  beat, 

When  that  ill  news  was  told. 
Forthwith  up  rose  the  Consul, 

Up  rose  the  Fathers  all  ; 
In  haste  they  girded  up  their  gowns, 

And  hied  them  to  the  wall. 


By  the  right  wheel  rode  Mamilius, 
Prince  of  the  Latian  name  ; 

And  by  the  left  false  Sextus, 

That  wrought  the  deed  of  shame. 

But  when  the  face  of  Sextus 

Was  seen  among  the  foes, 
A  yell  that  rent  the  firmament 

From  all  the  town  arose. 
On  the  house-tops  was  no  woman 

But  spat  towards  him  and  hissed, 
No  child  but  screamed  out  curses, 

And  shook  its  little  fist. 


They  held  a  council  standing 

Before  the  Biver-Gate ; 
Short  time  was  there,  ye  well  may  guess, 

For  musing  or  debate. 
Out  spake  the  Consul  roundly  : 

"The  bridge  must  straight  go  down; 
For,  since  Janiculum  is  lost, 

Nought  else  can  save  the  town." 

Just  then  a  scout  came  flying, 

All  wild  with  haste  and  fear  : 
"  To  arms  !  to  arms  !   Sir  Consul : 

Lars  Porsena  is  here  !  " 
On  the  low  hills  to  westward 

The  Consul  fixed  his  eye, 
And  saw  the  swarthy  storm  of  dust 

Bise  fast  along  the  sky. 

And  nearer  fast  and  nearer 

Doth  the  red  whirlwind  come  ; 
And  louder  still  and  still  more  loud, 
From  underneath  that  rolling  cloud, 
Is  heard  the  trumpet's  war-note  proud, 

The  trampling  aud  the  hum. 
And  plainly  and  more  plainly 

Now  through  the  gloom  appears, 
Far  to  left  and  far  to  right, 
In  broken  gleams  of  dark-blue  light, 
The  long  array  of  helmets  bright, 

The  long  array  of  spears. 

Fast  by  the  royal  standard, 

O'erlooking  all  the  war, 
Lars  Porsena  of  Clusium 

Sat  in  his  ivory  car. 


But  the  Consul's  brow  was  sad, 

And  the  Consul's  speech  was  low, 
And  darkly  looked  he  at  the  wall, 

And  darkly  at  the  foe. 
"  Their  van  will  be  upon  us 

Before  the  bridge  goes  down  ; 
And  if  they  once  may  win  the  bridge, 

What  hope  to  save  the  town  ?  " 

Then  out  spake  brave  Horatius, 

The  Captain  of  the  Gate  : 
"  To  every  man  upon  this  earth 

Death  cometh  soon  or  late. 
And  how  can  man  die  better 

Than  facing  fearful  odds, 
For  the  ashes  of  his  fathers, 

And  the  temples  of  his  Gods, 

"And  for  the  tender  mother 

Who  dandled  liim  to  rest, 
And  for  the  wife  who  nurses 

His  baby  at  her  breast, 
And  for  the  holy  maidens 

Who  feed  the  eternal  flame, 
To  save  them  from  false  Sextus 

That  wrought  the  deed  of  shame  ? 

"  Hew  down  the  bridge,  Sir  Consul, 

With  all  the  speed  ye  may  ; 
I,  with  two  more  to  help  me, 

Will  hold  the  foe  in  play. 
In  yon  straight  path  a  thousand 

May  well  be  stopped  by  three. 
Now  who  will  stand  on  either  hand, 

And  keep  the  bridge  with  me  ?  " 


HORATIUS. 


417 


Then  out  spake  Spurius  Lartius  ; 
A  Raranian  proud  was  he  : 
"  Lo,  I  will  stand  at  thy  right  hand, 
And  keep  the  bridge  with  thee." 
And  out  spake  strong  Herminius  ; 
Of  Titian  blood  was  he  : 
*'  I  will  abide  on  thy  left  side. 

And  keep  the  bridge  with  thee." 

"  Horatius,  quoth  the  Consul," 

"As  thou  sayest,  so  let  it  be." 
And  straight  against  that  great  array 

Forth  went  the  dauntless  Three. 
For  Romans  in  Rome's  quarrels 

Spared  neither  land  nor  gold, 
Nor  son  nor  wife,  nor  limb  nor  life, 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

Then  none  was  for  a  party  ; 

Then  all  were  for  the  state  ; 
Then  the  great  man  helped  the  poor, 

And  the  poor  man  loved  the  great ; 
Then  lands  were  fairly  portioned  ; 

Then  spoils  were  fairly  sold : 
The  Romans  were  like  brothers 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

Now  Roman  is  to  Roman 

More  hateful  than  a  foe, 
And  the  Tribunes  beard  the  high, 

And  the  Fathers  grind  the  low. 
As  we  wax  hot  in  faction, 

In  battle  we  wax  cold  : 
Wherefore  men  fight  not  as  they  fought 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

Now  while  the  Three  were  tightening 

Their  harness  on  their  backs, 
The  Consul  was  the  foremost  man 

To  take  in  hand  an  axe  : 
And  Fathers  mixed  with  Commons 

Seized  hatchet,  bar,  and  crow, 
And  smote  upon  the  planks  above, 

And  loosed  the  props  below. 

Meanwhile  the  Tuscan  army, 
Right  glorious  to  behold, 
53 


Came  flashing  back  the  noonday  light, 
Rank  behind  rank,  like  surges  bright 

Of  a  broad  sea  of  gold. 
Four  hundred  trumpets  sounded 

A  peal  of  warlike  glee, 
As  that  great  host  with  measured  tread, 
And  spears  advanced,  and  ensigns  spread, 
Rolled  slowly  towards  the  bridge's  head, 

Where  stood  the  dauntless  Three. 

The  Three  stood  calm  and  silent, 

And  looked  upon  the  foes, 
And  a  great  shout  of  laughter 

From  all  the  vanguard  rose: 
And  forth  three  chiefs  came  spurring 

Before  that  deep  array  ; 
To  earth  they  sprang,  their  swords  they  drew, 
And  lifted  high  their  shields,  and  flew 

To  win  the  narrow  way  ; 

Aunus  from  green  Tifernum, 

Lord  of  the  Hill  of  Vines  ; 
And  Seius,  whose  eight  hundred  slaves 

Sicken  in  Ilva's  mines; 
And  Picus,  long  to  Clusium 

Vassal  in  peace  and  war, 
Who  led  to  fight  his  Umbrian  powers 
From  that  gray  crag  where,  girt  with  towers, 
The  fortress  of  Nequinum  lowers 

O'er  the  pale  waves  of  Nar. 

Stout  Lartius  hurled  down  Aunus 

Into  the  stream  beneath  ; 
Herminius  struck  at  Seius 

And  clove  him  to  the  teeth  ; 
At  Picus  brave  Horatius 

Darted  one  fiery  thrust ; 
And  the  proud  Umbrian's  gilded  arms 

Clashed  in  the  bloody  dust. 

Then  Ocnus  of  Falerii 

Rushed  on  the  Roman  Three ; 
And  Lausulus  of  Urgo, 

The  rover  of  the  sea ; 
And  Aruns  of  Volsinium, 

Who  slew  the  great  wild  boar,  — 
The  great  wild  boar  that  had  his  den 


418 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


Amidst  the  reeds  of  Cosa's  fen. 
And  wasted  fields,  and  slaughtered  men, 
Along  Albinia's  shore. 

Herminius  smote  down  Aruns  ; 

Lartius  laid  Ocnus  low  ; 
Eight  to  the  heart  of  Lausulus 

Horatius  sent  a  blow. 
"  Lie  there,"  he  cried,  "  fell  pirate  ! 

No  more,  aghast  and  pale, 
From  Ostia's  walls  the  crowd  shall  mark 
The  track  of  thy  destroying  bark. 
No  more  Campania's  hinds  shall  fly 
To  woods  and  caverns  when  they  spy 

Thy  thrice  accursed  sail." 


With  shield  and  blade  Horatius 

Right  deftly  turned  the  blow. 
The  blow,  though  turned,  came  yet  too  nigh; 
It  missed  his  helm,  but  gashed  his  thigh  : 
The  Tuscans  raised  a  joyful  cry 

To  see  the  red  blood  flow. 

He  reeled,  and  on  Herminius 

He  leaned  one  breathing-space  ; 
Then,  like  a  wild-cat  mad  with  wounds, 

Sprang  right  at  Astur's  face. 
Through  teeth,  and  skull,  and  helmet, 

So  fierce  a  thrust  he  sped, 
The  good  sword  stood  a  hand-breath  out 

Behind  the  Tuscan's  head. 


But  now  no  sound  of  laughter 

Was  heard  among  the  foes. 
A  wild  and  wrathful  clamor 

From  all  the  vanguard  rose. 
Six  spears'  length  from  the  entrance 

Halted  that  deep  array, 
And  for  a  space  no  man  came  forth 

To  win  the  narrow  way. 

But  hark  !  the  cry  is  Astur  : 

And  lo  !  the  ranks  divide  ; 
And  the  great  Lord  of  Luna 

Comes  with  his  stately  stride. 
Upon  his  ample  shoulders 

Clangs  loud  the  four-fold  shield, 
And  in  his  hand  he  shakes  the  brand 

Which  none  but  he  can  wield. 


And  the  great  Lord  of  Luna 

Fell  at  that  deadly  stroke, 
As  falls  on  Mount  Alvernus 

A  thunder-smitten  oak. 
Far  o'er  the  crashing  forest 

The  giant  arms  lie  spread  ; 
And  the  pale  augurs,  muttering  low, 

Gaze  on  the  blasted  head. 

On  Astur's  throat  Horatius 

Eight  firmly  pressed  his  heel, 
And  thrice  and  four  times  tugged  amain, 

Ere  he  wrenched  out  the  steel. 
"  And  see,"  he  cried,  "  the  welcome, 

Fair  guests,  that  waits  you  here ! 
What  noble  Lucumo  comes  next 

To  taste  our  Roman  cheer  ?  " 


He  smiled  on  those  bold  Eomans 

A  smile  serene  and  high  ; 
He  eyed  the  flinching  Tuscans, 

And  scorn  was  in  his  eye. 
Quoth  he,  "  The  she-wolf's  litter 

Stand  savagely  at  bay  : 
But  will  ye  dare  to  follow, 

If  Astur  clears  the  way  ?  " 

Then,  whirling  up  his  broadsword 
With  both  hands  to  the  height, 

He  rushed  against  Horatius, 
And  smote  with  all  his  might. 


But  at  his  haughty  challenge 

A  sullen  murmur  ran, 
Mingled  of  wrath,  and  shame,  and  dread, 

Along  that  glittering  van. 
There  lacked  not  men  of  prowess, 

Nor  men  of  lordly  race  ; 
For  all  Etruria's  noblest 

Were  round  the  fatal  place. 

But  all  Etruria's  noblest 

Felt  their  hearts  sink  to  see 
On  the  earth  the  bloody  corpses, 

In  the  path  the  dauntless  Three : 


HOR  A  TIUS. 


419 


And,  from  the  ghostly  entrance 

Where  those  bold  Romans  stood. 
All  shrank,  like  boys  who  unaware, 
Ranging  the  woods  to  start  a  hare. 
Come  to  the  mouth  of  the  dark  lair 
Where,  growling  low,  a  fierce  old  bear 
Lies  amidst  bones  and  blood. 

Was  none  who  would  be  foremost 

To  lead  such  dire  attack  ; 
But  those  behind  cried  "  Forward  !  " 

And  those  before  cried  "  Back  !  " 
And  backward  now  and  forward 

Wavers  the  deep  array  ; 
And  on  the  tossing  sea  of  steel, 
To  and  fro  the  standards  reel ; 
And  the  victorious  trumpet-peal 

Dies  fitfully  away. 

Yet  one  man  for  one  moment 

Strode  out  before  the  crowd  ; 
Well  known  was  he  to  all  the  Three, 

And  they  gave  him  greeting  loud. 
"  Now  welcome,  welcome,  Sextus  ! 

Now  welcome  to  thy  home  ! 
Why  dost  thou  stay,  and  turn  away  ? 

Here  lies  the  road  to  Rome." 

Thrice  looked  he  at  the  city ; 

Thrice  looked  he  at  the  dead  ; 
And  thrice  came  on  in  fury, 

And  thrice  turned  back  in  dread  ; 
And,  white  with  fear  and  hatred, 

Scowled  at  the  narrow  way 
Where,  wallowing  in  a  pool  of  blood, 

The  bravest  Tuscans  lay. 

But  meanwhile  axe  and  lever 
Have  manfully  been  plied  ; 
And  now  the  bridge  hangs  tottering 
Above  the  boiling  tide. 
"  Come  back,  come  back,  Horatius  !  " 

Loud  cried  the  Fathers  all. 
"  Back,  Lartius  !     Back.  Herminius  ! 
Back,  ere  the  ruin  fall !  " 

Back  darted  Spurius  Lartius  ; 
Herminius  darted  back  : 


And,  as  they  passed,  beneath  their  feet 
They  felt  the  timbers  crack. 

But  when  they  turned  their  faces, 
And  on  the  farther  shore 

Saw  brave  Horatius  stand  alone, 

They  would  have  crossed  once  more. 

But  with  a  crash  like  thunder 

Fell  every  loosened  beam, 
And,  like  a  dam,  the  mighty  wreck 

Lay  right  athwart  the  stream  ; 
And  a  long  shout  of  triumph 

Rose  from  the  walls  of  Rome, 
As  to  the  highest  turret-tops 

Was  splashed  the  yellow  foam. 

And,  like  a  horse  unbroken 

When  first  he  feels  the  rein, 
The  furious  river  struggled  hard, 

And  tossed  his  tawny  mane, 
And  burst  the  curb,  and  bounded, 

Rejoicing  to  be  free, 
And,  whirling  down,  in  fierce  career, 
Battlement,  and  plank,  and  pier, 

Rushed  headlong  to  the  sea. 

Alone  stood  brave  Horatius, 
But  constant  still  in  mind ; 
Thrice  thirty  thousand  foes  before, 
And  the  broad  flood  behind. 
"  Down  with  him  !  "  cried  false  Sextus, 

With  a  smile  on  his  pale  face. 
"  Now  yield  thee,"  cried  Lars  Porsena, 
"  Now  yield  thee  to  our  grace." 

Round  turned  he,  as  not  deigning 

Those  craven  ranks  to  see ; 
Nought  spake  he  to  Lars  Porsena, 

To  Sextus  nought  spake  he  ; 
But  he  saw  on  Palatinus 

The  white  porch  of  his  home ; 
And  he  spake  to  the  noble  river 

That  rolls  by  the  towers  of  Rome. 

"O  Tiber!  father  Tiber! 

To  whom  the  Romans  pray, 
A  Roman's  life,  a  Roman's  arms. 
Take  thou  in  charge  this  day  !  " 


420 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


So  he  spake,  and  speaking  sheathed 

The  good  sword  by  his  side, 
And,  with  his  harness  on  his  back, 

Plunged  headlong  in  the  tide. 

No  sound  of  joy  or  sorrow 

Was  heard  from  either  bank  ; 
But  friends  and  foes  in  dumb  surprise, 
With  parted  lips  and  straining  eyes, 

Stood  gazing  where  he  sank  ; 
And  when  above  the  surges 

They  saw  his  crest  appear, 
All  Rome  sent  forth  a  rapturous  cry, 
And  even  the  ranks  of  Tuscany 

Could  scarce  forbear  to  cheer. 

But  fiercely  ran  the  current, 

Swollen  high  by  months  of  rain, 
And  fast  his  blood  was  flowing, 

And  he  was  sore  in  pain, 
And  heavy  with  his  armor, 

And  spent  with  changing  blows  : 
And  oft  they  thought  him  sinking, 

But  still  again  he  rose. 

Never,  I  ween,  did  swimmer, 

In  such  an  evil  case, 
Struggle  through  such  a  raging  flood 

Safe  to  the  landing  place  : 
But  his  limbs  were  borne  up  bravely 

By  the  brave  heart  within, 
And  our  good  father  Tiber 

Bare  bravely  up  his  chin. 

"  Curse  on  him  !  "  quoth  false  Sextus  ; 
"  Will  not  the  villain  drown? 
But  for  this  stay,  ere  close  of  day 
We  should  have  sacked  the  town  !  " 
"Heaven  help  him!"  quoth  Lars  Porsena, 
"And  bring  him  safe  to  shore; 
For  such  a  gallant  feat  of  arms 
Was  never  seen  before." 

And  now  he  feels  the  bottom  ; 

Now  on  dry  earth  he  stands  ; 
Now  round  him  throng  the  Fathers, 

To  press  his  gory  hands ; 
And  now,  with  shouts  and  clapping, 


And  noise  of  weeping  loud, 
He  enters  through  the  River- Grate, 
Borne  by  the  joyous  crowd. 

They  gave  him  of  the  corn-land, 

That  was  of  public  right, 
As  much  as  two  strong  oxen 

Could  plow  from  morn  till  night ; 
And  they  made  a  molten  image, 

And  set  it  up  on  high, 
And  there  it  stands  unto  this  day 

To  witness  if  I  lie. 

It  stands  in  the  Comitium, 

Plain  for  all  folk  to  see : 
Horatius  in  his  harness, 

Halting  upon  one  knee  : 
And  underneath  is  written, 

In  letters  all  of  gold, 
How  valiantly  he  kept  the  bridge 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

And  still  his  name  sounds  stirring 

Unto  the  men  of  Rome, 
As  the  trumpet-blast  that  cries  to  them 

To  charge  the  Volscian  home  ; 
And  wives  still  pray  to  Juno 

For  boys  with  hearts  as  bold 
As  his  who  kept  the  bridge  so  well 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

Thomas  Babington  Macaulat. 


THE   SKELETON   IN   ARMOR. 

"  Speak  !  speak  !  thou  fearful  guest ! 
Who,  with  thy  hollow  breast 
Still  in  rude  armor  drest, 

Comest  to  daunt  me  ! 
Wrapt  not  in  Eastern  balms, 
But  with  thy  fleshless  palms 
Stretched,  as  if  asking  alms, 
Why  dost  thou  haunt  me  ?  " 

Then,  from  those  cavernous  eyes 
Pale  flashes  seemed  to  rise, 
As  when  the  Northern  skies 
Gleam  in  December  ; 


THE  SKELETON  IN  ARMOR. 


421 


And,  like  the  water's  flow 
Under  December's  snow, 
Came  a  dull  voice  of  woe 
From  the  heart's  chamber. 

"  I  was  a  Viking  old ! 
My  deeds,  though  manifold, 
No   Skald  in   song 
has  told, 
No   Saga    taught 
thee ! 
Tnke  heed,  that  in 

thy  verse 
Thou  dost  the  tale 

rehearse, 
Else  dread    a  dead 
man's  curse  ; 
For  this  I  sought 
thee. 

"  Far  inthe  North- 
ern Land, 
By  the  wild  Baltic's 

strand, 
I,  with  my  childish 
hand. 
Tamed    the    ger- 
falcon ; 
And,  with  my  skates 

fast-bound. 
Skimmed    the  half- 
frozen  Sound, 
That  the  poor  whim- 
pering hound 
Trembled  to  walk 


"  Oft  to  his  frozen 

lair 
Tracked  I  the  grisly 

bear, 
While  from  my  path 
the  hare 

Fled  like  a  shadow  ; 
Oft  through  the  forest  dark 
Followed  the  were-wolf's  bark, 
Until  the  soaring  lark 
Sang  from  the  meadow. 


"  But  when  I  older  grew, 
Joining  a  corsair's  crew, 
O'er  the  dark  sea  I  flew 
With  the  marauders. 
Wild  was  the  life  we  led  ; 
Many  the  souls  that  sped, 
Many  the  hearts  that  bled, 


By  our  stern  or. 
ders. 

"  Many    a    wassail- 
bout 

Wore  the  long  win- 
ter out; 

Often  our  midnight 
shout 
Set    the    cocks 
crowing, 

As  we  the  Berserk's 
tale 

Measured    in     cups 
of  ale, 

Draining  the  oaken 
pail, 
Filled     to     o'er- 
flowing. 

"  Once  as  I  told  in 
glee 

Tales  of  the  stormy 
sea, 

Soft  eyes  did  gaze 
on  me, 
Burning  yet  ten- 
der ; 

And    as    the    white 
stars  shine 

On    the   dark  Nor- 
way pine, 

On  that  dark  heart 
of  mine 
Fell    their   soft 
splendor. 


"  I  wooed  the  blue-eyed  maid, 
Yielding,  yet  half  afraid, 
And  in  the  forest's  shade 
Our  vows  were  plighted. 


422 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


Under  its  loosened  vest 
Fluttered  her  little  breast, 
Like  birds  within  their  nest 
By  the  hawk  frightened. 

"  Bright  in  her  father's  hall 
Shields  gleamed  upon  the  wall 
Loud  sang  the  min- 
strels all, 
Chanting    his 
glory ; 
When  of  old  Hilde- 

brand 
T  asked  his  daugh- 
ter's hand, 
Mute  did  the    min- 
strels stand 
To  hear  my  story. 

"  While  the  brown 
ale  he  quaffed 

Loud  then  the  cham- 
pion laughed, 

And   as    the    wind- 
gusts  waft 
The    sea- foam 
brightly, 

So  the  loud   laugh 
of  scorn, 

Out   of    those    lips 
unshorn, 

From    the    deep 
drinking  -  horn 
Blew    the    foam 
lightly. 

"  She  was  a  Prince's 

child, 
I    but    a    Viking 

wild, 
And     though    she 
blushed    and 
smiled, 

I  was  discarded  ! 
Should  not  the  dove  so  white 
Follow  the  sea-mew's  flight, 
Why  did  they  leave  that  night 
Her  nest  unguarded? 


"  Scarce  had  I  put  to  sea, 
Bearing  the  maid  with  me, 
Fairest  of  all  was  she 

Among  the  Norsemen  ! 
When  on  the  white  sea-strand, 
Waving  his  armed  hand, 
Saw  we  old  Hildebrand, 

With  twenty  horse, 
men. 

••  Then  launched 
they  to  the 
blast, 

Bent  like  a  reed 
each  mast, 

Yet  we  were   gain- 
ing fast, 
When    the    wind 
failed  us ; 

And  whli  a  sudden 
flaw 

Came  round  the 
gusty  Skaw, 

So  that  our  foe  we 
saw 
Laugh  as    he 
hailed  us. 

"  And  as    to    catch 

the  gale 
Round    veered    the 

flapping  sail, 
Death  !    was    the 
helmsman's  hail. 
Death    without 

quarter ! 
Mid-ships  with  iron 

keel 
Struck  we   her  ribs 

of  steel ; 
Down    her   black 

hulk  did  reel 
Through  the  black  water! 

"  As  with  his  wings  aslant, 
Sails  the  fierce  cormorant, 
Seeking  some  rocky  haunt, 
With  his  prey  laden, 


THE  BURIAL    OF  SIR  JOHN  MOORE. 


423 


So  toward  the  open 

main, 
Beating    to    sea 

again, 

Through     the    wild 
hurricane, 
Bore  I  the  maid- 


"  Three    weeks    we 
westward  bore, 

And  when  the  storm 
was  o'er. 

Cloudlike    we     saw 
the  shore 
Stretching  to  lee- 
ward ; 

There  for  my  lady's 
bower 

Built    I    the    lofty 
tower. 

Which,  to  this  very 
hour, 

Stands  looking  sea- 
ward. 

"  There     lived    we 
many  years ; 

Time    dried    the 
maiden's  tears  ; 

She  had  forgot  her 
fears, 
She  was  a  moth- 
er ; 

Death    closed    her 
mild  blue  eyes, 

Under  that  tower  she  lies 


. 

wgBSBfMss&i-'-''' ' 

ill 

- 

. 

lift®  ^ 

WBmmmm 

Ne'er  shall  the  sun 
arise 
On  such  another  ! 

"  Still    grew    my 

bosom  then, 
Still   as  a  stagnant 

fen  ! 
Hateful  to  me  were 

men, 
The     sun -light 

hateful ! 
In    the   vast    forest 

here, 
Clad  in  my  warlike 

gear, 


my 


Fell     I     upon 
spear, 
Oh,    death  was 
grateful  ! 

"  Thus,  seamed  with 
many  scars, 

Bursting       these 
prison  bars, 

Up    to    his    native 
stars 
My   soul   ascend- 
ed! 

There     from     the 
flowing  bowl 

Deep    drinks     the 
warrior's  soul, 

Skoal!  to  the  North- 
land !  skoal !  " 
Thus  the  tale  ended. 
Henry  Wadsworih  Longfellow. 


THE    BURIAL   OF   SIR   JOHN    MOORE. 

Not  a  drum  was  heard,  not  a  funeral  note, 
As  his  corse  to  the  ramparts  we  hurried  ; 

Not  a  soldier  discharged  his  farewell  shot 
O'er  the  grave  where  our  hero  we  buried. 

We  buried  him  darkly  at  dead  of  night. 
The  sods  with  our  bayonets  turning, 


By  the  struggling  moonbeams'  misty  light, 
And  the  lantern  dimly  burning. 

No  useless  coffin  inclosed  his  breast, 

Nor  in  sheet  or  in  shroud  we  wound  him ; 

But  he  lay  like  a  warrior  taking  his  rest, 
With  his  martial  cloak  around  him. 

Few  and  short  were  the  prayers  we  said, 
And  we  spoke  not  a  word  of  sorrow ; 


424 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


"  Now  who  be  ye,  would  cross  Lochgyle, 
This  dark  and  stormy  water  ?  " 

"Oh,  I'm  the  chief  of  Ulva's  isle, 
And  this  Lord  Ullin's  daughter. 

"  And  fast  before  her  father's  men 
Three  days  we  've  fled  together, 
For  should  he  find  us  in  the  glen, 
My  blood  would  stain  the  heather. 

"  His  horsemen  hard  behind  us  ride  ; 
Should  they  our  steps  discover, 
Then  who  will  cheer  my  bonny  bride 
When  they  have  slain  her  lover  ?  " 

Out  spoke  the  hardy  Highland  wight, 
"  I  '11  go,  my  chief,  I  'm  ready ; 


But  we  steadfastly  gazed  on  the  face  of  the  dead, 
And  w,e  bitterly  thought  of  the  morrow. 

We  thought,  as  we  hollowed  his  narrow  bed, 

And  smoothed  down  his  lonely  pillow, 
That  the  foe  and  the  stranger  would  tread  o'er  his  head, 

And  we  far  away  on  the  billow. 

Lightly  they  '11  talk  of  the  spirit  that 's  gone, 

And  o'er  his  cold  ashes  upbraid  him ; 
But  little  he  '11  reck,  if  they  let  him  sleep  on 

In  the  grave  where  a  Briton  has  laid  him. 

But  half  of  our  heavy  task  was  done, 

When  the  clock  struck  the  hour  for  retiring : 

And  we  heard  the  distant  and  random  gun 
That  the  foe  was  sullenly  firing. 

Slowly  and  sadly  we  laid  him  down, 

From  the  field  of  his  fame  fresh  and  gory  ; 

We  carved  not  a  line,  and  we  raised  not  a  stone, 
But  we  left  him  alone  with  his  glory. 

Charles  Wolfe. 


LORD   ULLIN'S   DAUGHTER. 

A  chieftain  to  the  Highlands  bound 
Cries,  "Boatman,  do  not  tarry! 

And  I  '11  give  thee  a  silver  pound 
To  row  us  o'er  the  ferry." 


It  is  not  for  your  silver  blight; 
But  for  your  winsome  lady  : 


'■  And  by  my  word  !   the  bonny  bird 
In  danger  shall  not  tarry  . 
So  though  the  waves  are  raging  white, 
I  '11  row  you  o'er  the  ferry." 


x:y  this  the  storm  grew  loud  apace, 
The  water-wraith  was  shrieking ; 


THE    WRECK   OF   THE  HESPERUS. 


425 


And  in  the  scowl  of  Heaven  each  face 
Grew  dark  as  they  were  speaking. 

But  still  as  wilder  blew  the  wind, 

And  as  the  night  grew  drearer, 
Adown  the  glen  rode  armed  men, 

Their  trampling  sounded  nearer. 

"  Oh  haste  thee,  haste  !  "  the  lady  cries, 
"  Though  tempests  round  us  gather ; 
I  '11  meet  the  raging  of  the  skies, 
But  not  an  angry  father." 

The  boat  has  left  the  stormy  land, 

A  stormy  sea  before  her,  — 
When,  oh  !  too  strong  for  human  hand 

The  tempest  gathered  o'er  her. 

And  still  they  rowed  amidst  the  roar 

Of  waters  fast  prevailing  : 
Lord  Ullin  reached  that  fatal  shore  ; 

His  wrath  was  changed  to  wailing. 

For,  sore  dismayed,  through  storm  and  shade 

His  child  he  did  discover  : 
One  lovely  hand  she  stretched  for  aid, 

And  one  was  round  her  lover. 

"  Come  back  !  come  back  !  "  he  cried  in  grief, 
"  Across  this  stormy  water  : 
And  I  '11  forgive  your  Highland  chief, 
My  daughter  !  oh,  my  daughter  !  " 

'T  was  vain  ;  the  loud  waves  lashed  the  shore, 

Return  or  aid  preventing  ; 
The  waters  wild  went  o'er  his  child, 

And  he  was  left  lamenting. 

Thomas  Campbell, 


Blue  were  her  eyes  as  the  fairy  flax, 
Her  cheeks  like  the  dawn  of  day, 

And  her  bosom  white  as  the  hawthorn  buds, 
That  ope  in  the  month  of  May. 

The  skipper  he  stood  beside  the  helm, 

His  pipe  was  in  his  mouth, 
And  he  watched  how  the  veering  flaw  did  blow 

The  smoke  now  west,  now  south. 


Then  up  and  spake  an  old  sailor, 
Had  sailed  the  Spanish  Main, 
"  I  pray  thee  put  into  yonder  port, 
For  I  fear  the  hurricane. 


THE   WRECK   OF   THE    HESPERUS. 

It  was  the  schooner  Hesperus, 

That  sailed  the  wintry  sea; 
And  the  skipper  had  taken  his  little  daughter, 

To  bear  him  company. 


;  Last  night  the  moon  had  a  golden  ring, 

And  to-night  no  moon  we  see  !  " 
The  skipper  he  blew  a  whiff  from  his  pipe, 
And  a  scornful  laugh  laughed  he. 

Colder  and  louder  blew  the  wind, 
A  gale  from  the  northeast ; 


54 


426 


THE  BOOK   OF  POETRY. 


The  snow  fell  hissing  in  the  brine, 
•       And  the  billows  frothed  like  yeast. 

Down  came  the  storm  and  smote  amain 

The  vessel  in  its  strength ; 
She  shuddered  and  paused  like  a  frighted  steed, 

Then  leaped  her  cable's  length. 

"  Come  hither  !  come  hither  !  my  little  daughter, 
And  do  not  tremble  so  ; 
For  I  can  weather  the  roughest  gale 
That  ever  wind  did  blow." 

He  wrapped  her  warm  in  his  seaman's  coat, 

Against  the  stinging  blast ; 
He  cut  a  rope  from  a  broken  spar, 

And  bound  her  to  the  mast. 

"O  father!   I  hear  the  church  bells  ring, 

Oh  say,  what  may  it  be  ?  " 
••  'T  is  a  fog-bell  on  a  rock-bound  coast!  " 

And  he  steered  for  the  open  sea. 


1  O  father !  I  see  a  gleaming  light, 
Oh  say,  what  may  it  be  ?  " 
But  the  father  answered  never  a  word, — 
A  frozen  corpse  was  he. 

Lashed  to  the  helm,  all  stiff  and  stark, 

With  his  face  turned  to  the  skies, 
The  lantern  gleamed  through  the  gleaming  snow 

On  his  fixed  and  glassy  eyes. 

Then  the  maiden  clasped  her  hands  and  prayed 

That  saved  she  might  be  ; 
And  she  thought  of  Christ  who  stilled  the  waves 

On  the  Lake  of  Galilee. 

And  fast  through  the  midnight  dark  and  drear, 
Through  the  whistling  sleet  and  snow, 

Like  a  sheeted  ghost  the  vessel  swept 
Towards  the  reef  of  Norman's  Woe. 

And  ever  the  fitful  gusts  between 

A  sound  came  from  the  land  ; 
It  was  the  sound  of  the  trampling  surf 

On  the  rocks  and  the  hard  sea-sand. 

The  breakers  were  right  beneath  her  bows, 

She  drifted  a  dreary  wreck, 
And  a  whooping  billow  swept  the  crew 

Like  icicles  from  her  deck. 


'^fc?7 


"  O  father !  I  hear  the  sound  of  guns, 
Oh  say,  what  may  it  be?" 

"  Some  ship  in  distress  that  cannot  live 
In  such  an  angry  sea  ! " 


She  struck  where  the  white  and  fleecy  waves 

Looked  soft  as  carded  wool, 
But  the  cruel  rocks  they  gored  her  sides 

Like  the  horns  of  an  angry  bull. 


THE  BEGGAR   MAID. 


427 


Her  rattling  shrouds  all  sheathed  in  ice, 
With  the  masts  went  by  the  board  ; 

Like  a  vessel  of  glass  she  stove  and  sank, 
Ho  !  ho  !  the  breakers  roared. 

At  day-break  on  the  bleak  sea-beach, 

A  fisherman  stood  aghast, 
To  see  the  form  of  a  maiden  fair 

Lashed  close  to  a  drifting  mast. 

The  salt  sea  was  frozen  on  her  breast, 

The  salt  tears  in  her  eyes  ; 
And  he  saw  her  hair,  like  the  brown  sea-weed, 

On  the  billows  fall  and  rise, 

Such  was  the  wreck  of  the  Hesperus, 

In  the  midnight  and  the  snow ; 
Heaven  save  us  all  from  a  death  like  this, 

On  the  reef  of  Norman's  Woe  ! 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 


THE    BEGGAR   MAID. 

Her  arms  across  her  breast  she  laid ; 

She  was  more  fair  than  words  can  say  ; 
Barefooted  came  the  beggar  maid 

Before  the  King  Cophetua. 
In  robe  and  crown  the  king  stept  down, 

To  meet  and  greet  her  on  her  way  ; 
;  It  is  no  wonder,"  said  the  lords, 

"  She  is  more  beautiful  than  da,y." 


As  shines  the  moon  in  clouded  skies, 
She  in  her  poor  attire  was  seen  : 

One  praised  her  ankles,  one  her  eyes, 
One  her  dark  hair  and  lovesome  mien. 


So  sweet  a  face,  such  angel  grace, 

In  all  that  land  had  never  been : 
Cophetua  swore  a  royal  oath  : 

"  This  beggar  maid  shall  be  my  queen." 

Alfred  Tennyson. 


THE   BOOK  OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


THE   HORSE   OF   WOOD. 

FROM   CHURCH'S   STORIES   FROM   VIRGIL. 


For  ten  years  King  Agamemnon  and  the  men 
of  Greece  laid  siege  to  Troy.  But  though  sen- 
tence had  gone  forth  against  the  city,  yet  the  day 
of  its  fall  tarried,  because  certain  of  the  gods 
loved  it  well  and  defended  it,  as  Apollo,  and 
Mars,  the  god  of  war,  and  Father  Jupiter  him- 
self. Wherefore  Minerva  put  it  into  the  heart  of 
Epeius,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  that  he  should  make  a 
cunning  device  wherewith  to  take  the  city.  Now 
the  device  was  this  :  he  made  a  great  horse  of 
wood,  feigning  it  to  be  a  peace-offering  to  Mi- 
nerva, that  the  Greeks  might  have  a  safe  return  to 
their  homes.  In  the  belly  of  this  there  hid  them- 
selves certain  of  the  bravest  of  the  chiefs,  as  Men- 
elaus,  and  Ulysses,  and  Thoas  the  jEtolian  and 
Machaon,  the  great  physician,  and  Pyrrhus,  son  of 
Achilles  (but  Achilles  himself  was  dead,  slain  by 
Paris,  Apollo  helping,  even  as  he  was  about  to 
take  the  city),  and  others  also,  and  with  them 
Epeius  himself.  But  the  rest  of  the  people  made 
as  if  they  had  departed  to  their  homes  ;  only  they 
went  not  farther  than  Tenedos,  which  was  an 
island  near  to  the  coast. 

Great  joy  was  there  in  Troy  when  it  was  noised 
abroad  that  the  men  of  Greece  had  departed. 
The  gates  were  opened,  and  the  people  went  forth 
to  see  the  plain  and  the  camp.  And  one  said  to 
another,  as  they  went,  "  Here  they  set  the  battle 
in  array,  and  there  were  the  tents  of  the  fierce 
Achilles,  and  there  lay  the  ships."  And  some 
stood  and  marveled  at  the  great  peace-offering  to 
Minerva,  even  the  horse  of  wood.  And  Thy- 
moetes,  who  was  one  of  the  eiders  of  the  city,  was 


the  first  who  advised  that  it  should  be  brought 
within  the  walls  and  set  in  the  citadel.  But 
whether  he  gave  this  counsel  out  of  a  false  heart, 
or  because  the  gods  would  have  it  so,  no  man 
knows.  And  Capys,  and  others  with  him,  said 
that  it  should  be  drowned  in  water,  or  burned 
with  fire,  or  that  men  should  pierce  it  and  see 
whether  there  were  aught  within.  And  the  people 
were  divided,  some  crying  one  thing  and  some 
another.  Then  came  forward  the  priest  Laocob'n, 
and  a  great  company  with  him,  crying,  "  What 
madness  is  this  ?  Think  ye  that  the  men  of  Greece 
are  indeed  departed,  or  that  there  is  any  profit  in 
their  gifts?  Surely,  there  are  armed  men  in  this 
mighty  horse ;  or  haply  they  have  made  it  that 
they  may  look  down  upon  our  walls.  Touch  it 
not,  for  as  for  these  men  of  Greece,  I  fear  them, 
even  though  they  bring  gifts  in  their  hands." 

And  as  he  spake  he  cast  his  great  spear  at  the 
horse,  so  that  it  sounded  again.  But  the  gods 
would  not  that  Troy  should  be  saved. 

Meanwhile  there  came  certain  shepherds,  drag- 
ging with  them  one  whose  hands  were  bound  be- 
hind his  back.  He  had  come  forth  to  them,  they 
said,  of  his  own  accord,  when  they  were  in  the 
field.  And  first  the  young  men  gathered  about 
him  mocking  him,  but  when  he  cried  aloud, 
"  What  place  is  left  for  me,  for  the  Greeks  suffer 
me  not  to  live,  and  the  men  of  Troy  cry  for  ven- 
geance upon  me?"  they  rather  pitied  him,  and 
bade  him  speak,  and  say  whence  he  came  and 
what  he  had  to  tell. 

Then  the  man  spake,  turning  to  King  Priam : 


THE  HORSE    OF    WOOD. 


429 


"  I  will  speak  the  truth,  whatever  befall  me.  My 
name  is  Sinon,  and  I  deny  not  that  I  am  a  Greek. 
Haply  thou  hast  heard  the  name  of  Palamedes, 
whom  the  Greeks  slew,  but  now,  being  dead, 
lament ;  and  the  cause  was  that,  because  he  coun- 
seled peace,  men  falsely  accused  him  of  treason. 
Now,  of  this  Palamedes  I  was  a  poor  kinsman, 
and  followed  him  to  Troy.  And  when  he  was 
dead,  through  the  false  witness  of  Ulysses,  I  lived 
in  great  grief  and  trouble,  nor  could  I  hold  my 
peace,  but  sware  that  if  ever  I  came  back  to  Argos 
I  would  avenge  me  of  him  that  had  done  this 
deed.  Then  did  Ulysses  seek  occasion  against 
me,  whispering  evil  things,  nor  rested  till  at  the 
last,  Calchas  the  soothsayer  helping  him  —  but 
what  profit  it  that  I  should  tell  these  things  ?  For 
doubtless  ye  hold  one  Greek  to  be  even  as  another. 
Wherefore  slay  me,  and  doubtless  ye  will  do  a 
pleasure  to  Ulysses  and  the  sons  of  Atreus." 
Then  they  bade  him  tell  on,  and  he  said,  — 
"  Often  would  the  Greeks  have  fled  to  their 
homes,  being  weary  of  the  war,  but  still  the  stormy 
sea  hindered  them.  And  when  this  horse  that 
ye  see  had  been  built,  most  of  all  did  the  dreadful 
thunder  roll  from  the  one  end  of  the  heaven  to 
the  other.  Then  the  Greeks  sent  one  who  should 
inquire  of  Apollo  ;  and  Apollo  answered  them 
thus:  'Men  of  Greece,  even  as  ye  appeased  the 
winds  with  blood  when  ye  came  to  Troy,  so  must 
ye  appease  them  with  blood  now  that  ye  would  go 
from  thSnce.'  Then  did  men  tremble  to  think 
on  whom  the  doom  should  fall,  and  Ulysses,  with 
much  clamor,  drew  forth  Calchas  the  soothsayer 
into  the  midst,  and  bade  him  say  who  it  was  that 
the  gods  would  have  as  a  sacrifice.  Then  did 
many  forebode  evil  for  me.  Ten  days  did  the 
soothsayer  keep  silence,  saying  that  he  would  not 
give  any  one  to  death.  But  then,  for  in  truth 
the  two  had  planned  the  matter  beforehand,  he 
spake,  appointing  me  to  die.  And  to  this  thing 
they  all  agreed,  each  being  glad  to  turn  to  another 
that  which  he  feared  for  himself.  But  when  the 
day  was  come,  and  all  things  were  ready,  the  salted 
meal  for  the  sacrifice  and  the  garlands,  lo !  I  burst 
my  bonds  and  fled,  and  hid  myself  in  the  sedges 


of  a  pool,  waiting  till  they  should  have  set  sail,  if 
haply  that  might  be.  But  never  shall  I  see  coun- 
try, or  father,  or  children  again.  For  doubtless 
on  these  will  they  take  vengeance  for  my  flight. 
Only  do  thou,  0  king,  have  pity  on  me,  who  have 
suffered  many  things,  and  yet  have  harmed  no 
man." 

And  King  Priam  had  pit)'  on  him,  and  bade 
them  loose  his  bonds,  saying,  "  Whoever  thou  art, 
forget  now  thy  country.  Henceforth  thou  art  one 
of  us.  But  tell  me  true :  why  made  they  this 
huge  horse  ?  Who  contrived  it  ?  What  seek 
they  by  it  ?  to  please  the  gods  or  to  further  their 
siege  ?  " 

Then  said  Sinon,  and  as  he  spake  he  stretched 
his  hands  to  the  sky,  "  I  call  you  to  witness,  ye 
everlasting  fires  of  heaven,  that  with  good  right  I 
now  break  my  oath  of  fealty  and  reveal  the  se- 
crets of  my  countrymen.  Listen  then,  0  king. 
All  our  hope  has  ever  been  in  the  help  of  Mi- 
nerva. But,  from  the  day  when  Diomed  and 
Ulysses  dared,  having  bloody  hands,  to  snatch  her 
image  from  her  holy  place  in  Troy,  her  face  was 
turned  from  us.  Well  do  I  remember  how  the 
eyes  of  the  image,  well-nigh  before  they  had  set  it 
in  the  camp,  blazed  with  wrath,  and  how  the  salt 
sweat  stood  upon  its  limbs,  aye,  and  how  it  thrice 
leaped  from  the  ground,  shaking  shield  and  spear. 
Then  Calchas  told  us  that  we  must  cross  the 
seas  again,  and  seek  at  home  fresh  omens  for  our 
war.  And  this,  indeed,  they  are  doing  even  now, 
and  will  return  anon.  Also  the  soothsayer  said, 
'  Meanwhile  ye  must  make  the  likeness  of  a  horse, 
to  be  a  peace-offering  to  Minerva.  And  take  heed 
that  ye  make  it  huge  of  bulk,  so  that  the  men  of 
Troy  may  not  receive  it  into  their  gates,  nor  bring 
it  within  their  walls,  and  get  safety  for  themselves 
thereby.  For  if,'  he  said,  '  the  men  of  Troy  harm 
this  image  at  all,  they  shall  surely  perish  ;  but  if 
they  bring  it  into  their  city,  then  shall  Asia  lay 
siege  hereafter  to  the  city  of  Pelops,  and  our  chil- 
dren shall  suffer  the  doom  which  we  would  fain 
have  brought  on  Troy.'  " 

These  words  wrought  much  on  the  men  of  Troy, 
and  as  they  pondered  on  them,  lo !  the  gods  sent 


480 


THE  BOOK   OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


another  marvel  to  deceive  them.  For  -while  Lao- 
coon,  the  priest  of  Neptune,  was  slaying  a  bull 
at  the  altar  of  his  god,  there  came  two  serpents 
across  the  sea  from  Tenedos,  whose  heads  and, 
necks  whereon  were  thick  manes  of  hair,  were 
high  above  the 
waves,  and 
many  scaly 
coils  trailed  be- 
lli nd  in  the 
waters.  And 
when  the  y 
reached  the 
land  they  still 
sped  forward. 
Their  eyes  were 
red  as  blood  and 
blazed  with  fire, 
and  their  forked 
tongues  hissed 
loud  for  rage. 
Then  all  the 
men  of  Troy 
grew  pale  with 
fear  and  fled 
away,  but  these 
turned  not  aside 
this  way  or  that, 
seeking  Laoco- 
on  w  here  he 
stood.  And  first 
they  wrapped 
themselves 
about  his  little 
sons,  one  ser- 
pent  about 
each,  and  be- 
gan to  devour 
them.  And 
when  the  father  would  have  given  help  to  his  chil- 
dren, having  a  sword  in  his  hand,  they  seized  upon 
himself,  and  bound  him  fast  with  their  folds.  Twice 
they  compassed  about  his  body,  and  twice  his  neck, 
lifting  their  heads  far  above  him.  And  all  the 
while  he  strove  to  tear  them  away  with  his  hands, 


his  priest's  garlands  dripping  with  blood.  Nor  did 
he  cease  to  cry  horribly  aloud,  even  as  a  bull  bel- 
lows when  after  an  ill  stroke  of  the  axe  it  flees 
from  the  altar.  But  when  their  work  was  done, 
the  two  glided  to  the  citadel  of  Minerva,  and  hid 
themselves  beneath  the  feet  and  the  shield  of  the 
goddess.  And  men  said  one  to  another,  "  Lo  !  the 
priest  Laocoon  has  been  judged  according  to  his 
deeds  ;  for  he  cast  his  spear  against  this  holy 
thing,  and  now  the  gods  have  slain  him."  Then 
all  cried  out  together  that  the  horse  of  wood  must 
be  drawn  to  the  citadel.  Whereupon  they  opened 
the  Scasan  Gate,  and  pulled  down  the  wall  that 
was  thereby,  and  put  rollers  under 
the  feet  of  the  horse,  and  joined 
ropes  thereto.  So,  in  much  joy, 
they  drew  it  into  the  city,  youths 
and  maidens 
singing  about  it 
the  while,  and 
laying  their 
hands  to  the 
ropes  with  great 
gladness.  And 
yet  there  want- 
ed not  signs  and 
tokens  of  evil  to 
come.  Four 
times  it  halted 
on  the  thresh- 
old of  the 
gate,  and  men 
might  have 
heard  the  clash- 
ing of  arms 
within.  Cas- 
sandra a  lso 
opened  her 
mouth,  proph- 
esying evil :  but  no  man  heeded  her,  for  that  was 
ever  the  doom  upon  her,  not  to  be  believed  speak- 
ing truth.  So  the  men  of  Troy  drew  the  horse  into 
the  city.  And  that  night  they  kept  a  feast  to  all 
the  gods  with  great  joy,  not  knowing  that  the  last 
day  of  the  great  city  had  come. 


THE   CYCLOPS. 


481 


THE   CYCLOPS. 


FEOM   CHURCH S   STORIES    FROM   HOMER. 


When  the  great  city  of  Troy  was  taken,  all 
;,he  chiefs  who  had  fought  against  it  set  sail  for 
their  homes.  But  there  was  wrath  in  heaven 
against  them,  for  indeed  they  had  borne  them- 
selves haughtily  and  cruelly  in  the  day  of  their 
victory.  Few,  therefore,  found  a  safe  and  happy 
return.  For  one  was  shipwrecked,  and  another 
was  shamefully  slain  by  his  false  wife  in  his  pal- 
ace, and  others  found  all  things  at  home  troubled 
and  changed,  and  were  driven  to  seek  new  dwell- 
ings elsewhere.  And  some,  whose  wives  and 
friends  and  people  had  been  still  true  to  them 
through  those  ten  long  years  of  absence,  were 
driven  far  and  wide  about  the  world  before  they 
saw  their  native  land  again.  And  of  all,  the  wise 
Ulysses  was  lie  who  wandered  farthest  and  suf- 
fered most. 

He  was  well-nigh  the  last  to  sail,  for  he  had  tar- 
ried many  days  to  do  pleasure  to  Agamemnon, 
lord,  of  all  the  Greeks.  Twelve  ships  he  had  with 
him  —  twelve  he  had  brought  to  Troy  —  and  in 
each  there  were  some  fifty  men,  being  scarce  half 
of  those  that  had  sailed  in  them  in  the  old  days, 
so  many  valiant  heroes  slept  the  last  sleep  by 
Simoi's  and  Scamander,  and  in  the  plain  and  on 
the  sea-shore,  slain  in  battle  or  by  the  shafts  of 
Apollo. 

First  they  sailed  northwest  to  the  Thracian 
coast,  where  the  Ciconians  dwelt,  who  had  helped 
the  men  of  Troy.  Their  city  they  took,  and  in  it 
much  plunder,  slaves  and  oxen,  and  jars  of  fra- 
grant wine,  and  might  have  escaped  unhurt,  but 
that  they  stayed  to  hold  revel  on  the  shore.  For 
the  Ciconians  gathered  their  neighbors,  being  men 
of  the  same  blood,  and  did  battle  with  the  invad- 
ers, and  drove  them  to  their  ship.  And  when 
Ulysses  numbered  his  men,  he  found  that  he  had 
lost  six  out  of  each  ship. 

Scarce  had  he  set  out  again  when  the  wind  be- 
gan to  blow  fiercely ;  so,  seeing  a  smooth  sandy 


beach,  they  drave  the  ships  ashore  and  dragged 
them  out  of  reach  of  the  waves,  and  waited  till 
the  storm  should  abate.  And  the  third  morning 
being  fair,  they  sailed  again,  and  journeyed  pros- 
perously till  they  came  to  the  very  end  of  the 
great  Peloponnesian  land,  where  Cape  Malea 
looks  out  upon  the  southern  sea.  But  contrary 
currents  baffled  them,  so  that  the}'  could  not  round 
it,  and  the  north  wind  blew  so  strongly  that  they 
must  fain  drive  before  it.  And  on  the  tenth  day 
they  came  to  the  land  where  the  lotus  grows  —  a 
wondrous  fruit,  of  which  whosoever  eats  cares  not 
to  see  country  or  wife  or  children  again.  Now  the 
lotus-eaters,  for  so  they  called  the  people  of  the 
land,  were  a  kindly  folk,  and  gave  of  the  fruit  to 
some  of  the  sailors,  not  meaning  them  any  harm, 
but  thinking  it  to  be  the  best  that  they  had  to 
give.  These,  when  they  had  eaten,  said  that  they 
would  not  sail  any  more  over  the  sea  ;  which,  when 
the  wise  Ulysses  heard,  he  bade  their  comrades 
bind  them  and  carry  them,  sadly  complaining,  to 
the  ships. 

Then,  the  wind  having  abated,  they  took  to 
their  oars,  and  rowed  for  many  days  till  they  came 
to  the  country  where  the  Cyclopes  dwell.  Now,  a 
mile  or  so  from  the  shore  there  was  an  island,  very 
fair  and  fertile,  but  no  man  dwells  there  or  tills 
the  soil,  and  in  the  island  a  harbor  where  a  ship 
may  be  safe  from  all  winds,  and  at  the  head  of 
the  harbor  a  stream  falling  from  a  rock,  and  whis- 
pering alders  all  about  it.  Into  this  the  ships 
passed  safely,  and  were  hauled  up  on  the  beach, 
and  the  crews  slept  by  them,  waiting  for  the 
morning.  And  the  next  day  they  hunted  the 
wild  goats,  of  which  there  was  great  store  on 
the  island,  and  feasted  right  merrily  on  what  they 
caught,  with  draughts  of  red  wine  which  they  had 
carried  off  from  the  town  of  the  Ciconians. 

But  on  the  morrow  Ulysses,  for  he  was  ever 
fond  of  adventure,  and  would  know  of  every  land 


432 


THE  BOOK   OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


to  which  he  came  -what  manner  of  men  they  were 
that  dwelt  there,  took  one  of  his  twelve  ships  and 
bade  row  to  the  land.  There  was  a  great  hill 
sloping  to  the  shore,  and  there  rose  up  here  and 
there  a  smoke  from  the  caves  where  the  Cyclopes 
dwelt  apart,  holding  no  converse  with  each  other, 
for  they  were  a  rude  and  savage  folk,  but  ruled 
each  his  own  household,  not  caring  for  others. 
Now  very  close  to  the  shore  was  one  of  these 
caves,  very  huge  and  deep,  with  laurels  round 
about  the  mouth,  and  in  front  a  fold  with  walls 
built  of  rough  stone,  and  shaded  by  tall  oaks  and 
pines.  So  Ulysses  chose  out  of  the  crew  the 
twelve  bravest,  and  bade  the  rest  guard  the  ship, 
and  went  to  see  what  manner  of  dwelling  this 
was,  and  who  abode  there.  He  had  his  sword  by 
his  side,  and  on  his  shoulder  a  mighty  skin  of 
wine,  sweet-smelling  and  strong,  with  which  he 
might  win  the  heart  of  some  fierce  savage,  should 
he  chance  to  meet  with  such,  as  indeed  his  pru- 
dent heart  forecasted  that  he  might. 

So  they  entered  the  cave,  and  judged  that  it 
was  the  dwelling  of  some  rich  and  skillful  shep- 
herd. For  within  there  were  pens  for  the  young 
of  the  sheep  and  of  the  goats,  divided  all  accord- 
ing to  their  age,  and  there  were  baskets  full  of 
cheeses,  and  full  milk  pails  ranged  along  the  wall. 
But  the  Cyclops  himself  was  away  in  the  past- 
ures. Then  the  companions  of  Ulysses  besought 
him  that  he  would  depart,  taking  with  him,  if  he 
would,  a  store  of  cheeses  and  sundry  of  the  lambs 
and  of  the  kids.  But  he  would  not,  for  he  wished 
to  see,  after  his  wont,  what  manner  of  host  this 
strange  shepherd  might  be.  And  truly  he  saw  it 
to  his  cost ! 

It  was  evening  when  the  Cyclops  came  home,  a 
mighty  giant,  twenty  feet  in  height,  or  more.  On 
his  shoulder  he  bore  a  vast  bundle  of  pine  logs 
for  his  fire,  and  threw  them  down  outside  the  cave 
with  a  great  crash,  and  drove  the  flocks  within, 
and  closed  the  entrance  with  a  huge  rock,  which 
twenty  wagons  and  more  could  not  bear.  Then 
he  milked  the  ewes  and  all  the  she-goats,  and  half 
of  the  milk  he  curdled  for  cheese,  and  half  he  set 
ready  for  himself,  when  he  should  sup.      Next  he 


kindled  a  fire  with  the  pine  logs,  and  the  flame 
lighted  up  all  the  cave,  showing  him  Ulysses  and 
his  comrades. 

"  Who  are  ye  ?"  cried  Polyphemus,  for  that  was 
the  giant's  name.  "  Are  ye  traders,  or,  haply,  pi- 
rates?" 

For  in  those  days  it  was  not  counted  shame  to 
be  called  a  pirate. 

Ulysses  shuddered  at  the  dreadful  voice  and 
shape,  but  bore  him  bravely,  and  answered,  "  We 
are  no  pirates,  mighty  sir,  but  Greeks,  sailing  back 
from  Troy,  and  subjects  of  the  great  King  Aga- 
memnon, whose  fame  is  spread  from  one  end  of 
heaven  to  the  other.  And  we  are  come  to  beg 
hospitality  of  thee  in  the  name  of  Zeus,  who  re- 
wards or  punishes  hosts  and  guests  according  as 
they  be  faithful  the  one  to  the  other,  or  no." 

"  Nay,"  said  the  giant,  "  it  is  but  idle  talk  to 
tell  me  of  Zeus  and  the  other  gods.  We  Cyclopes 
take  no  account  of  gods,  holding  ourselves  to  be 
much  better  and  stronger  than  they.  But  come, 
tell  me  where  have  you  left  your  ship  ?  " 

But  Ulysses  saw  his  thought  when  he  asked 
about  the  ship,  how  he  was  minded  to  break  it, 
and  take  from  them  all  hope  of  flight.  Therefore 
he  answered  him  craftily,  — 

"  Ship  have  we  none,  for  that  which  was  ours 
King  Poseidon  brake,  driving  it  on  a  jutting  rock 
on  this  coast,  and  we  whom  thou  seest  are  all  that 
are  escaped  from  the  waves." 

Polyphemus  answered  nothing,  but  without 
more  ado  caught  up  two  of  the  men,  as  a  man 
might  catch  up  the  whelps  of  a  dog,  and  dashed 
them  on  the  ground  and  tore  them,  with  huge 
draughts  of  milk  between,  limb  from  limb,  and 
devoured  them,  leaving  not  a  morsel,  not  even  . 
the  very  bones.  But  the  others,  when  they  saw 
the  dreadful  deed,  could  only  weep  and  pray  to 
Zeus  for  help.  And  when  the  giant  had  ended 
his  foul  meal,  he  lay  down  among  his  sheep  and 
slept. 

Then  Ulysses  questioned  much  in  his  heart 
whether  he  should  slay  the  monster  as  he  slept, 
for  he  doubted  not  that  his  good  sword  would 
pierce   to    the   giant's   heart,   mighty  as  he  was. 


THE   CYCLOPS. 


433 


But,  being  very  wise,  he  remembered  that,  should 
he  slay  him,  he  and  his  comrades  would  yet  perish 
miserably.  For  who  should  move  away  the  great 
rock  that  lay  against  the  door  of  the  cave  ?  So 
they  waited  till  the  morning.  And  the  monster 
woke,  and  milked  his  flocks,  and  afterwards,  seiz- 
ing two  men,  devoured  them  for  his  meal.  Then 
he  went  to  the  pastures,  but  put  the  great  rock 
on  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  just  as  a  man  puts  down 


the  lid  upon  his  quiver.  All  that  day  the  wise 
Ulysses  was  thinking  what  he  might  do  to  save 
himself  and  his  companions,  and  the  end  of  his 
thinking  was  this  :  There  was  a  mighty  pole  in  the 
cave,  green  wood  of  an  olive  tree,  big  as  a  ship's 
mast,  which  Polyphemus  purposed  to  use,  when 
the  smoke  should  have  dried  it,  as  a  walking  staff. 
Of  this  he  cut  off  a  fathom's  length,  and  his  com- 
rades sharpened  it  and  hardened  it  in  the  fire,  and 


then  hid  it  away.  At  evening,  the  giant  came 
back,  and  drove  his  sheep  into  the  cave,  nor  left 
the  rams  outside,  as  he  had  been  wont  to  do  be- 
fore, but  shut  them  in.  And  having  duly  done 
his  shepherd's  work,  he  made  his  cruel  feast  as  be- 
fore. Then  Ulysses  came  forward  with  the  wine- 
skin in  his  hand,  and  said, — 

"  Drink,  Cyclops,  now  that  thou  hast  feasted. 
Drink,  and  see  what  precious  things  we  had  in 
our  ship.     But  no  one  hereafter  will  come  to  thee 

55 


with  such  like,  if  thou  dealest  with  strangers  as 
cruelly  as  thou  hast  dealt  with  us." 

Then  the  Cyclops  drank,  and  was  mightily 
pleased,  and  said,  "  Give  me  again  to  drink,  and 
tell  me  thy  name,  stranger,  and  I  will  give  thee  a 
gift  such  as  a  host  should  give.  In  good  truth  this 
is  a  rare  liquor.  We,  too,  have  vines,  but  they 
bear  not  wine  like  this,  which  indeed  must  be 
such  as  the  gods  drink  in  heaven." 

Then  Ulysses  gave  him  the  cup  again,  and  he 


434 


THE  BOOK   OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


drank.  Thrice  he  gave  it  to  him,  and  thrice  he 
drank,  not  knowing  what  it  was,  and  how  it 
would  work  within  his  brain. 

Then  Ulysses  spake  to  him.  "  Thou  didst  ask 
my  name,  Cyclops.  Lo !  my  name  is  No  Man. 
And  now  that  thou  knowest  my  name,  thou 
shouldst  give  me  thy  gift." 

And  he  said,  "  My  gift  shall  be  that  I  will  eat 
thee  last  of  all  thy  company." 

And  as  he  spoke  he  fell  back  in  a  drunken 
sleep.  Then  Ulysses  bade  his  comrades  be  of 
good  courage,  for  the  time  was  come  when  they 
should  be  delivered.  And  they  thrust  the  stake 
of  olive  wood  into  the  fire  till  it  was  ready,  green 
as  it  was,  to  burst  into  flame,  and  they  thrust  it 
into  the  monster's  eye ;  for  he  had  but  one  eye, 
and  that  in  the  midst  of  his  forehead,  with  the 
eyebrow  below  it.  And  Ulysses  leaned  with  all 
his  force  upon  the  stake,  and  thrust  it  in  with 
might  and  main.  And  the  burning  wood  hissed 
in  the  eye,  just  as  the  red-hot  iron  hisses  in  the 
water  when  a  man  seeks  to  temper  steel  for  a 
sword. 

Then  the  giant  leaped  up,  and  tore  away  the 
stake,  and  cried  aloud,  so  that  all  the  Cyclopes 
who  dwelt  on  the  mountain  side  heard  him  and 
came  about  his  cave,  asking  him,  "  What  aileth 
thee,  Polyphemus,  that  thou  makest  this  uproar 
in  the  peaceful  night,  driving  away  sleep  ?  Is  any 
one  robbing  thee  of  thy  sheep,  or  seeking  to  slay 
thee  by  craft  or  force  ?  " 

And  the  giant  answered,  "  No  Man  slays  me  by 
craft." 

"Nay,  but,"  they  said,  "if  no  man  does  thee 
wrong,  we  cannot  help  thee.  The  sickness  which 
great  Zeus  may  send,  who  can  avoid  ?  Pray  to 
our  father,  Poseidon,  for  help." 

Then  they  departed ;  and  Ulysses  was  glad  at 
heart  for  the  good  success  of  his  device,  when  he 
said  that  he  was  No  Man. 

But  the  Cyclops  rolled  away  the  great  stone 
from  the  door  of  the  cave,  and  sat  in  the  midst, 
stretching  out  his  hands,  to  feel  whether  perchance 
the  men  within  the  cave  would  seek  to  go  out 
among  the  sheep. 


Long  did  Ulysses  think  how  he  and  his  com- 
rades should  best  escape.  At  last  he  lighted  upon 
a  good  device,  and  much  he  thanked  Zeus  for  that 
this  once  the  giant  had  driven  the  rams  with  the 
other  sheep  into  the  cave.  For,  these  being  great 
and  strong,  he  fastened  his  comrades  under  the 
bellies  of  the  beasts,  tying  them  with  osier  twigs, 
of  which  the  giant  made  his  bed.  One  ram  he 
took,  and  fastened  a  man  beneath  it,  and  two  oth- 
ers he  set,  one  on  either  side.  So  he  did  with  the 
six,  for  but  six  were  left  out  of  the  twelve  who 
had  ventured  with  him  from  the  ship.  And  there 
was  one  mighty  ram,  far  larger  than  all  the  others, 
and  to  this  Ulysses  clung,  grasping  the  fleece  tight 
with  both  his  hands.  So  they  waited  for  the 
morning.  And  when  the  morning  came,  the  rams 
rushed  forth  to  the  pasture ;  but  the  giant  sat  in 
the  door  and  felt  the  back  of  each  as  it  went  by, 
nor  thought  to  try  what  might  be  underneath. 
Last  of  all  went  the  great  ram.  And  the  Cyclops 
knew  him  as  he  passed,  and  said,  — 

"  How  is  this,  thou,  who  art  the  leader  of  the 
flock  ?  Thou  art  not  wont  thus  to  lag  behind. 
Thou  hast  always  been  the  first  to  run  to  the  past- 
ures and  streams  in  the  morning,  and  the  first  to 
come  back  to  the  fold  when  evening  fell ;  and  now 
thou  art  last  of  all.  Perhaps  thou  art  troubled 
about  thy  master's  eye,  which  some  wretch  —  No 
Man,  they  call  him  —  has  destroyed,  having  first 
mastered  me  with  wine.  He  has  not  escaped,  I 
ween.  I  would  that  thou  couldst  speak,  and  tell 
me  where  he  is  lurking.  Of  a  truth  I  would  dash 
out  his  brains  upon  the  ground,  and  avenge  me  of 
this  No  Man." 

So  speaking,  he  let  him  pass  out  of  the  cave. 
But  when  they  were  out  of  reach  of  the  giant, 
Ulysses  loosed  his  hold  of  the  ram,  and  then  un- 
bound his  comrades.  And  they  hastened  to  their 
ship,  not  forgetting  to  drive  before  them  a  good 
store  of  the  Cyclops'  fat  sheep.  Right  glad  were 
those  that  had  abode  by  the  ship  to  see  them. 
Nor  did  they  lament  for  those  that  had  died, 
though  they  were  fain  to  do  so,  for  Ulysses  for- 
bade, fearing  lest  the  noise  of  their  weeping  should 
betray  them  to  the  giant,  where  they  were.    Then 


THE    CYCLOPS. 


435 


they  all  climbed  into  the  ship,  and  sitting  well  in 
order  on  the  benches,  smote  the  sea  with  their  oars, 
laying  to  right  lustily,  that  they  might  the  sooner 
get  away  from  the  accursed  land.  And  when  they 
had  rowed  a  hundred  yards  or  so,  so  that  a  man's 
voice  could  yet  be  heard  by  one  who  stood  upon 
the  shore,  Ulysses  stood  up  in  the  ship  and 
shouted :  — 

"  He  was  no  coward,  O  Cyclops,  whose  com- 
rades thou  didst  so  foully  slay  in  thy  den.  Justly 
art  thou  punished,  monster,  that  devourest  thy 
guests  in  thy  dwelling.  May  the  gods  make  thee 
suffer  yet  worse  things  than  these  !  " 

Then  the  Cyclops,  in  his  wrath,  broke  off  the 
top  of  a  great  hill  a  mighty  roek,  and  hurled  it 
where  he  had  heard  the  voice.  Right  in  front  of 
the  ship's  bow  it  fell,  and  a  great  wave  rose  as  it 
sank,  and  washed  the  ship  back  to  the  shore.  But 
Ulysses  seized  a  long  pole  with  both  hands  and 
pushed  the  ship  from  the  land,  and  bade  his  com- 
rades ply  their  oars,  nodding  with  his  head,  for  he 
was  too  wise  to  speak,  lest  the  Cyclops  should 
know  where  they  were.  Then  they  rowed  with 
all  their  might  and  main. 

And  when  they  had  gotten  twice  as  far  as  be- 
fore, Ulysses  made  as  if  he  would  speak  again ; 
but  his  comrades  sought  to  hinder  him,  saying, 
"  Nay,  my  lord,  anger  not  the  giant  any  more. 
Surely  we  thought  before  we  were  lost,  when  he 
threw  the  great  rock,  and  washed  our  ship  back  to 
the  shore.  And  if  he  hear  thee  now,  he  may  crush 
our  ship  and  us,  for  the  man  throws  a  mighty  bolt 
and  throws  it  far." 

But  Ulysses  would  not  be  persuaded,  but  stood 
up  and  said,  "  Hear,  Cyclops  !  If  any  man  ask 
who  blinded  thee,  say  that  it  was  the  warrior 
Ulysses,  son  of  Laertes,  dwelling  in  Ithaca." 

And  the  Cyclops  answered  with  a  groan,  "  Of 
a  truth,  the  old  oracles  are  fulfilled,  for  long  ago 


there  came  to  this  land  one  Telemus,  a  prophet, 
and  dwelt  among  us  even  to  old  age.  This  man 
foretold  to  me  that  one  Ulysses  would  rob  me  of 
my  sight.  But  I  looked  for  a  great  man  and  a 
strong,  who  should  subdue  me  by  force,  and  now 
a  weakling  has  done  the  deed,  having  cheated  me 
with  wine.  But  come  thou  hither,  Ulysses,  and  I 
will  be  a  host  indeed  to  thee.  Or,  at  least,  may 
Poseidon  give  thee  such  a  voyage  to  thy  home  as 
I  would  wish  thee  to  have.  For  know  that  Posei- 
don is  my  sire.  May  be  that  he  may  heal  me  of 
my  grievous  wound." 

And  Ulysses  said,  "  Would  to  God  I  could  send 
thee  down  to  the  abode  of  the  dead,  where  thou 
wouldst  be  past  all  healing,  even  from  Poseidon's 
self." 

Then  Cyclops  lifted  up  his  hands  to  Poseidon 
and  prayed  :  — 

"  Hear  me,  Poseidon,  if  I  am  indeed  thy  son  and 
thou  my  father.  May  this  Ulysses  never  reach 
his  home !  or,  if  the  Fates  have  ordered  that  he 
should  reach  it,  may  he  come  alone,  all  his  com- 
rades lost,  and  come  to  find  sore  trouble  in  his 
house  !  " 

And  as  he  ended  he  hurled  another  mighty 
rock,  which  almost  lighted  on  the  rudder's  end, 
yet  missed  it,  as  by  a  hair's  breadth.  So  Ulysses 
and  his  comrades  escaped,  and  came  to  the  island 
of  the  wild  goats,  where  they  found  their  com- 
rades, who  indeed  had  waited  long  for  them,  in 
sore  fear  lest  they  had  perished.  Then  Ulysses 
divided  amongst  his  company  all  the  sheep  which 
they  had  taken  from  the  Cyclops.  And  all,  with 
one  consent,  gave  him  for  his  share  the  great  ram 
which  had  carried  him  out  of  the  cave,  and  he  sac- 
rificed it  to  Zeus.  And  all  that  day  they  feasted 
right  merrily  on  the  flesh  of  sheep  and  on  sweet 
wine,  and  when  the  night  was  come  they  lay  down 
upon  the  shore  and  slept. 


436 


THE  BOOK  OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


THE   STORY    OF   KING   CRGESUS. 


FKOM   CHURCH  S    STOEIES    OF   THE   EAST. 


Cecesus,  the  son  of  Alyattes,  began  to  reign 
over  Lydia,  being  thirty  and  five  years  old.  This 
Croesus  made  war  upon  all  the  Greeks  that  dwelt 
in  the  western  parts  of  Asia,  seeking  some  oc- 
casion of  quarrel  with  every  city.  And  if  he 
could  find  some  great  matter,  he  used  it  gladly ; 
but  if  not,  a  little  thing  would  serve  his  turn. 
Now,  the  first  of  all  the  cities  which  he  fought 
against  was  Ephesus ;  and  when  the  Ephesians 
were  besieged  by  him  they  offered  their  city  as 
an  offering  to  the  goddess  Artemis,  fastening  a 
rope  to  the  wall  from  her  temple.  (The  space 
between  the  temple  and  the  wall  was  seven  fur- 
longs.) All  the  cities  of  the  Greeks  that  are  on 
the  main-land  did  Croesus  subdue,  so  that  they 
paid  tribute  to  him.  And  when  he  had  ended 
this  business,  he  purposed  in  his  heart  to  build 
ships,  and  to  make  war  on  the  Greeks  that  dwelt 
in  the  islands.  But  when  all  things  were  now 
ready  for  the  building  of  the  ships,  there  came  to 
Sardis  a  certain  Greek,  a  man  renowned  for  wis- 
dom. Some  say  that  this  Greek  was  Bias,  the  wise 
man  of  Priene,  and  some  that  he  was  Pittacus  of 
Mitylene.  This  Greek  caused  Croesus  to  cease 
from  his  shipbuilding,  for  when  the  king  would 
know  whether  he  had  any  news  from  Greece,  he 
said  to  him,  "  0  king,  the  islanders  are  buying 
ten  thousand  horses,  that  they  may  set  riders 
upon  them,  and  so  march  against  thee  and  thy 
city  of  Sardis."  When  Croesus  heard  this  he  was 
glad,  hoping  that  the  man  spake  truth,  and  said, 
"Now  may  the  gods  put  this  into  the  hearts  of 
the  islanders,  that  they  should  make  war  with 
horses  against  the  sons  of  the  Lydians."  Then 
the  Greek  answered  and  said,  "  O  king,  I  see  that 
thou  prayest  with  all  thy  heart  that  thou  mayest 
find  the  islanders  coming  against  thee  here  on  the 
main-land  with  horses,  and  verily  thou  doest  well. 
What  then  dost  thou  think  that  the  islanders  pray 
for  now  that  they  know  thee  to  be  building  ships? 


Surely  that  they  may  find  the  Lydians  coming 
against  them  on  the  sea,  that  so  they  may  take 
vengeance  on  thee  for  their  brethren  on  the  main- 
land, whom  thou  hast  brought  into  slavery." 
This  saying  pleased  King  Croesus  mightily ;  and 
because  the  Greek  seemed  to  him  to  speak  truly, 
he  ceased  straightway  from  his  shipbuilding,  and 
made  alliance  with  the  Greeks  that  dwelt  in  the 
islands. 

Now  after  certain  years,  when  all  Asia  that 
lieth  to  the  westward  of  the  river  Halys  had  been 
subdued  by  Crcesus  (only  Lydia  and  Cilicia  were 
not  subdued),  and  his  kingdom  flourished  with 
great  wealth  and  honor,  there  came  to  Sardis  all 
the  wise  men  of  the  Greeks,  as  many  as  there 
were  in  those  days.  But  the  greatest  of  all  that 
came  was  Solon  of  Athens.  This  Solon  had  made 
laws  for  the  Athenians,  for  they  would  have  him 
make  them,  and  afterwards  he  dwelt  abroad  for 
ten  years.  And  he  said  that  he  did  this  that  he 
might  see  foreign  countries ;  but  in  truth  he  de- 
parted that  he  might  not  be  compelled  to  change 
any  of  the  laws  that  he  had  made.  For  the  Athe- 
nians themselves  could  not  change  any,  having 
bound  themselves  with  great  oaths  to  Solon,  that 
they  would  live  for  the  space  of  ten  years  under 
the  laws  which  he  had  made  for  them. 

Solon  therefore  came  to  Sardis,  and  Crcesus  en- 
tertained him  in  his  palace.  And  on  the  third  or 
fourth  day  after  his  coming  the  King  commanded 
his  servants  that  they  should  show  Solon  all  the 
royal  treasures.  So  the  servants  showed  him  all 
the  things  that  the  king  possessed,  a  very  great 
store  of  riches.  And  when  he  had  seen  every- 
thing and  considered  it,  and  a  fitting  time  was 
come,  the  king  said  to  him,  "  Man  of  Athens,  I 
have  heard  much  of  thee  in  time  past,  of  thy  wis- 
dom and  of  thy  journeyings  to  and  fro,  for  they 
say  that  thou  wauderest  over  many  lands,  seeking 
for  knowledge.     I  have   therefore  a  desire  to  ask 


THE  STORY  OF  KING    CROSS  US. 


437 


of  thee  one  question  :  '  Whom  thinkest  thou  to  be 
the  happiest  of  all  the  men  that  thou  hast  seen  ? ' ' 
And  this  he  said  hoping  that  Solon  would  answer, 
"  Thou,  O  king,  art  the  happiest  man  that  I  have 
seen."  But  Solon  flattered  him  not  a  whit,  but 
spake  the  truth,  saying,  "  O  king,  the  happiest 
man  that  I  have  seen  was  Tellus  the  Athenian." 
Then  Croesus,  marveling  much  at  these  words, 
said,  "  And  why  thinkest  thou  that  Tellus  the 
Athenian  was  the  happiest  of  men  ?  "  Then  Solon 
answered,  "Tellus  saw  his  country  in  great  pros- 
perity, and  he  had  children  born  to  him  that  were 
fair  and  noble,  and  to  each  of  these  also  he  saw 
children  born,  of  whom  there  died  not  one.  Thus 
did  all  things  prosper  with  him  in  life,  as  we 
count  prosperity,  and  the  end  of  his  days  also  was 
great  and  glorious ;  for  when  the  Athenians  fought 
with  certain  neighbors  of  theirs  in  Eleusis,  he 
came  to  the  help  of  his  countrymen  against  their 
enemies,  and  put  these  to  flight,  and  so  died  with 
great  honor  ;  and  the  whole  people  of  the  Athe- 
nians buried  him  in  the  same  place  wherein  he 
fell,  and  honored  him  greatly." 

But  when  Solon  had  ended  speaking  to  the 
king  of  Tellus,  how  happy  he  was,  the  king  asked 
him  again,  "  Whom,  then,  hast  thou  seen  that 
was  next  in  happiness  to  this  Tellus  ?  "  For  he 
thought  to  himself,  "  Surely  now  he  will  give  me 
the  second  place."  Then  Solon  said,  "  I  judge 
Cleobis  and  Biton  to  have  been  second  in  happi- 
ness to  Tellus." 

Cleobis  and  Biton  were  youths  of  the  city  of 
Argos.  They  had  a  livelihood  such  as  sufficed 
them ;  and  their  strength  was  greater  than  that 
of  other  men.  For  not  only  did  they  win  prizes 
of  strength,  but  also  they  did  this  thing  that  shall 
now  be  told.  The  men  of  Argos  held  a  feast  to 
Here\  who  hath  a  great  and  famous  temple  in 
their  city  ;  and  it  must  needs  be  that  the  mother 
of  the  two  young  men,  being  priestess  of  Here", 
should  be  drawn  in  a  wagon  from  the  city  to  the 
temple  ;  but  the  oxen  that  should  have  drawn  the 
wagon  were  not  yet  come  from  the  fields.  Then, 
as  the  time  pressed  and  the  matter  was  urgent, 
the  young  men  harnessed  themselves  to  the  wagon 


and  dragged  it,  and  their  mother  the  priestess  sat 
upon  it.  And  the  space  for  which  they  dragged 
it  was  forty  and  five  furlongs  ;  and  so  they  came 
to  the  temple.  And  when  they  had  done  this 
in  the  eyes  of  all  the  assembly,  there  befell  them 
such  a  death  that  nothing  could  be  more  to  be 
desired  ;  the  gods,  indeed,  making  it  manifest 
that  it  is  far  better  for  a  man  to  die  than  to  live. 
For  indeed  the  thing  fell  out  thus.  When  all  the 
people  of  Argos  came  about  the  woman  and  her 
sons,  and  the  men  praised  the  youths  for  their 
great  strength,  and  the  women  praised  the  mother 
that  she  had  borne  such  noble  sons,  the  mother 
in  the  joy  of  her  heart  stood  before  the  image  and 
prayed  that  the  goddess  would  give  to  her  sons, 
even  Cleobis  and  Biton,  that  which  the  gods 
judge  it  best  for  a  man  to  have.  And  when  the 
priestess  had  so  prayed,  and  the  young  men  had 
offered  sacrifice,  and  made  merry  with  their  com- 
panions, they  lay  down  to  sleep  in  the  temple, 
and  woke  not  again,  but  so  ended  their  days.  And 
the  men  of  Argos  commanded  the  artificers  that 
they  should  make  statues  of  the  young  men,  and 
these  they  offered  to  the  god  at  Delphi. 

But  when  Solon  thus  gave  the  second  place  of 
happiness  to  these  young  men,  King  Croesus  was 
very  wroth,  and  said,  "  Man  of  Athens,  thou 
countest  my  happiness  as  nothing  worth,  not 
deeming  me  fit  to  be  compared  even  with  com- 
mon men."  Then  Solon  made  answer,  "  O  Croe- 
sus, thou  askest  me  about  mortal  life  to  say 
whether  it  be  happy  or  no,  but  I  know  that  the 
gods  are  jealous  and  apt  to  bring  trouble  upon 
men.  I  know  also  that  if  a  man's  years  be  pro- 
longed he  shall  see  many  things  that  he  would 
fain  not  see,  aye,  and  suffer  many  things  also. 
Now  I  reckon  that  the  years  of  a  man's  life  are 
threescore  and  ten,  and  that  in  these  years  there 
are  twenty  and  five  thousand  days  and  two  hun- 
dred. For  this  is  the  number,  if  a  man  reckon 
not  the  intercalated  month.  But  if  he  reckon 
this,  seeing  that  in  threescore  and  ten  years  are 
thirty  and  five  such  months,  and  the  days  of  these 
months  are  one  thousand  and  fifty,  then  the  whole 
sum  of  the  days  of  a  man's  life  is  twenty  and  six 


438 


THE  BOOK  OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty.  Now  of  these 
days,  being  so  many,  not  one  bringeth  to  a  man 
things  like  to  those  which  another  hath  brought. 
Wherefore,  O  king,  the  whole  life  of  man  is  full 
of  chance.  I  see  indeed  that  thou  hast  exceeding 
great  wealth  and  art  king  of  many  men.  But  as 
to  that  which  thou  askest  of  me,  I  call  thee  not 
happy,  till  I  shall  know  that  thou  hast  ended  thy 
days  prosperously.  For  the  man  that  hath  ex- 
ceeding great  riches  is  in  no  wise  happier  than  he 
that  hath  sufficient  only  for  the  day,  unless  good 
fortune  also  remain  with  him,  and  give  him  all 
things  that  are  to  be  desired,  even  unto  the  end  of 
his  days.  For  many  men  that  are  wealthy  beyond 
measure  are  nevertheless  unhappy,  and  many  that 
have  neither  poverty  nor  riches  have  yet  great  hap- 
piness, and  he  that  is  exceeding  rich  and  unhappy 
withal,  excelleth  him  that  hath  moderate  posses- 
sions with  happiness  in  two  things  only,  but  the 
other  excelleth  in  many  things.  For  the  first  hath 
the  more  strength  to  satisfy  the  desires  of  his  soul, 
and  also  to  bear  up  against  any  misfortune  that 
cometh  upon  him  ;  but  the  second  hath  not  this 
strength  ;  and  indeed  he  needeth  it  not,  for  his 
good  fortune  keepeth  such  things  far  from  him. 
Also  he  is  whole  in  body,  and  of  good  health,  nei- 
ther doth  misfortune  trouble  him,  and  he  hath  good 
children,  and  is  fair  to  look  upon.  And  if,  over 
and  above  these  things,  he  also  end  his  life  well, 
then  I  judge  him  to  be  the  happy  man  whom  thou 
seekest.  But  till  he  die,  so  long  do  I  hold  my 
judgment,  and  call  him  not  happy  indeed,  but 
fortunate.  It  is  impossible  also  that  any  man 
should  comprehend  in  his  life  all  things  that  be 
good.  For  even  as  a  country  sufficeth  not  for 
itself  nor  produceth  all  things,  but  hath  certain 
things  of  its  own  and  receiveth  certain  from  others, 
and  as  that  country  which  pi'oduceth  the  most  is 
counted  the  best,  even  so  is  it  with  men,  for  no 
man's  body  sufficeth  for  all  things,  but  hath  one 
thing  and  lacketh  another.  Whosoever,  0  king, 
keepeth  ever  the  greatest  store  of  things,  and  so 
endeth  his  life  in  a  seemly  fashion,  this  man  de- 
serveth  in  my  judgment  to  be  called  happy.  But 
we  must  needs  regard  the  end  of  all  things,  how 


they  shall  turn  out ;  for  the  gods  give  to  many 
men  some  earnest  of  happiness,  but  yet  in  the  end 
overthrow  them  utterly." 

These  were  the  words  of  Solon.  But  they 
pleased  not  King  Croesus  by  any  means.  There- 
fore the  king  made  no  account  of  him,  and  dis- 
missed him  as  being  a  foolish  and  ignorant  person, 
seeing  that  he  took  no  heed  of  the  blessings  that 
men  have  in  their  hands,  bidding  them  always 
have  regard  unto  their  end. 

Now  it  came  to  pass  after  Solon  had  departed 
from  Sardis  that  there  came  great  wrath  from  the 
gods  upon  King  Croesus,  and  this,  doubtless,  be- 
cause he  judged  himself  to  be  the  happiest  of  all 
men.  And  it  happened  in  thiswise:  He  saw  a 
vision  in  his  sleep,  that  told  him  of  the  trouble 
that  should  come  upon  him  with  respect  to  his 
son.  For  the  king  had  two  sons  ;  but  the  one 
was  afflicted  of  the  gods,  being  dumb  from  his 
birth,  but  the  other  far  surpassed  his  equals  of  age 
in  all  things.  And  the  name  of  his  son  was  Atys. 
Now  the  vision  that  he  saw  in  his  sleep  showed 
him  that  Atys  should  be  smitten  with  a  spear- 
point  of  iron,  and  so  die.  Therefore  when  he 
woke  from  his  sleep  and  considered  the  matter, 
being  much  terrified  by  the  dream,  he  sought  how 
he  might  best  keep  his  son  from  this  peril.  First, 
then,  he  married  him  to  a  wife ;  and  next,  he 
suffered  him  not  to  go  forth  any  more  to  battle, 
though  he  had  been  wont  aforetime  to  be  the 
captain  of  the  host ;  and,  besides  all  this,  he  took 
away  all  javelins  and  spears,  and  such  like  things 
that  men  are  wont  to  use  in  battle,  from  the 
chambers  of  the  men,  and  stored  them  elsewhere, 
lest  perchance  one  of  them  should  fall  from  its 
place  where  it  hung  upon  the  wall  and  give  the 
youth  a  hurt. 

Now  it  chanced  that  while  the  matter  of  the 
young  man's  marriage  was  in  hand,  there  came  to 
Sardis  a  certain  stranger,  upon  whom  there  had 
come  the  great  trouble  of  blood-guiltiness.  The 
man  was  a  Phrygian  by  birth,  and  of  the  royal 
house :  and  he  came  into  the  palace  of  Croesus, 
after  the  custom  of  that  country,  and  sought  for 
one  that  should  cleanse  him  from  his  guilt ;  and 


THE  STORY  OF  KING    GBCESUS. 


439 


Croesus  cleansed  liim.  (Now  the  manner  of  cleans- 
ing is  the  same,  for  the  most  part,  among  the 
Lydians  as  it  is  among  the  Greeks.)  And  when 
the  king  had  done  for  him  according  to  all  that 
was  prescribed  in  the  law,  he  would  fain  know 
who  he  was,  and  whence  he  had  come.  Where- 
fore he  asked  him,  saying,  "My  friend,  who  art 
thou?  and  from  what  city  of  Phrygia  —  for  that 
thou  art  a  Phrygian  I  know  —  art  thou  come, 
taking  sanctuary  at  my  hearth  ?  And  what  man 
or  woman  didst  thou  slay?"  And  the  man  an- 
swered, "  O  king,  I  am  the  son  of  Gordias,  the 
son  of  Midas,  and  my  name  is  Adrastus,  and  I  slew 
my  own  brother,  not  wittingly.  For  this  cause  am 
I  come  to  thee,  for  my  father  drave  me  out  from 
m}'  home,  and  I  am  utterly  bereft  of  all  things." 
To  this  King  Croesus  made  reply,  "  Thou  art  the 
son  of  friends,  and  to  a  friend  art  thou  come. 
"Verily  as  long  as  thou  abidest  here  thou  shalt 
lack  for  nothing  that  I  can  give  thee.  And  as  for 
thy  trouble,  it  will  be  best  for  thee  to  bear  it  as 
easily  as  may  be."  So  the  man  lived  thenceforth 
in  the  king's  palace. 

Now  about  this  time  there  was  a  mighty  wild 
boar  in  Olympus,  that  is  a  mountain  of  Mysia.  It 
had  its  den  in  the  mountain,  and  going  out  thence 
did  much  damage  to  the  possessions  of  the  Mys- 
ians  ;  and  the  Mysians  had  often  sought  to  slay 
him,  but  harmed  him  not  at  all,  but  rather  re- 
ceived harm  themselves.  At  the  last  they  sent 
messengers  to  the  king;  who  stood  before  him, 
and  said,  "  O  king,  a  mighty  monster  of  a  wild 
boar  hath  his  abode  in  our  country  and  destroyeth 
our  possessions,  and  though  we  would  fain  kill 
him  we  cannot.  Now,  therefore,  we  pray  thee  that 
thou  wilt  send  thy  son,  and  chosen  youths  with 
him,  and  dogs  for  hunting,  that  they  may  go  with 
us,  and  that  we  may  drive  this  great  beast  out  of 
our  land."  But  when  they  made  this  request 
Crcesus  remembered  the  dream  which  he  had 
dreamed,  and  said,  "  As  to  my  son,  talk  no  more 
about  him,  for  I  will  by  no  means  let  him  go,  see- 
ing that  the  youth  is  newly  married  to  a  wife,  and 
careth  now  for  other  things.  But  chosen  youths 
of  the  Lydians  shall  go  with  you,  and  all  the  hunt- 

56 


ing  dogs  that  I  have ;  and  I  will  bid  them  do  their 
utmost  to  help  you,  that  ye  may  drive  this  wild 
beast  out  of  your  land."  This  was  the  king's 
answer ;  and  the  Mysians  were  fain  to  be  content 
with  it.  But  in  the  meanwhile  the  youth  came  in, 
for  he  had  heard  what  the  Mysians  demanded  of 
his  father ;  and  he  spake  to  the  king,  saying,  "  O 
my  father,  I  was  wont  aforetime  to  win  for  myself 
great  credit  and  honor  going  forth  to  battle  and  to 
hunting.  But  now  thou  forbiddest  me  both  the 
one  and  the  other,  not  having  seen  any  cowardice 
in  me  or  lack  of  spirit.  Tell  me,  my  father,  what 
countenance  can  I  show,  to  my  fellows  when  I  go 
to  the  market,  or  when  I  come  from  thence  ? 
What  manner  of  man  do  I  seem  to  be  to  my 
countrymen  ?  and  what  manner  of  man  to  the  wife 
that  I  have  newly  married  ?  What  thinketh  she 
of  her  husband  ?  Let  me  therefore  go  to  this  hunt- 
ing, or,  if  not,  prove  to  me  that  it  is  better  for  me 
to  live  as  I  am  living  this  day."  To  this  Crcesus 
made  answer,  "  My  son,  I  have  seen  no  cowardice 
or  baseness  or  any  such  thing  in  thee  ;  but  there 
appeared  to  me  a  vision  in  my  sleep,  and  it  stood 
over  me  and  said  that  thy  clays  should  be  few,  for 
that  thou  shouldest  die  being  smitten  by  a  spear- 
point  of  iron.  For  this  reason  I  made  this  mar- 
riage for  thee,  and  send  thee  not  forth  on  such  oc- 
casions as  I  was  wont  to  send  thee  on,  keeping 
thee  under  guard,  if  so  be  that  I  may  shield  thee 
from  thy  fate  at  the  least  so  long  as  I  shall  live. 
For  thou  art  now  my  only  son,  for  of  him  whom 
the  gods  have  afflicted,  making  him  dumb,  I  take 
no  count."  To  this  the  young  man  made  answer, 
"  Thou  hast  good  reason,  my  father,  to  keep  guard 
over  me,  seeing  that  thou  hast  had  such  a  dream 
concerning  me  ;  yet  I  will  tell  thee  a  thing  that 
thou  hast  not  understood  nor  comprehended  in  the 
dream.  Thou  sayest  that  the  vision  told  thee  that 
I  should  perish  by  a  spear-point  of  iron.  Consider 
now,  therefore,  what  hands  hath  a  wild  boar  and 
what  spear-point  of  iron,  that  thou  shouldest  fear 
for  me?  For  if  indeed  the  vision  had  said  that  I 
should  perish  by  a  tooth,  or  by  auy  other  thing 
that  is  like  to  a  tooth,  then  thou  mightest  well  do 
what  thou  doest ;    but  seeing  that  it  spake  of   p 


440 


THE  BOOK   OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


spear-point,  not  so.  Now,  therefore,  that  we  have 
not  to  do  battle  with  men,  but  with  beasts,  I  pray 
thee  that  thou  let  me  go."  Then  said  King  Croe- 
sus, "  It  is  well  said,  my  son  ;  as  to  the  dream, 
thou  hast  persuaded  me.  Therefore  I  have  changed 
my  purpose,  and  suffer  thee  to  go  to  this  hunting." 
When  he  had  said  this,  he  sent  for  Adrastus  the 
Phrygian  ;  and  when  the  man  was  come  into  his 
presence,  he  spake,  saying,  "  Adrastus,  I  took  thee 
when  thou  wast  afflicted  with  a  grievous  trouble, 
though  indeed  with  this  I  upbraid  thee  not,  and  I 
cleansed  thee  from  thy  guilt,  and  received  thee 
into  my  palace,  and  sustained  thee  without  any 
cost  of  thine.  Now,  therefore,  it  is  well  that  thou 
shouldest  make  me  some  return  for  all  these  bene- 
fits. I  would  make  thee  keeper  of  my  son  now 
that  he  goeth  forth  to  this  hunting,  if  it  should 
chance  that  any  robbers  or  such  folk  should  be 
found  on  the  way  to  do  him  hurt.  Moreover,  it 
becometh  thee,  for  thine  own  sake,  to  go  on  an  er- 
rand from  which  thou  mayest  win  renown  ;  for 
thou  art  of  a  royal  house  and  art  besides  valiant 
and  strong."  To  this  Adrastus  made  answer,  "  O 
king,  I  had  not  indeed  gone  to  this  sport  but  for 
thy  words.  For  he  to  whom  such  trouble  hath 
come  as  hath  come  to  me  should  not  company  with 
happy  men  :  nor  indeed  hath  he  the  will  to  do  it. 
But  now,  as  thou  art  earnest  in  this  matter,  I 
must  needs  yield  to  thy  request.  Therefore  I  am 
ready  to  do  as  thou  wilt ;  be  sure,  therefore,  that 
I  will  deliver  thee  thy  son,  whom  thou  biddest  me 
keep,  safe  and  unhurt,  so  far  as  his  keeper  may  so 
do."  So  the  young  men  departed,  and  chosen 
youths  with  them,  and  dogs  for  hunting.  And 
when  they  were  come  to  the  mountain  of  Olympus 
they  searched  for  the  wild  boar,  and  when  they 
had  found  it,  they  stood  in  a  circle  about  it,  and 
threw  their  spears  at  it.  And  so  it  fell  out  that 
this  stranger,  the  same  that  had  been  cleansed 
from  the  guilt  of  manslaying,  whose  name  was 
Adrastus,  throwing  his  spear  at  the  wild  boar  and 
missing  his  aim,  smote  the  son  of  Crcesus.  And 
the  youth  died  of  the  wound,  so  that  the  vision  of 
the  king  was  fulfilled,  that  he  should  die  by  a 
spear-point.    And  straightway  there  ran  one  to  tell 


the  thing  to  Crcesus.  And  when  he  had  come  to 
Sardis,  he  told  the  king  how  they  had  fought  with 
the  wild  boar,  and  how  his  son  had  died. 

Crcesus  was  very  grievously  troubled  by  the 
death  of  his  son ;  and  this  the  more  because  he 
had  been  slain  by  the  man  whom  he  had  himself 
cleansed  from  the  guilt  of  blood.  And  in  his 
great  grief  he  cried  out  very  vehemently  against 
the  gods,  and  specially  against  Zeus,  the  god  of 
cleansing,  seeing  that  he  had  cleansed  this  stranger, 
and  now  suffered  grievous  wrong  at  his  hands. 
He  reproached  him  also  as  the  god  of  hospitality 
and  of  friendship  —  of  hospitalit}',  because  he  had 
entertained  this  man,  and  knew  not  that  he  was 
entertaining  the  slayer  of  his  own  son  ;  and  of 
friendship,  because  he  had  sent  him  to  be  a  keeper 
and  friend  to  his  son,  yet  had  found  him  to  be  an 
enemy  and  destroyer.  And  when  he  had  done 
speaking  there  came  Lydians  bearing  the  dead 
body  of  the  young  man,  and  the  slayer  followed 
behind.  So  soon,  therefore,  as  the  man  was  come 
into  the  presence  of  the  king,  he  gave  himself  up, 
stretching  forth  his  hands,  and  bidding  the  king 
slay  him  on  the  dead  body.  And  he  spake  of  the 
dreadful  deed  that  he  had  done  before,  and  that 
now  he  had  added  to  it  a  worse  thing,  bringing 
destruction  on  him  that  had  cleansed  him ;  and  he 
cried  out  that  he  was  not  fit  to  live.  But  when 
Croesus  heard  him  speak,  he  pitied  him,  for  all 
that  he  was  in  grievous  trouble  of  his  own,  and 
spake  to  him,  "  I  have  had  from  thee,  O  my 
friend,  all  the  vengeance  that  I  need,  seeing  that 
thou  hast  pronounced  sentence  of  death  against 
thyself.  But  indeed  thou  art  not  the  cause  of  this 
trouble,  save  only  that  thou  hast  brought  it  to  pass 
unwittingly  ;  some  god  is  the  cause,  the  same  that 
long  since  foretold  to  me  this  very  thing  that  hath 
now  befallen  me."  So  Crcesus  buried  his  son  with 
all  due  rites.  But  Adrastus  the  son  of  Gordias  the 
son  of  Midas,  that  had  been  the  slayer  of  his  own 
brother,  and  had  now  slain  the  son  of  him  that  had 
cleansed  him,  waited  behind  till  all  men  had  left 
the  sepulchre,  and  then  slew  himself  upon  it ;  for 
he  knew  that  of  all  the  men  in  the  world  he  was 
the  most  unhappv. 


THE  EXPEDITION  OF   THE  ARGONAUTS. 


441 


THE   EXPEDITION   OF   THE   ARGONAUTS. 


BY   B.    G.    NIEBUHK. 


There  was  a  king  in  Greece  whose  name  was 
Athamas,  and  his  wife's  name  was  Nephela.  They 
had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter,  who  were 
very  good,  and  loved  each  other  very  much.  The 
son's  name  was  Phrixus,  and  the  daughter's  Helle. 
But  the  father  was  wicked  and  put  away  his  wife, 
the  mother  of  the  good  children,  and  married  an- 
other wife  whose  name  was  Ino,  and  who  was 
very  wicked.  She  treated  the  poor  children  very 
badly,  gave  them  bad  things  to  eat,  and  bad 
clothes,  and  beat  them,  although  they  were  good, 
because  they  wept  after  their  mother.  Ino  was  a 
very  bad  stepmother.  At  last  both  Athamas  and 
Ino  sought  to  kill  Phrixus  and  to  offer  him  as  a 
sacrifice. 

But  when  he  was  brought  to  the  altar,  the  god 
Hermes  brought  a  fine  large  ram  who  had  wool  of 
gold  and  could  walk  on  the  clouds.  On  this  ram 
with  the  golden  fleece,  Hermes  placed  Phrixus 
and  also  his  sister  Helle,  and  told  them  to  go 
through  the  air  to  the  country  of  Colchis. 

The  ram  knew  his  way.  The  children  were 
told  to  cling  with  one  hand  to  one  of  the  horns, 
and  they  bent  their  other  arm  about  each  other's 
waists  :  but  Helle  let  go  her  hold,  and  fell  down 
into  the  sea.  Phrixus  wept  very  much  because 
his  good  sister  was  dead,  but  went  on  riding  until 
he  came  to  Colchis.  There  he  sacrificed  his  ram, 
and  nailed  the  fleece  against  an  oak-tree. 

Afterwards  there  was  in  Thessaly  another  king, 
whose  name  was  Pelias.  He  had  a  brother  whose 
name  was  iEson,  and  jEson  a  son  whose  name 
was  Jason.  Jason  was  a  young  and  brave  war- 
rior who  dwelt  with  his  father  out  of  the  town. 
Now  it  had  been  said  to  King  Pelias,  that  if  a 
man  with  only  one  shoe  should  come  to  him,  he 
would  take  away  his  kingdom.  Then  it  happened 
that  King  Pelias  gave  a  great  dinner,  to  which  he 
invited  also  Jason.  Jason  was  obliged  to  wade 
through  a  brook  in  coming  to  the  town,  for  there 
56 


was  no  bridge  over  the  brook.  There  had  been  in 
the  night  a  heavy  thunder-storm,  and  it  had  rained 
very  heavily  ;  the  brook  was  full  of  water,  and 
flowed  strongly  when  the  heavy  rain  happened. 
Then  the  ties  of  one  of  Jason's  shoes  were  loosened 
so  that  he  lost  it  in  the  water,  and  he  came  with 
only  one  shoe  into  the  king's  house.  When  King 
Pelias  saw  this,  he  was  greatly  frightened,  and 
told  Jason  he  should  depart  out  of  the  country, 
and  not  come  back  unless  he  brought  him  the 
golden  fleece  at  Colchis. 

Jason  was  not  at  all  afraid,  and  sent  an  invita- 
tion to  all  brave  warriors  to  go  with  him.  In  or- 
der to  get  the  fleece,  it  was  necessary  to  fight 
with  evil  beasts  and  with  evil  men. 

Jason  built  a  large  ship  for  himself  and  for  his 
comrades.  Then  the  goddess  Minerva,  who  loved 
him,  lent  him  assistance,  and  made  him  a  present 
of  a  tree  for  his  mast,  which,  if  Jason  questioned 
it,  told  him  what  he  was  to  do. 

The  ship's  name  was  Argo,  and  they  who  went 
in  her  were  called  Argonauts.  Amongst  the  Ar- 
gonauts there  was  one  Hercules,  and  two  brothers 
who  had  wings  and  could  fly  through  the  air :  and 
another  hero's  name  was  Pollux :  he  knocked 
every  man  down  who  boxed  with  him. 

Then  the  Argonauts  came  with  their  ship  to  a. 
country  where  there  was  a  king  whose  name  was 
Amycus ;  and  whenever  strangers  came  to  his 
country  they  were  compelled  to  fight  him,  and  he 
was  very  strong  and  struck  all  dead.  But  Pollux 
knocked  him  down  and  struck  him  dead ;  for 
Amycus  had  been  very  wicked. 

After  that,  the  Argonauts  came  in  their  ship 
to  the  town  of  Salmydessus,  where  there  lived  a 
king  whose  name  was  Phineus.  He  had  rendered 
Jupiter  angry,  and  Jupiter,  to  punish  him,  made 
him  blind.  Whenever  Phineus  sat  down  to  his 
dinner,  there  came  nasty  great  birds  which  they 
called  harpies.     These  harpies  had  a  skin  of  iron 


THE  BOOK   OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


like  a  coat  of  mail,  and  if  the  attendants  of  the 
blind  king  shot  after  them  or  struck  at  them,  they 
could  not  -wound  them.  The  harpies  had  also 
long  sharp  iron  claws,  with  which  they  tore  the 
people  to  pieces  who  wished  to  drive  them  away. 
As  soon  as  dinner  was  served,  they  would  come 
and  carry  it  away,  and  if  they  could  not  carry 
away  all,  they  dirtied  the  dishes  and  the  table,  so 
that  it  stank  most  detestably.  Thus,  as  poor 
Phineus  could  never  dine  comfortably,  he  was 
very  near  starving.  When  the  heroes  came  to 
him,  he  related  to  them  his  misfortunes,  and  wept 
sorely,  and  begged  them  to  help  him.  The  heroes 
sat  down  with  him  at  the  table,  and  when  the 
meals  were  brought  in,  then  the  harpies  came  fly- 
ing in.  Jason  and  his  comrades  drew  their  swords 
and  struck  at  them,  but  it  availed  not  a  bit.  The 
two  sons  of  Boreas,  Zetes  and  Calais,  who  had 
wings,  jumped  into  the  air  ;  then  the  harpies  lost 
courage  and  flew  away,  and  the  two  heroes  flew 
after  them  :  the  harpies  at  last  became  quite 
weary  and  still  more  frightened,  and  fell  into  the 
sea  and  were  drowned.  Then  Zetes  and  Calais 
came  back,  and  now  poor  Phineus  had  rest  and 
could  eat. 

When  the  wind  was  favorable,  the  heroes  went 
back  to  their  ship  Argo,  to  sail  towards  Colchis, 
and  when  they  bade  farewell  to  Phineus,  he  took 
them  into  his  arms  and  kissed  them,  and  thanked 
them  a  great  many  times  that  they  had  helped 
him  out  of  his  disagreeable  trouble;  and  as  a 
recompense  for  the  service,  he  gave  them  good 
advice.  In  the  great  sea  over  which  they  were  to 
sail  there  floated  two  great  rocks,  as  icebergs  float 
in  the  sea  where  there  is  no  summer,  but  alwavs 
winter.  Those  mountains  were  as  high  as  Monte 
Cavo,  and  whenever  they  struck  against  each 
other  they  crushed  everything  to  pieces  that  had 
got  between  them ;  if  fishes  swam  in  the  water 
they  crushed  them  to  death ;  and  if  birds  flew 
through  the  air,  when  the  rocks  dashed  together 
the}7  crushed  them  to  death  ;  and  if  a  ship  was 
about  to  sail  through,  they  rushed  together  when 
the  ship  was  in  the  middle,  and  crushed  it  into 
small  pieces,  and  all  that  were  in  it  died.    Jupiter 


had  placed  these  rocks  in  the  sea,  lest  any  ship 
should  come  to  Colchis.  Phineus,  however,  knew 
that  the  rocks  always  parted  very  widely  from 
each  other  after  having  crushed  together,  and 
they  always  came  together  whenever  a  fish  was 
about  to  swim  through,  or  a  bird  fly  through,  or  a 
ship  sail  between  them. 

Therefore  he  gave  clever  advice  to  the  Argo- 
nauts, and  they  did  what  he  advised  them  and  got 
safely  through,  and  I  will  tell  you  how  they  man- 
aged it. 

When  they  came  near  the  place  where  the  rocks 
swam,  the  rocks  were  lying  widely  asunder  (about 
fifteen  miles),  but  they  immediately  prepared  to 
meet  each  other.  The  Argonauts  sailed  straight 
towards  the  middle  of  them,  and  when  they  were 
close  to  them,  one  of  the  heroes  stood  up  on  the 
ship  and  held  a  dove  in  his  hand,  and  he  let  it  flv  ; 
whenever  any  living  thing  got  between  the  rocks, 
they  were  obliged  to  crush  together,  and  then 
again  they  parted  widely  asunder.  The  dove  was 
quick,  and  the  goddess  Minerva  helped  her,  he- 
cause  she  was  a  very  good  dove :  she  was  quite 
white.  When  the  rocks  had  crushed  together, 
only  her  tail  was  left  behind,  which  was  torn  out, 
but  the  feathers  soon  grew  again.  Then  the  rocks 
again  parted  widely  asunder,  and  then  the  heroes 
rowed  with  all  their  might  and  got  happily 
through  :  when  the  rocks  crushed  together  again, 
they  could  only  catch  a  small  bit  of  the  ship's 
stern,  which  they  knocked  off.  The  dove  sat 
again  down  on  the  ship,  and  was  not  angry  at  all 
at  the  Argonauts ;  and  afterwards  Minerva  took 
her  and  placed  her  in  the  firmament,  where  she  is 
now  a  beautiful  constellation. 

When  the  Argonauts  had  passed  happily 
through  the  Symplegades  (as  these  rocks  were  ' 
called),  they  entered  at  last  the  river  Phasis, 
which  flows  through  Colchis.  Some  remained  in 
the  ship  ;  but  Jason  and  Pollux  and  many  other 
heroes  went  into  the  town  where  the  king  dwelt. 
The  king's  name  was  iEetes,  and  he  had  a 
daughter  whose  name  was  Medea.  Jason  told 
King  iEetes  that  Pelias  had  sent  him  to  fetch  the 
golden  fleece,  and  requested  him  that  he  would 


THE  EXPEDITION   OF   THE  ARGONAUTS. 


443 


give  it  to  him.  iEetes  was  unwilling  to  lose  the 
fleece,  but  could  not  refuse  it  to  Jason,  it  having 
been  predestined  that  he  must  give  it  whenever 
any  one  came  from  Greece  and  asked  for  it.  He 
therefore  told  Jason  that  he  should  have  it,  but 
first,  that  he  must  yoke  certain  brazen  bulls  to 
a  plow,  and  plow  up  a  great  tract  of  land,  and 
then  sow  the  teeth  of  a  certain  dragon.  The 
brazen  bulls  had  been  made  by  Vulcan ;  they 
walked  and  moved  and  were  living  like  real  bulls, 
but  thejr  belched  out  fire  from  nose  and  mouth, 
and  were  far  more  fierce  and  strong  than  real 
bulls.  Therefore  there  was  built  a  stable  of  great 
stones  and  iron  for  them,  in  which  they  were 
bound  with  strong  iron  chains. 

And  when  the  dragon's  teeth  got  under  the 
earth,  as  corn  gets  under  the  earth  when  it  has 
been  sowed,  there  would  grow  out  of  the  earth 
iron  men  with  lances  and  swords,  who  would  kill 
him  who  had  sown  them.  Thus  the  king  wished 
that  the  bulls  should  kill  Jason  ;  and  if  the  bulls 
should  not  kill  him,  then  he  thought  that  the  iron 
men  would  do  it. 

Medea,  the  daughter  of  the  king,  saw  Jason  at 
her  father's,  and  conceived  a  fondness  for  him  ; 
and  she  was  sorry  that  Jason  should  perish.  She 
was  able  to  brew  magic  liquors :  and  placed  her- 
self on  a  chariot  drawn  by  flying  serpents  :  and 
thus  she  flew  through  the  air  and  collected  herbs 
on  many  mountains  and  in  many  vales,  on  the 
brinks  of  brooks,  and  from  all  these  herbs  she 
pressed  out  the  juice  and  prepared  it;  and  then 
she  went  to  Jason  without  her  father  knowing  it, 
and  brought  him  the  juice,  and  told  him  to  rub  his 
face  and  his  hands,  and  arms  and  legs,  and  also  his 
armor,  his  sword  and  lance,  with  the  juice,  where- 
by he  would  become  for  a  whole  day  stronger 
than  all  the  other  heroes  together,  and  fire  would 
not  burn  him,  and  steel  would  not  wound  him,  or 
go  through  his  shield  or  armor,  but  his  sword  and 
his  lance  would  pierce  steel  as  if  it  were  butter. 

Then  a  day  was  appointed  when  Jason  should 
yoke  the  bulls  and  sow  the  teeth  ;  and  early  in 
the  morning,  before  the  sun  rose,  there  came 
King  iEetes,  with  his  daughter,  and  his  ministers, 


generals,  chamberlains,  and  his  courtiers,  and  sat 
down  on  a  throne  near  the  place  where  Jason  was 
to  plow,  and  the  others  sat  down  on  benches  as 
they  do  on  the  Corso  at  the  races,  and  all  people 
went  out  of  the  town  to  see  how  it  would  happen, 
and  the  boys  climbed  up  the  trees  in  order  to  see 
better. 

Jason  rubbed  himself  and  his  weapons  with  the 
juice  as  Medea  had  told  him,  and  came  to  the 
place.  The  stall  in  which  the  bulls  were  shut  up 
stood  on  the  place.  Then  the  doors  were  opened 
with  a  key,  and  Jason  courageously  stepped  in  and 
was  not  at  all  afraid.  He  loosened  the  bulls  from 
the  chain,  and  seized  each  with  one  hand  by  its 
horn,  and  dragged  them  out.     The  bulls  bellowed 

Do 

most  horribly,  and  all  that  time  fire  came  out  from 
their  noses  and  mouths  ;  and  as  much  smoke  as 
when  a  house  is  burning,  or  when  Mount  Vesuvius 
is  spitting  fire.  Then  the  wicked  King  ^Eetes  felt 
quite  glad :  but  when  the  good  among  the  specta- 
tors saw  what  a  beautiful  man  and  how  courageous 
Jason  was,  they  were  grieved  and  feared  he  would 
die  ;  for  they  did  not  know  that  Medea  was  helping 
him.  Jason,  however,  pressed  the  heads  of  both 
the  bulls  down  to  the  ground ;  then  they  kicked 
with  their  hind  legs,  but  Jason  pressed  them  down 
so  strongly  that  they  fell  on  their  knees. 

The  plow  to  which  they  were  to  be  yoked  was 
all  of  iron  ;  Pollux  brought  it  near  and  threw  the 
yoke  over  their  necks  and  the  chain  around  their 
horns ;  whilst  Jason  kept  their  mouths  and  noses 
so  close  to  the  ground  that  they  could  not  belch 
out  fire.  When  Pollux  had  done  and  the  bulls 
were  yoked,  he  leaped  quickly  away,  and  Jason 
then  seized  the  chain  in  one  hand  and  the  handle 
of  the  plow  in  the  other,  and  let  loose  his  grasp 
of  the  horns  ;  the  bulls  jumped  up  meaning  to  run 
away,  but  Jason  held  the  chain  so  fast  that  they 
were  obliged  to  walk  quite  slowly,  and  to  plow 
quite  orderly.  It  was  sunrise  when  they  were 
yoked,  and  when  it  was  noon  Jason  had  plowed 
up  the  whole  field.  Then  he  unyoked  the  bulls  and 
let  them  loose  ;  but  the  bulls  were  as  shy  as  a  cat 
after  a  beating,  and  they  ran  without  looking 
behind  them  to  the  mountains.     There  they  would 


444 


THE  BOOK   OF  ANCIENT  STORIES. 


have  set  all  the  woods  on  fire  if  Vulcan  had  not 
appeared,  and  caught  them  and  led  them  away. 

When  Jason  had  done  plowing,  he  went  to  King 
iEetes,  telling  him  he  must  now  give  him  the  dra- 
gon's teeth.  Dragons  and  serpents  have  their 
mouths  full  of  small  teeth,  and  iEetes  gave  to 
Jason  a  helmet  all  filled  with  their  teeth.  Jason 
took  them  out  with  his  hand  and  went  up  and 
down  the  field  and  threw  them  in  all  directions ; 
and  then  he  took  his  large  spear  and  beat  the 
clods,  the  large  lumps  of  earth,  into  small  pieces, 
and  then  he  smoothed  the  soil  as  the  gardener 
does  after  having  sowed.  And  then  he  went  away 
and  lay  down  to  rest  until  the  evening,  for  he  was 
very  weary. 

Towards  sunset  he  returned  to  the  field,  and 
iron  men  were  everywhere  growing  out  of  the 
soil.  Some  had  grown  out  to  the  feet,  others  to 
the  knees,  others  to  the  hips,  others  to  the  under 
part  of  the  shoulders,  of  some  only  the  helmet  or 
forehead  could  be  seen,  whilst  the  remainder  of 
their  bodies  stuck  in  the  ground.  Those  who  had 
their  arms  already  out  of  the  earth  and  could  move 
them,  shook  their  lances,  and  brandished  their 
swords.  Some  were  just  freeing  their  feet  and  pre- 
paring to  come  against  Jason. 

Then  Jason  did  what  his  friend  Medea  had 
told  him,  and  taking  a  big  stone,  he  threw  it  on 
the  field  just  in  the  midst  of  them.  When  the 
iron  men  saw  the  stone,  they  sprang  quick  to  take 
it.  I  suppose  that  it  must  have  been  a  fine  great 
marble  stone.  Then  they  began  to  bicker  amongst 
each  other,  because  each  wished  to  have  it,  and  to 
cut  and  thrust  at  each  other,  and  as  soon  as  one 
got  his  feet  out  of  the  soil,  he  ran  to  join  the 
others,  and  all  of  them  fought  together,  until  every 
one  of  them  was  killed.  Jason  meanwhile  leis- 
urely walked  over  the  field  and  cut  off  the  heads 
of  those  that  were  about  to  grow  out.  In  this  way 
all  the  iron  men  perished,  and  the  King  ^Eetes 
became  furious  like  a  madman :  but  Medea  and 
the  heroes  and  the  spectators  were  uncommonly 
pleased. 


The  next  morning,  Jason  went  to  King  jEetes 
and  asked  him  now  to  give  him  the  fleece ;  but 
the  king  did  not  give  it  to  him,  and  said  that  he 
should  come  again :  he  wished  to  have  Jason 
murdered.  Medea  told  that  to  Jason,  and  told 
him  also  that  he  must  fetch  the  fleece  himself,  or 
else  he  would  never  get  it.  The  fleece  was  nailed 
to  an  oak,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  oak  there  lay  a 
dragon  that  never  slept,  and  ate  all  men,  excepting 
King  _<Eetes,  that  should  touch  the  fleece.  As  the 
dragon  was  immortal,  Medea  could  not  help  Jason 
to  kill  him.  But  the  dragon  ate  sweet  cakes  with 
delight,  and  Medea  gave  to  Jason  honey-cakes,  in 
which  she  had  mixed  a  juice  which  obliged  the 
dragon  to  go  fast  asleep.  Jason  came  with  his 
cakes  and  threw  them  before  him ;  the  stupid 
dragon  ate  all  of  them,  and  fell  asleep  immedi- 
ately. Then  Jason  stepped  over  him  and  drew 
out  with  pincers  the  nails  with  which  the  fleece 
was  fastened  to  the  oak,  and  then  taking  down  the 
fleece,  he  wrapped  it  in  his  cloak  and  carried  it 
off  to  the  ship.  Medea  came  also  and  became 
Jason's  wife,  and  went  with  him  to  Greece. 

^Eetes  thinking  the  Argonauts  would  go  back 
in  the  Argo  the  same  way  they  had  come,  sent  a 
great  many  vessels  to  attack  them  ;  but  they  took 
another  way  and  went  up  the  large  river  Ister, 
and  then  the  heroes  carried  the  Argo  into  the 
Ocean  (which  goes  all  around  the  earth),  and 
then  they  came  again  to  Iolcos :  but  the  Colchians 
always  waited  at  the  Symplegades,  which  now 
stood  fastened,  and  the  Argo  never  coming,  they 
returned  at.  last  home  again;  and  King  iEetes 
was  terribly  angry  ;  for  he  had  lost  the  fleece, 
and  the  brazen  bulls,  and  the  dragon's  teeth  ;  and 
his  daughter  was  gone,  and  had  also  taken  with 
her  all  her  jewels,  and  everybody  laughed  at  him. 
When  Medea  arrived  with  Jason  in  Thessaly, 
she  made  old  jEson  young  again,  so  that  his  white 
hair  became  black  again,  and  all  his  teeth  came 
again  ;  he  grew  as  strong  as  any  young  man,  and 
lived  a  great  many  more  years  :  but  she  killed 
Pelias,  and  JEson  became  king  in  his  stead. 


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